Associate Director, Automation Engineer

Job Description

Primary Responsibilities:

• Automation and equipment performance to ensure robust operation while maintaining compliance with all current regulatory expectations. 

• Receives assignments, direction, and technical guidance from leadership and/or Pharm Sciences colleagues. 

• Recommends and executes programs of value to the Company which lead to availability of Clinical Supplies and Development Batches to meet Clinical Development Program requirements. 

• Partners with Quality, Operations, Technology, and Financial to value these efforts to develop cost standards for new or modified processes. 

•  Initiates and provides resources for technical support of capital projects in area of process, equipment, and/or automation responsibility, culminating in directing the coordination of startup and qualification efforts. 

•  Solicits and shares best practices with peers.

• Exercises complete objectivity in reporting findings, is seen as highly cooperative and responsive in dealings with others inside and outside of his/her group and exercises utmost care in ensuring personal safety and the safety of others.

•  Knowledgeable of cGMP’s, financial principles, QA policies, safety guidelines, data integrity guidelines, engineering standards, and regulatory issues.  Provides technical, project management and system leadership.

 

Education Minimum Requirement: 

• BS in Engineering Science, or Information Systems, plus a minimum of 5 years of related technical support or manufacturing automation experience or acceptable related experience.

 

Required Experience and Skills: 

• Strong familiarity with Quality, cGMP, Safety & Environmental Policies and Procedures.

• Demonstrated technical proficiency, leadership skills, and leadership skills necessary to work within a high-performance group of technical professionals.

• Troubleshooting ability (mechanical/electrical/automation) and capital project (support). 

• Ability to flexibly adapt to flow to the work across both Quality and Facility aspects to support the business.  

• Strong organizational skills. 

• Effective communication

System administration and management of the following automated systems;

• Programmable Logic Controllers

• Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition systems

• Distributed Control Systems

• Batch Operations (S88/S95)

• Manufacturing Execution Systems

• Information Technology

• OEM equipment.

Preferred Experience and Skills: 

• The candidate should be able to work independently and lead or facilitate tasks successfully.

• Strong knowledge of business impacts and prioritization of technical initiatives.

• Ability to manage directly or indirectly via project.

Required Skills:

Accountability, Accountability, Adaptability, Automation, Capital Projects, Chemical Engineering, Clinical Development, Communication, Communication Management, Customer-Focused, Data-Driven Decision Making, Drug Product Development, Estimation and Planning, General Safety, Manufacturing Quality Control, Mechanical Troubleshooting, Pharmaceutical Process Development, Process Control Automation, Process Optimization, Product Formulation, Project Management, Quality Control Management, Regulatory Compliance, Regulatory Issues, Safety Compliance {+ 5 more}

Preferred Skills:

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.

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.

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:

Domestic

VISA Sponsorship:

No

Travel Requirements:

10%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Not Applicable

Shift:

Not Indicated

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

N/A

Job Posting End Date:

12/15/2025

*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.