Job Description
Senior Data Scientist - Computer Vision & Biomedical Imaging ( Digital Pathology and Spatial Omics )
Our Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning (AI/ML) capabilities are critical accelerators to our mission to delivering towards inventing new medicines that save and improve lives. Core to the Data, AI, and Genome Sciences (DAGS) function is an AI/ML-first approach to improving target and biomarker discovery, validation and selection and elucidating complex disease mechanisms. As Senior Data Scientist for Foundation Model you will be responsible for developing, training, and implementing advanced AI/ML methodologies and techniques to identify disease biology from large scale biological data. You will be part of a cross-functional team of computational biologists, bioinformaticians, data scientists, software engineers, and machine learning engineers that strive to identify therapeutic targets. Experience with modern computer vision architectures (e.g., CLAM, Swin Transformers, Segment Anything) is highly valued.
What You'll Do:
Design and develop, train, and implement novel ML algorithms particularly transformer-based Foundation Models for Target discovery leveraging large scale biological and imaging data.
Rapidly proto@type and iterate on model architectures using real-world data
Integrate multi-modal data (e.g., histology, spatial omics) into scalable learning frameworks
Collaborate with biologists and data scientists to define modeling goals and interpret results
Contribute to our long-term AI/ML strategy for drug discovery
Publish research findings in relevant conferences and journals and actively contribute to the scientific community through knowledge sharing and collaborations.
You Should Have:
PhD in Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science, AI/ML, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Genetics & Genomics, Mathematics, Statistics, Physics, Pharmaceutical Science, or related STEM field with 0+ years postdoctoral experience or Master's degree with 4+ years of industry experience .
Strong background in deep learning , digital pathology , computer vision, and/or medical image analysis
Experience with large-scale model development and training (e.g., CNNs, transformers, contrastive/self-supervised learning)
Strong expertise and experience in modern AI/ML approaches, transformer-based Foundation models, representation learning, and related methodologies.
Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, and experience with deep learning frameworks and libraries like PyTorch, etc.
Interest in life sciences problems and disease biology, and willing to learn from and teach others.
Excellent communication skills and ability to work collaboratively in multi-disciplinary team.
Preferred Skills and Experience:
Familiarity with life science data is a plus.
Relevant publications in scientific journals and experience contributing to research communities, including NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, etc
Exposure to spatial transcriptomics or multi-modal biomedical data
A_ _s 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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Our company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities. Please click here (https://survey.sogosurvey.com/r/aCdfqL) 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:
EEOC Know Your Rights (https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2022-10/22-088\EEOC\KnowYourRights\10\20.pdf)
EEOC GINA Supplement?
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.
Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State Acts (https://www.msdprivacy.com/us/en/CCPA-notice/)
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".
The salary range for this role is
$141,900.00 - $223,300.00
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:
Yes
Travel Requirements:
No Travel Required
Flexible Work Arrangements:
Hybrid
Shift:
Not Indicated
Valid Driving License:
No
Hazardous Material(s):
n/a
Required Skills:
Artificial Intelligence (AI), Computer Vision, Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), Data Analysis, Data Science, Deep Learning, Digital Pathology, Foundation Model Fine Tuning, Foundation Models, Image Analysis, Image Processing, Life Science, Machine Learning, Medical Imaging, Model Development, Transformer Model
Preferred Skills:
Drug Discovery Process, Drug Discovery Research, Genomics, Multimodality Imaging, Transcriptomics
Job Posting End Date:
09/2/2025
*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.
Requisition ID: R361956
