Associate Director, Upstream Technical Operations Lead

Merck

Ireland

Presencial

EUR 120.000 - 160.000

Jornada completa

Hace 5 días

Sé de los primeros/as/es en solicitar esta vacante

Una candidatura completa en un minuto

Currículum y carta de presentación personalizados, listos para enviar.

Supera los filtros ATS

Descripción de la vacante

Merck seeks an Upstream Technical Operations Lead at our Dunboyne biologics site. You will own end-to-end upstream activities, guide tech transfer, and deliver on commercial lifecycle milestones. You will lead scientists and engineers in a fast-paced, GMP-regulated environment.

You will shape technical strategy, drive risk-based decisions, and partner across Development, Quality, and Global MSAT to deliver a growing pipeline with excellence in process engineering and manufacturing performance.

Formación

Degree in a relevant Engineering or Scientific discipline.
8–10 years in biopharmaceutical manufacturing or development.
Proven leadership in technical teams and programs.

Responsabilidades

Own end-to-end upstream biologics program; drive technology transfer and PPQ.
Provide floor-based technical support to ensure robust, compliant manufacturing.
Mentor and develop a high-performing team; manage capacity and succession.

Conocimientos

GMP Compliance

Cell Cultures

Leadership

Project Management

Process Engineering

Strategic Thinking

Educación

Bachelor/Master/PhD in Engineering or Science

Herramientas

CMMS

Descripción del empleo

Job Description

Join our state-of-the-art biologics manufacturing facility in Dunboyne as the Upstream Technical Operations Lead. In this pivotal role, you will hold end-to-end technical, manufacturing, and people accountability for a complex, growing biologics program. Reporting directly to the Upstream Technical Operations Director as part of the MSAT function, you will lead a high-performing team of scientists and engineers delivering day-to-day manufacturing support across the entire upstream process— from media preparation and cell culture to bioreactor operations, harvest, and process monitoring.

What You Will Do

Technical Program Ownership

Maintain end-to-end technical ownership of the assigned biologics program, guiding activities from technology transfer and PPQ execution through to commercial lifecycle management.

Act as a core member of the Upstream technical leadership team, helping to shape the site's overall technical strategy and execution standards.

Manufacturing Support & Operational Excellence

Enable robust, compliant, and reliable production by providing visible, floor-based technical support to resolve real-time manufacturing issues.

Set clear priorities, expectations, and decision-making frameworks to ensure rapid deviation investigations, root-cause analyses, and change implementation.

Proactively identify, assess, and resolve manufacturing risks, establishing strong escalation practices and transparent communication with site and global stakeholders.

People Leadership & Talent Development

Lead, coach, and develop a team of upstream scientists, engineers, SMEs, and subteam leads, ensuring clear accountabilities, capacity management, and strong engagement.

Foster a culture of continuous learning, scientific rigor, engineering excellence, psychological safety, and lean-driven improvement.

Mentor team members through complex problem-solving, stretch assignments, and subteam leadership opportunities to strengthen site succession plans.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Collaborate closely with Downstream Receiving Unit lead, Integrated Process Teams, Commercialisation partners, and the Global Biologics Organisation to align technical priorities, share best practice, and accelerate the successful delivery of a complex and evolving pipeline.

Partner closely at the interface between Development, Quality, Engineering, Automation, Supply Chain, and global technical partners to drive strategic program delivery.

What Skills You Will Need

Education & Professional Experience

Degree: B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in a relevant Engineering or Scientific discipline.

Experience: A minimum of 8-10 years of experience in biopharmaceutical manufacturing and/or development, with a proven track record in scientific and technical leadership roles.

Technical & Operational Expertise

Upstream Processes

Deep technical expertise in biologics molecules, cell culture, seed train, bioreactor operations, media/feed strategies, harvest, process equipment, and automation.

Product Lifecycle

Proven experience in biologics drug substance development, technology transfer, PPQ, and new product introduction.

GMP Compliance

Strong operational experience in a highly regulated GMP environment, including regulatory filings, investigations, quality notifications, CAPA management, and audit readiness.

Business Acumen

Solid understanding of product lifecycle management, financial stewardship, and the ability to manage resource allocation across multiple complex programs.

Leadership & Influence

Leading Through Others

Proven ability to build, scale, and lead high-performing technical teams, setting clear priorities and coaching technical decision-making.

Stakeholder Management

Excellent communication and presentation capabilities, with a demonstrated ability to influence and collaborate across all levels of a global network.

Agility & Drive

A strong sense of urgency, resilience, and change agility, combined with an engaging, motivational leadership style.

Why Join Us?

Work in a cutting-edge, state-of-the-art biologics facility in Dunboyne.

Lead a diverse, growing pipeline of biologics programs.

Drive technical excellence within a highly collaborative, cross-functional, global network.

Additional location(s) Compensation Information:

Required Skills: