Job Description

The Associate Director, Business Development & Licensing (BD&L) Discovery Transactions will be part of a seasoned team of transaction leads located in Rahway, NJ, West Point, PA, Cambridge, MA, South San Francisco, CA, and London, England. The successful candidate will be responsible for overseeing and negotiating a broad spectrum of transactions supporting our company's Research Laboratories in the discovery and preclinical stage across in support of therapeutic and functional areas with external academic, government, and industry partners worldwide. One position will be based in our offices in West Point, PA, and the other will be located in our offices in London, England.  This position will report to a Director in the BD&L Discovery Transactions group.

Primary responsibilities:

• Collaborating closely with our company's research scientists, management, legal and external partners to negotiate material transfers, licenses, evaluations, consortia, research collaborations and other agreements to establish external scientific partnerships

• Negotiating with external counterparts to execute appropriate agreements in a timely manner in support of our Research Division objectives and compliance policies

• Educating and influencing our Research Division scientists and management in the executional and relational aspects of external partnering 

• Participation and networking at industry-academia professional events to es

• Establish our Research Division as a partner of choice

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in a scientific discipline; an advanced degree in business, law or science is a plus

• A minimum of 5 years work experience in one or more pharmaceutical or biotech companies

• Experience in transactions with academic institutions; contract drafting and negotiation experience desired

• Demonstrated leadership, judgment, and creativity in applying analytical frameworks and solutions to business- and discovery-stage scientific issues

• Demonstrated ability to partner with client groups

• Understanding of scientific principles and the drug-development process

• Candidate must demonstrate superb interpersonal skills and the ability to influence without authority

• Exceptional written, verbal, and organizational skills are essential

• Some travel (<10%) will be required

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.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.  For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit:

EEOC Know Your Rights

EEOC GINA Supplement​

Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination

We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing diverse, talented, and committed people together. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when diverse ideas come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively.

Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State Acts

U.S. Hybrid Work Model

Effective September 5, 2023, employees in office-based positions in the U.S. will be working a Hybrid work consisting of three total days on-site per week, Monday - Thursday, although the specific days may vary by site or organization, with Friday designated as a remote-working day, unless business critical tasks require an on-site presence.This Hybrid work model does not apply to, and daily in-person attendance is required for, field-based positions; facility-based, manufacturing-based, or research-based positions where the work to be performed is located at a Company site; positions covered by a collective-bargaining agreement (unless the agreement provides for hybrid work); or any other position for which the Company has determined the job requirements cannot be reasonably met working remotely. Please note, this Hybrid work model guidance also does not apply to roles that have been designated as “remote”.

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:

No relocation

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:

04/18/2025

*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.