Job Description
Elkton GES Associate Director, Project Engineering
Our company's Global Engineering Solutions (GES) is seeking an initiative-taking Associate Director of Project Engineering to manage capital projects supporting our human health pharmaceutical manufacturing portfolio. The Associate Director will lead a wide range of projects and collaborate closely with Site Leadership, contractors, Safety, Design, Quality, and Maintenance teams.
This on-site role is based in Elkton, Virginia, and offers a unique opportunity to contribute to one of the most significant investments in our company's human health manufacturing infrastructure in the United States. You will work alongside top-tier engineering, construction, and operational teams to deliver world-class capabilities.
About the Project
Our company is launching a major capital expansion at its Elkton, Virginia, site, a Center of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Manufacturing. This $3 billion investment will add approximately 400,000 square feet of state-of-the-art facilities, spanning both Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) and Drug Product capabilities to support small molecule manufacturing and testing.
This expansion advances our mission to deliver innovative treatment options for people facing serious health challenges in the U.S. and around the world.
Primary Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Lead capital projects: Plan, direct, and organize resources for capital budgeting, engineering design, procurement, construction management, startup, and commissioning of new or enhanced facilities and utilities.
EHS leadership: Champion a strong safety culture; ensure projects meet or exceed company EHS targets. Process and Construction Safety.
Compliance and Quality: Ensure adherence to company Standards and Procedures, and the Quality Manual; Oversee effective QA/QC programs.
Drive team success: Manage integrated project teams to deliver critical assets on time and within budget; foster collaboration with our company's Leadership, Site Stakeholders, Partners, and cross‑functional teams.
Innovate and Deliver: Develop robust execution and design strategies that address scope, complexity, geography, risk, and business impact; apply Lean Project Delivery and Target Value Delivery to align scope, cost, and value.
Governance: Lead Capital Governance; run safety and staff meetings; ensure scope control and alignment to business goals; lead funding reviews and stakeholder alignment.
Risk management: Maintain portfolio risk registers; drive mitigations; integrate compliance, permitting, and logistics risks; guide teams to simple, robust solutions.
Change management: Enforce governance for scope, cost, and schedule changes; manage approvals and communication throughout the project lifecycle.
Communication: Manage communications and reporting to keep stakeholders informed and aligned; communicate effectively at all levels.
People leadership: Manage and coach team members; set clear business priorities and behavior expectations.
Industry breadth: Apply broad biopharma experience: drug substance, drug product, large and small molecule, utilities.
Travel: Candidate must live within or relocate to Elkton, VA vicinity. Initial assignment will involve less than 10% travel. Long term must have ability to travel up to 50% of time.
Education Minimum Requirement:
Bachelor’s degree in engineering
Required Qualifications and Experience
Minimum of eight (8) years of project management experience, overseeing diverse capital projects from design through to construction, commissioning, and close out.
Exceptional verbal and written communication skills; ability to present project status and funding clearly and effectively.
Understanding of cGMP and regulatory qualification requirements.
Proven ability to navigate complex challenges, manage change, and drive project success under tight deadlines.
Ability to thrive in a collaborative environment that prioritizes business needs.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience with Lean Project Delivery methodologies such as Target Value Design and pull planning.
Pharmaceutical manufacturing experience (drug substance, drug product, labs, large and small molecule, utilities.
PMP or equivalent project management certification.
Required Skills:
Accountability, Accountability, Adaptability, Automation Systems, Business Communications, Capital Budgeting, Capital Project Analysis, Capital Project Development, Capital Project Management, Capital Project Planning, Capital Projects, Change Management, Clinical Manufacturing, Collaborative Development, Communication Management, Data Analysis, Decision Making, Drug Product Manufacturing, Innovation, Interpersonal Relationships, Leadership, Lean Manufacturing, Manufacturing Scale-Up, Pharmaceutical Manufacturing, Pharmaceutical Systems {+ 8 more}Preferred Skills:
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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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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 - $219,700.00This 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:
RegularRelocation:
DomesticVISA Sponsorship:
NoTravel Requirements:
10%Flexible Work Arrangements:
Not ApplicableShift:
1st - DayValid Driving License:
NoHazardous Material(s):
n/aJob Posting End Date:
11/22/2025*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.