Senior Specialist, Bioprocess Engineering

Job Description

Join Us in Shaping the Future of Animal Health

Our Animal Health Division is investing $895 million in expanding our manufacturing and research & development facilities in De Soto, Kansas — the state’s largest economic development project to date.

As a Senior Specialist, Bioprocess Engineer, you will be part of a world-class team at our Center of Excellence in the Animal Health Corridor, contributing directly to the production of veterinary products that improve animal health and welfare globally.

The Senior Specialist in Bioprocess Engineering team will act as a key technical expert for vaccine manufacturing technology transfers within the region. This individual contributor will lead end-to-end tech transfer of vaccine processes, ensuring robust, compliant, and efficient implementation at receiving sites. The role is responsible for structured knowledge management, proactive technical risk assessment and mitigation ahead of transfers, and ongoing process robustness post-transfer. The Senior Specialist will lead cross-functional technical projects (without direct reports), train and mentor new hires, and provide expert support to manufacturing, quality, and other partners on complex technical topics.

Key Responsibilities:

• Coordinate and own regional knowledge management implementation for assigned processes, ensuring consistent rollout and adoption across sites (e.g., transfer packages, playbooks, lessons learned, best practices) and effective knowledge sharing within the region.

• Lead regional vaccine technology transfers end-to-end, ensuring technical readiness and successful implementation at receiving sites.

• Identify and mitigate technical risks ahead of transfer execution through structured assessments and data-driven action plans.

• Lead cross-functional technical projects/workstreams that enable transfer success and improve process performance.

• Train and mentor new hires, strengthening team capability and consistent ways of working.

• Ensure post-transfer process robustness through monitoring, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement in partnership with sites and Quality.

• Deliver compliant technical documentation and clear stakeholder communication aligned with quality, regulatory and internal governance.

Education Minimum Requirement:

• Bachelor’s degree with significant relevant experience may be considered OR;

• Master’s degree in Biotechnology, Biochemical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Pharmacy, or related life science/engineering field preferred

Required Experience and Skills:

• Minimum 5 years of experience in biopharmaceutical or vaccine manufacturing, process development, or technology transfer.

• Proven track record in leading tech transfer or major technical projects as an individual contributor.

• Strong understanding of upstream, downstream, fill-finish and/or lyophilization processes in vaccine or biopharma manufacturing.

• Experience in vaccine/biopharma-regulated environments

• Experience with process characterization, scale-up/scale-down, and process robustness.

• Technical and problem-solving skills to motivate cross-functional team responsible for implementation.

• Ability to train, coach, and influence others; strong problem-solving and decision-making.

• High degree of ownership, scientific rigor, and continuous improvement mindset.

• Proficiency in technical risk assessment and data analysis for process performance.

Preferred Experience and Skills

• Familiarity with USDA regulatory expectations.

• Excellent technical writing and communication skills for diverse stakeholders.

• Strong project leadership and cross-functional collaboration without formal line authority.

Schedule Requirements:

• Able to work first shift, Monday through Friday as base schedule.

• Off-shift coverage may be required based on manufacturing/transfer activities.

What We’re Looking For

We seek individuals who:

• Demonstrate execution excellence through effective problem-solving and critical thinking.

• Embrace an entrepreneurial mindset, taking initiative and ownership of their work.

• Adapt with agility and resilience in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.

• Uphold a safety-first mindset, ensuring the well-being of themselves and their colleagues.

Why Join Us?

Be part of a transformative investment that will shape the future of animal health.

• Work in a region renowned for its skilled workforce, strategic location, and robust infrastructure.

• Contribute to cutting-edge research and manufacturing of large-molecule vaccines and biologic products.

• Help us meet growing global demand for our portfolio of animal health solutions 

Required Skills:

Adaptability, Biological Manufacturing, Data Analysis, Detail-Oriented, Knowledge Management, Manufacturing Processes, Process Design, Process Improvements, Project Management, Project Planning, Regulatory Compliance, Technical Transfer, Vaccine Manufacturing

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:

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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

$117,000.00 - $184,200.00

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:

25%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Hybrid

Shift:

1st - Day

Valid Driving License:

Yes

Hazardous Material(s):

N/A

Job Posting End Date:

04/3/2026

*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.