About the Role

We are seeking a highly skilled candidate to join our team and drive innovation in AI-powered drug evaluation and development. This role focuses on building and optimizing advanced AI systems, including large language models (LLMs) and molecular generation and property prediction models. The ideal candidate will combine deep technical expertise with domain knowledge in pharmaceutical R&D, enabling rapid iteration and deployment of cutting-edge solutions.

Qualifications

• PhD or Master with equivalent practical experience in Computational Chemistry, Computational Biology, Computer Science, Machine Learning, or a related technical field
• Experience in disease and target research is highly desired
• Experience in drug discovery and development is highly desired
• Deep understanding and experience of LLM model architecture, training, and application in literature mining and scientific insights generation, including deployment, post-training, reasoning, tool-use, alignment, agents, as well as reinforcement learning and fine-tuning
• Deep understanding and experience of graph neural networks, generative models and other deep learning models for drug discovery applications, including structure prediction, molecule design, property prediction, etc.
• Experience using ML frameworks such as Py Torch, Tensor Flow, JAX, and scientific software such as Num Py, Sci Py, or Pandas
• Ability to iterate collaboratively with scientists and domain experts in biology and chemistry
• Experience of integrating scientific insights and data into AI models
• Ability to learn quickly in a fast-paced environment
• Excellent communication skills for cross-disciplinary collaboration

Required Skills

• Academic Conferences
• Accountability
• Bioanalytical Analysis
• Bioanalytical Techniques
• Biochemical Assays
• Bioinformatics
• Biomarker Development
• Clinical Judgment
• Computational Biology
• Computational Chemistry
• Computational Neuroscience
• Computer Science
• Creativity
• Detail-Oriented
• Drug Development
• Drug Discovery Process
• Ethical Compliance
• Immunohistochemistry (IHC)
• In Vivo Pharmacology
• Large Language Models (LLMs)
• Machine Learning (ML)
• Mass Spectrometry Analysis
• Project Management
• Science (+ 4 more)

Employment Information

Employee Status: Regular

Relocation: No relocation

VISA Sponsorship: No

Travel Requirements: No Travel Required

Flexible Work Arrangements: Not Applicable

Shift: Not Indicated

Valid Driving License: No

Hazardous Material(s): No

Job Posting End Date: 02/28/2026

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.

Search Firm Representatives

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.

About Merck

Our company is a global health care leader with a diversified portfolio of prescription medicines, vaccines and animal health products. The difference between potential and achievement lies in the spark that fuels innovation and inventiveness; this is the space where we have codified our legacy for over a century. Our success is backed by ethical integrity, forward momentum, and an inspiring mission to achieve new milestones in global healthcare.