Merck
Job Description
The Clinical Director (Principal Scientist) has primary responsibility for planning and directing clinical research activities involving new or marketed medicines in the Early Oncology therapeutic area. Our company's Oncology medicines span all phases of clinical development (pre-clinical to post-licensure). The Clinical Director may manage the entire cycle of clinical development for their signed studies including study design, initiation, execution, monitoring, analysis, regulatory reporting, and publication.
Role Responsibilities:
Specifically, the Clinical Director may be responsible for:
Planning clinical trials (designing, collaborating on operational plans, etc.) based on the clinical development strategy
Medical oversight and overall conduct of ongoing or new clinical trials for investigational or marketed drugs
Analyzing and summarizing clinical findings from studies to support decisions regarding safety and efficacy as well as new drug applications, clinical study reports, or publication
Participating in internal and joint internal/external research project teams relevant to the development of new compounds, and the further study of marketed compounds
Supporting business development assessments of external opportunities
The Clinical Director may:
Actively engage with other functional areas in support of study execution
Work closely with a cross-functional group of experts in commercialization, regulatory affairs, statistics, and manufacturing to manage clinical development projects
Assist the team in ensuring that other colleagues are informed of the progress of studies of our company and competitors' drugs
Provide expert opinion, internally and externally, on relevant scientific questions within their responsibility
The Clinical Director is responsible for maintaining a strong scientific fund of knowledge by:
Maintaining awareness of scientific developments within his/her area of expertise, in terms of new scientific findings, research methodologies
Identifying scientifically and operationally strong investigators who can assist in the development of our company's investigational and marketed drugs
Establishing communications with prominent clinical investigators in his/her particular field of interest, particularly those who will be willing and able to assist in the evaluation of our company's drugs
Attending appropriate scientific meetings to maintain his or her competency and to maintain awareness of research activities in his/her area of responsibility
To accomplish these goals, the Clinical Director may:
Author detailed development documents, presentations, budgets, and position papers for internal and external audiences
Facilitate collaborations with external researchers around the world
Travel on company business about twenty (20) percent of the time to manage future or ongoing clinical research projects
Education:
Required Experience and Skills:
Must have experience in industry or senior faculty in academia
Minimum of 3 years of clinical medicine experience
Minimum of 1 year of industry experience in drug development or biomedical research experience in academia
Demonstrated record of scientific scholarship and achievement
Proven track record in clinical medicine and background in biomedical research
Strong interpersonal skills, as well as the ability to function in a team environment
Strong verbal and written communication and presentation skills
Preferred Experience and Skills:
Board Certified or Eligible in Oncology or related discipline
Prior specific experience in clinical research and prior publications
Required Skills:
Clinical Development, Clinical Judgment, Clinical Research, Clinical Trials, Clinical Trial Support, Drug Discovery Research, Early Clinical Development, Oncology
Preferred Skills:
Current Employees apply HERE
Current Contingent Workers apply HERE
US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:
Our company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities. Please click here if you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process.
As an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, we provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. As a federal contractor, we comply with all affirmative action requirements for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit:
We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing together, talented, and committed people with diverse experiences, perspectives, skills and backgrounds. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when people with diverse ideas, broad experiences, backgrounds, and skills come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively.
The salary range for this role is
$255,800.00 - $402,700.00
This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, government requirements, and business or organizational needs.
The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable.
We offer a comprehensive package of benefits. Available benefits include medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, including 401(k), paid holidays, vacation, and compassionate and sick days. More information about benefits is available at https://jobs.merck.com/us/en/compensation-and-benefits.
You can apply for this role through https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (or via the Workday Jobs Hub if you are a current employee). The application deadline for this position is stated on this posting.
San Francisco Residents Only: We will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment in compliance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance
Los Angeles Residents Only: We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance
Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully
Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company. No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails.
Employee Status:
Regular
Relocation:
Domestic
VISA Sponsorship:
No
Travel Requirements:
10%
Flexible Work Arrangements:
Hybrid
Shift:
Not Indicated
Valid Driving License:
No
Hazardous Material(s):
n/a
Job Posting End Date:
07/13/2026
*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.