Senior Scientist, In Vivo Cardiometabolic Diseases

Job Description

The Cardiometabolic Disease (CMD) department at our company's Research Labs South San Francisco is seeking a highly innovative and technically rigorous Scientist/Senior Scientist with deep expertise in preclinical in vivo models, particularly in cardiovascular and renal disease biology. This role is centered on hands-on ownership of complex rodent in vivo models and advanced physiological phenotyping to enable mechanistic discovery and target validation. The successful candidate will design, execute, and interpret sophisticated in vivo studies, often involving surgery, invasive measurements, and longitudinal functional readouts, and directly influence target selection and early translational strategy for cardio-renal programs.

The position requires a scientist who is deeply embedded in experimental execution, brings strong physiological intuition, and thrives in a discovery environment where in vivo data are the primary driver of scientific decisions.

Key Responsibilities:

• Independently design, establish, optimize, and execute pre‑clinical acute and chronic in vivo studies using animal models relevant to cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic diseases.

• Conduct laboratory procedures including animal handling, dosing, blood collection, and tissue biopsy sampling.

• Demonstrate strong understanding of anatomy and physiology, with experience in small‑animal surgical techniques, including survival and non‑survival procedures, with specialization in minipump implantation, telemetry implantation, and rodent vessel cannulation.

• Perform non-invasive and invasive cardiovascular phenotyping, including echocardiography, and pressure–volume loop assessment

• Analyze, interpret, and report data generated from in vivo experiments.

• Ensure experimental rigor, reproducibility, and appropriate study design (controls, powering, randomization, endpoints).

• Initiate and execute hypothesis‑driven discovery studies that integrate in vivo functional endpoints with molecular, cellular, and biochemical readouts.

• Partner with cross functional project teams and collaborators to advise on model selection, study design, and endpoint strategy and to translate in vivo findings into target validation, proof of mechanism, and proof of concept datasets.

• Maintain rigorous documentation of experimental work using electronic lab notebooks.

• Adhere to the highest standards of animal welfare, IACUC compliance, and laboratory best practices.

• Participate in shared laboratory responsibilities and contribute to continuous improvement of in vivo capabilities.

• Contribute to manuscripts, internal reports, and technical documentation.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education:

• Bachelor's (with 7 years), Master's (with 4 years) or Ph.D. in Biology, Physiology, Pharmacology, Biomedical Sciences or a related discipline and relevant experience in academic or industrial settings

Required Experience and Skills:

• Extensive hands-on experience with rodent in vivo models, with a strong emphasis on cardiovascular and/or renal disease

• Demonstrated proficiency in:

  • Survival surgeries and post‑operative care

  • Cardiovascular phenotyping (e.g., echocardiography, invasive hemodynamics, telemetry)

  • Renal functional assessments (e.g., GFR, serum/urine biomarkers, metabolic cages)

• Proven ability to design, execute, and interpret complex in vivo studies with minimal supervision

• Strong grounding in disease biology and physiological mechanisms relevant to cardio‑renal disorders

• Track record of scientific productivity, including peer‑reviewed publications and/or impactful internal deliverables

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to work effectively in team‑based research environments

Preferred Experience and Skills:

• Familiarity with PK/PD relationships and translational biomarker strategies

• Experience with in vitro or ex vivo assays that complement in vivo mechanism‑of‑action studies

• Prior experience in an industry or advanced discovery research setting

#EligibleforERP 

Required Skills:

Cardiometabolic, Cardiovascular Diseases, Cardiovascular Surgery, In Vivo Animal Models, In Vivo Imaging, In Vivo Studies, Phenotyping, Survival Surgeries

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:

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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.

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The salary range for this role is

$131,400.00 - $206,800.00

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/International

VISA Sponsorship:

Yes

Travel Requirements:

No Travel Required

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Not Applicable

Shift:

1st - Day

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

N/A

Job Posting End Date:

06/11/2026

*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.