Job Description

Our company Business Development & Licensing (BD&L) organization is focused on building strong partnerships with the external life-science community to bring new and life-changing therapies to waiting patients.  The Pacific Hub team, which operates out of OUR COMPANY’s state-of-the-art R&D site in South San Francisco, Shanghai and Tokyo, is seeking to add an experienced Search & Evaluation business development professional to its team in Shanghai.  We focus on identifying and transacting on novel, differentiated opportunities across all therapeutic areas and modalities that are early stage through pre-proof of concept in the clinic with companies and research institutions in China, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, India and the west coast of the United States and Canada.

The Director, Search & Evaluation (S&E) will be a highly experienced scientific prospector, responsible for finding, evaluating and championing opportunities in China for licensing, acquisition and/or collaboration that are discovery through pre-proof of concept in humans. The Director will lead scientific evaluation and due diligence of therapeutic assets. The Director will work closely with the Pacific Hub BD&L team to prosecute and advance differentiated science to bring into OUR COMPANY’s pipeline.  With guidance from BD&L leadership, the Director will communicate OUR COMPANY’s partnering wants and needs to external companies while also remaining open to identifying and advocating for potentially game changing science. Importantly, the Director will manage of a large portfolio of complex projects focused on specific therapeutic areas and be responsible for timely engagement with potential partners (biotech companies, large, mid-sized and small pharma and biotech companies).

Specific responsibilities include:

Act with urgency to identify, screen, monitor and evaluate business development opportunities with life science and biotech companies in China with a focus on cutting-edge science across all therapeutic areas (preclinical through pre-proof of concept in humans) and modalities to enhance and expand OUR COMPANY’s pipeline. Work closely with OUR COMPANY scientific leadership and stakeholders across therapeutic areas and functions to review and assess partnering opportunities and help set partnering strategy, in addition to bringing and advocating for new partnering opportunities based on differentiated science/ and or new modalities. Lead cross-functional scientific due diligence teams.  Integrate internal subject matter expert input to build strategic rationale and internal support for business development opportunities.  Prepare slides and materials for presentation of partnering opportunities to our senior leadership for approval. Conduct competitive landscape analysis to help guide business development strategy and approach.  Work closely with search and evaluation colleagues across BD&L to ensure comprehensive coverage of the relevant opportunity space and assessment of the best assets in a given space.  Serve as primary scientific contact for business development projects.  Ensure prompt consideration of all business development opportunities both internally and externally with potential partners.Contribute to deal team and collaborate with scientific stakeholders, alliance management, intellectual property and legal counsel to support negotiation and completion of licensing deals, collaborations, acquisitions and strategic alliances.Individual contributor role.

Education:

Required:  Ph.D. in a life sciences discipline.

Experience & Skills:

Required Experience: 

At least 10 years experience within the biopharmaceutical industry or related role (e.g. management consulting, equity research, university technology transfer, etc.), of which at least 3-4 years have been focused on sourcing and evaluation of business development opportunities.Broad-based scientific knowledge across human health therapeutic areas, coupled with strong business acumen and ability to translate scientific and technical information to frame attractive business opportunities.  Demonstrated ability to learn new science in therapeutic areas outside of your primary area of scientific expertise a plus.Demonstrated understanding of small molecule and biologics drug discovery and development, biopharmaceutical industry trends and competitive landscape. Strong presentation and communication skills.  Demonstrated experience presenting complex science and/or business topics to management, including preparation of slides and cogent scientific and business rationale for a decision. Desire and proven ability to have an impact. Energetic self-starter with a strong work ethic, capable of thriving in a high growth, fast paced and intellectual environment.Experience working and collaborating with cross-functional teams, including demonstrated experience in project management and/or contract negotiations as well as the ability to build effective coalitions to move projects forward.Sound judgment and ability to present and succinctly explain scientific and technical topics.Strong networking, organizational, analytical and computing skills.  Working knowledge of Microsoft Office

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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:

50%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Hybrid

Shift:

Not Indicated

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

NA

Required Skills:

Business Development, Business Opportunities, Cross-Functional Teamwork, Digital Business Development, International Business Development, Leadership, Management Consulting, Negotiation, Partnership Strategy, Presentation Development, Professional Networking, Stakeholder Management, Strategic Licensing, Strategic Planning

 Preferred Skills:

Job Posting End Date:

12/31/2025

*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:R356700