MSD
Associate Scientist Postdoctoral Fellow - Computational Precision Genetics
MSD, Cambridge, Massachusetts, us, 02140
Job Description
Be a part of the legacy: Postdoctoral Research Fellow Program
Our Research Laboratories’ Postdoctoral Research Fellow Program aims to be a best-in-industry program for industrial postdoctoral researchers, designed to provide you with an academic focus in a commercial environment. With the resources, reach, and expertise of a large pharmaceutical company, postdoctoral researchers will be positioned to excel in an institution committed to breakthrough innovation in research and discovery.
Position summary The Precision Genetics group in the Data, AI and Genome Sciences Department seeks a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to drive computational work on a translational project developing a reusable multi-omics and AI/ML framework to discover mechanism-based companion diagnostic (CDx) biomarkers that predict treatment response in autoimmune diseases. The role combines organoid drug-profiling, multi-modal functional assays, single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, and development of interpretable AI/ML models to identify predictive biomarkers and benchmark model fidelity against clinical datasets.
Key responsibilities
Analyze multi-modal pre- and post-treatment readouts, including epithelial barrier assays, cytokine profiling, single-cell RNA-seq, and spatial transcriptomics (e.g., 10x Visium, GeoMx, Stereo-seq).
Develop, benchmark, and maintain reproducible computational pipelines for bulk, single-cell, and spatial transcriptomics data processing (QC, alignment, cell-type annotation, and spatial analyses).
Implement multi-omic integration strategies combining spatial transcriptomics, single-cell expression, cell composition estimates, and genotype/SNP data.
Design, train, evaluate, and interpret AI/ML models (supervised and unsupervised) for predictive biomarker discovery and companion diagnostic candidate prioritization, emphasizing feature selection and model explainability.
Document methods, workflows, and results thoroughly; prepare and contribute to manuscripts, conference presentations, and IP/translation activities as appropriate.
Collaborate effectively with wet-lab scientists, clinicians, and computational colleagues, present results to the team and stakeholders.
Required qualifications
Ph.D. or completion within 6 months in Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, Systems Biology, Genomics, Biomedical Engineering, Computer Science (with bioinformatics experience), or related discipline.
Demonstrated experience analyzing single-cell and/or spatial transcriptomics data (processing, clustering, differential expression, spatial analysis).
Strong programming skills in Python and/or R and familiarity with relevant libraries/tools (Seurat, Scanpy, Squidpy, Bioconductor, scikit-learn, PyTorch/TensorFlow).
Strong statistical skills and experience working with high-dimensional biological data; excellent data visualization abilities.
Excellent written and oral communication skills and evidence of productivity appropriate to career stage (publications, code repositories, or preprints).
Proven ability to work collaboratively in interdisciplinary teams and manage multiple projects concurrently.
Preferred qualifications
Hands‑on experience generating single-cell or spatial transcriptomics datasets from organoid models (10x Visium, Nanostring GeoMx, MERFISH, Stereo-seq) or close collaboration with teams that generate such data.
Familiarity with genotype/SNP data processing and integration (GWAS summary statistics, imputation, genotype–phenotype association analyses).
Experience with cloud platforms (AWS) and high-performance computing (HPC) environments.
Prior experience in translational biomarker discovery or developing clinically oriented predictive models.
Required Skills: Bioinformatics, Biomarker Identification, Cell-Based Assays, Computational Analysis, Computational Biology, Data Analysis, Datasets, Large Scale Data Processing, Mathematical Biology, Molecular Biology, Organoid Culture, Programming Languages, Scientific Research, Scientific Writing, Single-Cell Genomics, Statistical Analysis, Synthetic Chemistry, Wet Lab.
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.
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: Yes
Travel Requirements: 10%
Flexible Work Arrangements: Not Applicable
Shift: Not Indicated
Valid Driving License: No
Hazardous Material(s): N/A
Job Posting End Date: 11/14/2025
*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59 PM 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.
EEOC Know Your Rights
EEOC GINA Supplement
Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State Acts
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Our Research Laboratories’ Postdoctoral Research Fellow Program aims to be a best-in-industry program for industrial postdoctoral researchers, designed to provide you with an academic focus in a commercial environment. With the resources, reach, and expertise of a large pharmaceutical company, postdoctoral researchers will be positioned to excel in an institution committed to breakthrough innovation in research and discovery.
Position summary The Precision Genetics group in the Data, AI and Genome Sciences Department seeks a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to drive computational work on a translational project developing a reusable multi-omics and AI/ML framework to discover mechanism-based companion diagnostic (CDx) biomarkers that predict treatment response in autoimmune diseases. The role combines organoid drug-profiling, multi-modal functional assays, single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, and development of interpretable AI/ML models to identify predictive biomarkers and benchmark model fidelity against clinical datasets.
Key responsibilities
Analyze multi-modal pre- and post-treatment readouts, including epithelial barrier assays, cytokine profiling, single-cell RNA-seq, and spatial transcriptomics (e.g., 10x Visium, GeoMx, Stereo-seq).
Develop, benchmark, and maintain reproducible computational pipelines for bulk, single-cell, and spatial transcriptomics data processing (QC, alignment, cell-type annotation, and spatial analyses).
Implement multi-omic integration strategies combining spatial transcriptomics, single-cell expression, cell composition estimates, and genotype/SNP data.
Design, train, evaluate, and interpret AI/ML models (supervised and unsupervised) for predictive biomarker discovery and companion diagnostic candidate prioritization, emphasizing feature selection and model explainability.
Document methods, workflows, and results thoroughly; prepare and contribute to manuscripts, conference presentations, and IP/translation activities as appropriate.
Collaborate effectively with wet-lab scientists, clinicians, and computational colleagues, present results to the team and stakeholders.
Required qualifications
Ph.D. or completion within 6 months in Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, Systems Biology, Genomics, Biomedical Engineering, Computer Science (with bioinformatics experience), or related discipline.
Demonstrated experience analyzing single-cell and/or spatial transcriptomics data (processing, clustering, differential expression, spatial analysis).
Strong programming skills in Python and/or R and familiarity with relevant libraries/tools (Seurat, Scanpy, Squidpy, Bioconductor, scikit-learn, PyTorch/TensorFlow).
Strong statistical skills and experience working with high-dimensional biological data; excellent data visualization abilities.
Excellent written and oral communication skills and evidence of productivity appropriate to career stage (publications, code repositories, or preprints).
Proven ability to work collaboratively in interdisciplinary teams and manage multiple projects concurrently.
Preferred qualifications
Hands‑on experience generating single-cell or spatial transcriptomics datasets from organoid models (10x Visium, Nanostring GeoMx, MERFISH, Stereo-seq) or close collaboration with teams that generate such data.
Familiarity with genotype/SNP data processing and integration (GWAS summary statistics, imputation, genotype–phenotype association analyses).
Experience with cloud platforms (AWS) and high-performance computing (HPC) environments.
Prior experience in translational biomarker discovery or developing clinically oriented predictive models.
Required Skills: Bioinformatics, Biomarker Identification, Cell-Based Assays, Computational Analysis, Computational Biology, Data Analysis, Datasets, Large Scale Data Processing, Mathematical Biology, Molecular Biology, Organoid Culture, Programming Languages, Scientific Research, Scientific Writing, Single-Cell Genomics, Statistical Analysis, Synthetic Chemistry, Wet Lab.
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.
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: Yes
Travel Requirements: 10%
Flexible Work Arrangements: Not Applicable
Shift: Not Indicated
Valid Driving License: No
Hazardous Material(s): N/A
Job Posting End Date: 11/14/2025
*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59 PM 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.
EEOC Know Your Rights
EEOC GINA Supplement
Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State Acts
#J-18808-Ljbffr