Associate Director Method Transfers (Bioassays)

MSD Malaysia; Boxmeer; On-site; EUR 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Annual bonus

35.5 days leave

Pension plan

Travel allowance

Training & coaching

On-site restaurant

Fitness membership support

Private park

Lyra Health support

Prayer room

Job summary

MSD Animal Health in Boxmeer seeks an Associate Director Method Transfers (Bioassays) to lead the Bio Method Transfer team and drive end-to-end transfer programs across EU/APAC. You will partner with R&D, QC and external partners to ensure robust assay transfer, site readiness and smooth batch release.

You will shape transfer strategy, oversee complex multi-site projects, and develop a high-performing team while maintaining strong stakeholder relations and program governance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in Biological Sciences, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Analytical Sciences, or related discipline.

Responsibilities

• Lead Bio Method Transfer team and manage regional analytical transfer projects, budgets and headcount.
• Oversee complex, multi-site or high-risk method transfers.
• Partner with R&D during early assay development to enable transferability and robust QC batch release.
• Define and lead analytical transfer strategy including robustness and readiness for right-first-time transfer to QC labs.
• Own transfer plans at portfolio and regional levels, including timelines, milestones, documents and readiness criteria.
• Coordinate transfer documentation (risk/gap assessments, protocols, reports).
• Align with R&D and QC on readiness, acceptance criteria and documentation standards.
• Serve as senior SME for LM bioanalytical methods; troubleshoot and provide design input.
• Conduct data analyses, robustness evaluations and investigations to confirm method performance.
• Strengthen lifecycle maturity through knowledge capture and continuous improvement.
• Build relationships with R&D, QC, QA and external partners for cross-functional alignment.
• Identify risks early and escalate to governance points.
• Lead and develop the Bio Method Transfer team; manage staffing, training and portfolio prioritization.
• Collaborate with Analytical leads across regions for knowledge transfer.

Skills

Leadership

Data analysis

Project management

English proficiency

Stakeholder management

Negotiation

Cross-functional collaboration

Analytical problem solving

Team development

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Biological/Pharmaceutical/Analytical Sciences

Tools

Minitab

Aera

Job description

Job Description

A newly created highly visible leadership role, focused on strengthening and centralizing analytical method transfer capabilities for Large Molecules across the EU/APAC network. For our Animal Health location Boxmeer, we are currently recruiting an Associate Director Method Transfers (Bioassays). Welcome to our team Our Global Science & Technology (S&T) division applies science, technology and innovation to support new product commercialization and ensure supply continuity for animal health manufacturing. S&T continuously improves processes and analytics to meet customer needs through manufacturing excellence. Within S&T, Global Analytical Technology Solutions (ATS) oversees analytical activities across the Animal Health network. To strengthen and centralize Large Molecule analytical method transfers across the EU/APAC network, we are building a new Bio Method Transfer team of up to five employees. To lead this team, we are looking for an Associate Director Method Transfers (Bioassays).

Purpose of the role

In this newly created role, you are the leading Bio Method Transfer expert within ATS for Large Molecules working closely with R&D, QC and other key stakeholders to optimize and implement the full end-to-end method transfer process. You will play a key role in ensuring Large Molecule analytical methods are transfer-ready, enabling smooth, right-first-time implementation across QC laboratories in the EU/APAC network. By shaping and driving execution of the analytical method transfer strategy, aligning key stakeholders, and coordinating the portfolio, you drive efficient method transfers, robust assay performance, and reliable batch release across sites. In addition to people leadership and portfolio oversight, you act as senior Subject Matter Expert (SME) to lead and manage complex method transfers and high-risk investigations. You also serve as a trusted sparring partner to R&D and QC from early method development onwards, providing input to ensure assay robustness, transferability, and operational excellence.

Main tasks and responsibilities

• Contribute to and help define departmental strategy, while leading the Bio Method Transfer team; managing large regional analytical transfer projects including forecasting and monitoring of budgets, costs and headcount.
• Lead complex, multi-site, or high-risk method transfers.
• Act as sparring partner for R&D during early assay development, ensuring that method design, robustness, biomaterials, and operational considerations enable future transferability and unconstrained QC batch release testing.
• Define and lead the New Product Commercialization analytical method transfer strategy including appropriate method robustness, platform suitability, lifecycle considerations, and readiness for right first-time transfer to QC laboratories.
• Own and manage analytical transfer plans at the portfolio and regional level, including budget and QC resource requirements, timelines, milestones, deliverables, documentation, and transfer readiness criteria.
• Execute, optimize and coordinate complex analytical method transfers, including preparation and review of transfer documentation (risk/gap assessments, protocols, reports).
• Align with R&D and QC stakeholders on method readiness, acceptance criteria, specification settings, and documentation standards and ensure coordinated execution across sites.
• Serve as senior SME for LM bioanalytical methods, providing expert troubleshooting, analytical decision making, and design input for robustness and remediation studies.
• Conduct or review advanced data analyses, robustness evaluations, trend assessments, and technical investigations to confirm method performance during development and post-implementation at receiving QC sites.
• Strengthen analytical lifecycle maturity through proactive remediation, structured knowledge capture, continuous improvement practices, and harmonization across ATS Bio Inline Support and Biomaterials Lifecycle teams.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with R&D, QC, QA, (G)RA, BTS, Data Science and other (external) partners, representing ATS in cross‑functional, multi‑site and/or external engagements to drive (network‑wide) transfer strategy alignment and realization.
• Identify risks early during method development and transfer execution and elevate issues appropriately to maintain momentum and support informed decision making at governance points such as NPDP stage gates.
• Lead, coach, and develop the Bio Method Transfer team, and ensure proper staffing (people, location and skills) to deliver strategic analytical priorities across the LM network.
• Manage training, talent development, performance management, and project portfolio prioritization.
• Work closely with other Analytical leads (in EU/APAC/US) to ensure cross‑fertilization of teams, knowledge transfer and people development.

Your profile

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in Biological Sciences, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Analytical Sciences, or related discipline
• Extensive experience in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry, specifically in the analytics of large molecules (bioassays, vaccines).
• Extensive hands‑on experience combined with deep technical expertise in large‑molecule biological QC methods (e.g., ELISA, PCR, cell culture, virus titration, and other relevant bio‑analytical techniques), including development, validation, transfer, and troubleshooting/remediation to ensure robust assay performance.
• Demonstrated people‑leadership experience including coaching, performance and change management, and the development of high-performing technical teams.
• Strong leadership skills including entrepreneurship and political stakeholder management
• Proven negotiation and influencing skills to harmonize competing priorities while maintaining excellent cross‑team relationships.
• Strong data analysis skills, including extensive experience with statistical software (e.g., Minitab, Aera), and a demonstrated ability to identify root causes and implement effective solutions.
• Excellent project management, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to lead through collaboration and drive clarity across complex, multi-site organizations.
• Good command of the English language.
• Based within a reasonable commuting distance of Boxmeer, or willing to relocate.

What we offer

• Competitive compensation aligned with your knowledge and experience.
• 3% year-end payment and an annual bonus based on individual and company performance.
• 35,5 days of leave.
• Solid Pension Plan.
• Travel allowance for commuting.
• Numerous training, coaching and e-learning modules for long term job opportunities and development.
• Excellent accessibility: the train station is right by our main entrance and there is ample parking.
• High-quality company restaurant with fresh, healthy options daily.
• Contribution toward your personal sports/fitness membership to support your vitality.
• Beautiful private park on the premises, ideal for a walk, break, or moment of relaxation.
• Mental well-being support via Lyra Health for you and your family members.
• Access to a dedicated prayer/meditation room.

Animal Health

Our Animal Health Division is a trusted global leader in veterinary medicine, dedicated to preserving and improving health, well‑being, and performance of animals and the people who care for them. We are a global team of professionals working together to make a positive difference in animal care and the world’s food supply and have a deep sense of responsibility towards our customers, consumers, animals, society, and our planet. Through our commitment to The Science of Healthier Animals®, we offer veterinarians, farmers, pet owners and governments one of the widest ranges of veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and health management solutions and services as well as an extensive suite of digitally connected identification, traceability and monitoring products. We invest in dynamic and comprehensive R&D resources and a modern, global supply chain. We are present in more than 50 countries, while our products are available in some 150 markets.

The difference between potential and achievement lies in the spark that fuels innovation and inventiveness; this is the space where we have codified our legacy for over a century. Our success is backed by ethical integrity, forward momentum, and an inspiring mission to achieve new milestones in global healthcare.