Pharma Start-Up Improvement Lead

Merck Gruppe - MSD Sharp & Dohme; Netherlands; Hybrid; EUR 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

35.5 days leave

Travel reimbursement

Pension scheme

On-site restaurant

Gym membership

Well-being support

Prayer room

Private park

Job summary

Merck Animal Health in the Netherlands is launching a brand-new, digital production facility and seeks an Improvement Officer to drive start-up excellence. You will work with engineering, quality, and operations to ensure readiness for a successful launch and sustained improvements across processes and systems.

You will optimize production data handling (SAP), lead technical improvements (MES/EBR), and contribute to product transfers while maintaining a proactive, collaborative approach to

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (HBO level) and 3 years of experience in a pharmaceutical, chemical, or food environment.
• Experience with Lean / Six Sigma.
• Knowledge of GMP, production processes, and preferably automation (MES/EBR).
• Strong communication skills and a proactive approach to problem‑solving.
• Fluency in Dutch or English.
• A team‑oriented mindset and a passion for improvement, building, and delivering results.

Responsibilities

• You optimize processes and share your knowledge by delivering training.
• You initiate and lead technical improvements, such as updates in process automation.
• You support the implementation of new equipment and ways of working.
• You assist with product transfers and optimizations.
• You manage and maintain production data in SAP.
• You prepare change controls for modifications in processes or equipment.
• You analyze data, identify trends, and perform root cause analyses.
• You collaborate with Maintenance & Reliability on maintenance improvements.
• You are the go‑to expert in process software.
• You identify deviations and translate them into concrete improvement actions.
• You lead or contribute to projects where the solution is not yet defined.
• You review and improve protocols, logbooks, and work instructions.
• Supporting the implementation of production processes and systems (such as MES/EBR, OEE+, RTMS and MDH).

Skills

Lean / Six Sigma

GMP knowledge

Process improvement

Data analysis

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree (HBO level)

Tools

MES/EBR

SAP

Job description

Merck Animal Health in the Netherlands is launching a brand-new, digital production facility and seeks an Improvement Officer to drive start-up excellence. You will work with engineering, quality, and operations to ensure readiness for a successful launch and sustained improvements across processes and systems.

You will optimize production data handling (SAP), lead technical improvements (MES/EBR), and contribute to product transfers while maintaining a proactive, collaborative approach to