Job Description

This position provides high quality statistical programming analysis and reporting and regulatory submission deliverables for Real World Evidence projects across our company's Biostatistics and Research Decision Sciences (BARDS) group.  The associate principal statistical programmer utilizes strong expertise in multiple programming languages including SAS and R to efficiently manipulate electronic healthcare databases to discover disease prevalence and risk factors, describe drug utilization patterns and disease progression, answer clinical development questions, and support regulatory submissions.  In this role, the associate principal statistical programmer will gather and interpret user requirements from epidemiologists, retrieve the required data from electronic healthcare databases, and develop disease cohorts, analytical datasets, tables, figures, and submission deliverables and perform validation activities following departmental standard operating procedures.   The associate principal statistical programmer will be a key collaborator with Biostatistics and Research Decision Sciences (BARDS) epidemiologists and oversee the work of other team members when opportunities arise. 

Position Qualifications:

Education Minimum Requirement:  

MS in Computer Science, Statistics, Applied Mathematics, Life Sciences, Engineering or related analytical field plus minimum 7 yrs experience in multiple programming languages including SAS and R

BA/BS in Computer Science, Statistics, Applied Mathematics, Life Sciences, Engineering or related analytical field plus 9 years' experience in multiple programming languages including SAS and R

Required Experience and Skills:

Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to negotiate and collaborate effectively

Excellent written, oral, and presentation skills

Broad knowledge and significant experience in developing analysis and reporting deliverables for Research & Development projects (data, analyses, tables, graphics, listings)

Strong project management skills; leadership at a program level; determines approach and ensures consistency and directs development of others when opportunities arise; ability to engage key stakeholders

Expertise in SAS and R Real World Evidence programming including data processing, statistical procedures and graphing and tabulation techniques; systems and database expertise

Solid Real World Evidence and Real World domain knowledge

Designs and develops programming algorithms

Ability to quickly and effectively learn new program techniques and data structures; capacity to seamlessly assimilate to new projects

Ability to comprehend data analysis plans which may describe observational research and statistical methodology to be programmed; understanding and implementation of observational research or statistical terminology and concepts; implements observational methods not currently available through commercial software packages.  

Programming expertise with electronic healthcare databases (electronic medical records and insurance claims); efficiently manipulates large databases including complex data preprocessing, filtering, and manipulation; experience with sampling strategies for large databases

Unix operating system experience; SQL experience; systems and database experience

Thrives working in an exploratory environment, handling non-standard data in a variety of formats with minimal requirements

Demonstrated success in the assurance of deliverable quality and process compliance. Strong working knowledge of reporting processes (SOPs) and software development life-cycle (SDLC);

An interest to advance career by investing in development activities and taking on tasks with increasing levels of challenge and responsibility

Team oriented with demonstrated history of teamwork and collaboration; enjoying diversity, respect and integrity

Preferred Experience and Skills:  

Strategic thinking - ability to turn strategy into tactical activities; design of statistical databases with the end in mind that optimize analysis and reporting and leverage departmental standards and industry best-practices

Experience in process improvement; utilizes and contributes to the development of standard departmental SAS macros and R code and tools

Familiarity with the fields of Outcomes Research and Epidemiology including methodologies

Experience with Common Data Model (CDM)

Experience in CDISC and ADaM standards

Experience in version control tools (e.g., git, Github)

Experience working with coding systems such ICD-9, ICD-10, CPT, NDC

Good working knowledge of reporting processes (SOPs) and software development life-cycle (SDLC)

Expertise in statistics, clinical and data management concepts as applied to drug/vaccine development within the pharmaceutical industry;

Experience assuring programming consistency across protocols and projects, directing the program development effort of other programmers; experience as a programming mentor

Ability to anticipate stakeholder requirements

Ability and interest to work across cultures and geographies

Active in professional societies

eligibleforERP

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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.

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”.

The salary range for this role is

$139,600.00 - $219,700.00

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:

No relocation

VISA Sponsorship:

Yes

Travel Requirements:

10%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Hybrid

Shift:

Not Indicated

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

N/A

Required Skills:

Clinical Development, Data Management, Data Modeling, Epidemiology, Git Version Control System, Numerical Analysis, Outcomes Research, Process Improvements, Programming Languages, Project Management, Software Development, Stakeholder Relationship Management, Statistical Programming, Strategic Thinking, Waterfall Model

 Preferred Skills:

Job Posting End Date:

09/8/2025

*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:R364181