Merck Posted June 5, 2026

Associate Principal Scientist, Statistical Programming

Rahway, New Jersey, United States of America FULL_TIME
Biostatistics & Data Science Principal

Merck is the source of truth for this posting and owns the application process. We surface normalized context and market comparison you won't find on the original listing.

About this opportunity

Job Description

Associate Principal Scientist, Statistical Programming – Rahway, NJ:

Provide high quality statistical programming analysis and reporting deliverables for global PK modeling and simulation stakeholders Oncology therapeutic area.

Gather and interpret user requirements, retrieve the required data, transform the data into modeling-ready analysis datasets, and develop tables and figures according to the modeling analysis plans.

Lead the data stewardship and take accountability for the creation of modeling data from original data source(s) to final modeling dataset.

Act as a key collaborator with modelers, statisticians and other project stakeholders and execute project plans efficiently and oversee the work of other team members when opportunities arise.

Programmatically synthesize preclinical / clinical data into analysis ready structures from varied data sources.

Create modeling-ready datasets by integrating PK, PD and covariate data.

Produce tables and graphics for inclusion in study reports and regulatory submissions.

Ensure programmatic traceability from data source to modeling result.

Support the development of programming standards to enable efficient and high quality production of programming deliverables.

Produce SAS transport files and associated documentation for regulatory submissions.

Represent statistical programming on process improvement activities.

Education Requirements:

Must have a Bachelor’s degree (or US equivalent) in Computer Science, Statistics, Applied Mathematics, Life Sciences, Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or related field plus 9 years SAS programming experience in a clinical trial environment

OR

Master’s degree (or US equivalent) in Computer Science, Statistics, Applied Mathematics, Life Sciences, Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or related field plus 7 years SAS programming experience in a clinical trial environment.

Position Requirements:

Must possess significant expertise in SAS and clinical trial programming including data steps, procedures, SAS/MACRO, SAS/GRAPH; and programming expertise with clinical endpoint data (efficacy and safety) and pharmacokinetic data (raw concentration data, derived PK parameters).

Ability to design and develop complex programming algorithms; to efficiently manipulate clinical trial datasets including complex data preprocessing, filtering, and manipulation; demonstrated ability to work in an exploratory environment, handling non-standard data in a variety of formats with minimal requirements.

Knowledge of pharmaceutical development processes.

Ability to comprehend analysis plans which may describe methodology to be programmed.

Understanding of statistical or pharmacokinetic terminology and concepts; and ability to implement statistical methods not currently available through commercial software packages also required.

Must possess broad knowledge and significant experience in developing analysis and reporting deliverables for R&D projects (data, analyses, tables, graphics, listings).

Ability to lead at a program level; ability to determine approach and ensure consistency and direct development of others when opportunities arise; ability to engage key stakeholders required.

Must possess strong project management skills; excellent interpersonal skills; ability to negotiate and collaborate effectively; and excellent written, oral, and presentation skills.

The salary range for this role is: $144,373.00 - $224,100.00 per year

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.

Required Skills:

 Preferred Skills:

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:

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

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.

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:

No Travel Required

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Not Applicable

Shift:

Not Indicated

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

n/a

Job Posting End Date:

08/12/2026 *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.

Requisition ID:R400978

Job details

Seniority
Principal
Function
Biostatistics & Data Science
Therapeutic area
Not listed
Location
Rahway, New Jersey, United States of America
Employment type
FULL_TIME

How this role compares

Computed from every other active Biostatistics & Data Science role in our database, not just this employer's listings.

We currently track 62 comparable Principal Biostatistics & Data Science roles across 16 biopharma companies.

62Comparable roles tracked
56Currently active
16Companies hiring similar roles
13Countries represented

Salary context

23 of 62 peers report a salary range (USD, annualized)

Peers share this role's job function and a matching or adjacent seniority level -- not necessarily the same therapeutic area or country.

This roleSubject $144,373/yr – $224,100/yr
Lowest disclosed · Sr. Computational Statistician (R2 – R3) · Lilly $46,842/yr – $117,289/yr
Highest disclosed · Scientific Director, Clinical and Real World Evidence · AbbVie $211,000/yr – $400,500/yr
Peer group range $82,066 – $305,750 (median $180,500)

Where these roles are based

Top locations among the 62 comparable roles

United States36
India6
Japan4
United Kingdom4
Germany3
China2

+ 7 more countries

Seniority mix

62 of 62 peers have a known seniority level

Senior27
Principal24
Director11

Therapeutic area mix

4 of 62 peers have a known therapeutic area; the rest are genuinely unlabeled, not hidden

Oncology4

Similar opportunities

The closest matches from our peer group, ranked by how similar they are, not how well you'd qualify for them -- treat this as market context, not a guaranteed shortlist; a weak match is labeled as one below.

60%similar
Lilly Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America Principal
Same function Same seniority Same country
60%similar
Merck Rahway, New Jersey, United States of America Principal
Same function Same seniority Same country
60%similar
Merck Rahway, New Jersey, United States of America Principal
Same function Same seniority Same country
60%similar
Merck North Wales, Pennsylvania, United States of America Principal
Same function Same seniority Same country
60%similar
Roche Santa Clara, California, United States of America Principal
Same function Same seniority Same country
60%similar
AbbVie North Chicago, IL Principal
Same function Same seniority Same country

How we calculate "similar"

No black box, no LLM guesswork: a deterministic score built from four normalized attributes. Here's this role's own peer group at different match levels, so you can see the mechanism, not just the result.

Every comparison starts from the same 100-point budget: 25 for working in the same function, 40 for the same therapeutic area, 20 for the same or adjacent seniority, 15 for the same country. A dimension we can't confirm on both sides contributes nothing, never a guess, never a free pass.

60%
Principal Computational Statistician
Lilly · Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America · Principal
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
60%
Associate Principal Scientist, Biostatistics
Merck · North Wales, Pennsylvania, United States of America · Principal
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
60%
Principal Statistical Programmer
ViiV Healthcare Company · Durham Blackwell Street, United States · Principal
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
60%
Principal Data Scientist, 340B Strategy & Analytics
AbbVie · Mettawa, IL · Principal
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
Unmatched or unknown dimensions score exactly the same: 0 points, never a partial guess. A role we know almost nothing about beyond its function bottoms out at 25%; it never inflates to 100% just because there's little to compare against. Seniority uses a defined ladder (Associate → Manager → Associate Director → Senior → Principal → Director → Senior Director → Executive/VP) so "Director" and "Senior Director" count as adjacent, but "Director" and "Executive/VP" do not.