Associate Director, Data Engineering and Analytics

Merck; Rahway (NJ); Hybrid; USD 142,000 - 224,000; Full time

Job summary

Merck in Rahway, NJ seeks an Associate Director of Data Engineering and Analytics to lead complex data initiatives across SM S&T. You will partner with science, manufacturing, IT, and digital teams to boost data accessibility and drive data-driven decisions in a regulated environment.

The role requires strong technical depth, independent leadership of workstreams, and the ability to translate business needs into scalable analytics solutions. Travel to sites (<10%) is expected. Hybrid work arrangement offered.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a technical field with eight years of experience (MS with 6).
• Experience in pharmaceutical manufacturing, technical ops, data engineering, analytics in a regulated env.
• Ability to independently lead complex workstreams across matrixed orgs.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes and unit operations.
• Experience designing data pipelines, analytics products, dashboards, or scalable analytics solutions.
• Strong ability to translate between technical and business stakeholders and influence without direct authority.
• Willingness to travel to manufacturing sites (<10%).

Responsibilities

• Lead execution of complex data engineering and analytics initiatives aligned to SM S&T priorities.
• Translate business needs into practical implementation plans, technical requirements, and measurable value outcomes.
• Independently manage high-impact workstreams, including milestones, dependencies, risks, and stakeholder alignment.
• Ensure analytics efforts remain anchored in well-defined business problems and deliver practical, scalable value.
• Serve as a credible technical partner across business, manufacturing, scientific, and digital teams.
• Convert complex processes, operational, and business needs into scalable analytical and data engineering solutions.
• Bridge technical and non-technical stakeholders to support alignment, clarity, and execution.
• Influence cross-functional teams where coordinated delivery is required to achieve business outcomes.
• Lead the design and enhancement of robust data pipelines, data flows, and curated datasets supporting analytics use cases.
• Improve the quality, contextualization, and accessibility of manufacturing and process data across SM S&T.
• Support scalable approaches for integrating data from source systems into analytical environments.
• Enable scientists and engineers to more effectively access and use data for process monitoring, investigations, and lifecycle management.
• Drive deployment and sustained use of analytics capabilities across Drug Substance, Drug Product, Packaging, and Analytical Sciences.
• Apply technical understanding of manufacturing and unit operations to ensure solutions are practical and fit for purpose.
• Support development of repeatable methods, user enablement, and working practices that improve adoption beyond centralized expertise.
• Represent technical considerations, dependencies, and value drivers in prioritization and governance discussions.
• Partner with business and digital stakeholders to clarify high-value use cases and delivery sequencing.
• Track progress, adoption, and value realization for assigned initiatives.
• Identify and escape delivery risks, tradeoffs, and resource constraints in a timely manner.

Skills

Data Engineering

Analytics

Stakeholder Influence

Regulated Environment

Matrix Organization

Communication

SQL / Databases

Python / ETL

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering / Pharma / Data Science / IT / CS

MS degree preferred

Tools

DataLynx

SEEQ

MPI

MES

Historians

Job description

Job Description

We aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company. We're at the forefront of research to deliver innovative health solutions that advance the prevention and treatment of diseases in people and animals. Join our company and be part of a team that uses the power of leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world.

Within Small Molecule Science & Technology (SM S&T), we are advancing digital and data capabilities that strengthen technical operations, accelerate insight generation, and improve business outcomes across the product lifecycle. The Associate Director, Data Engineering and Analytics will play a critical individual contributor role in translating SM S&T data and analytics priorities into scalable solutions, sustained adoption, and measurable value.

Reporting to the recently created, Director of Data Engineering and analytics, this role will lead complex data engineering and analytics initiatives that sit at the intersection of business, science, manufacturing, engineering, and digital technology. The successful candidate will serve as a trusted technical partner across a highly matrixed environment, working across SM S&T, Digital Manufacturing Division, Digital CMC, MPI, IT, and Global Pharmaceutical Operations to advance data accessibility, analytical capability, and data-driven decision-making.

This role requires strong technical depth, sound judgment, and the ability to independently lead workstreams, influence stakeholders, and deliver practical solutions in a regulated environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead execution of complex data engineering and analytics initiatives aligned to SM S&T priorities

• Translate business needs into practical implementation plans, technical requirements, and measurable value outcomes

• Independently manage high-impact workstreams, including milestones, dependencies, risks, and stakeholder alignment

• Ensure analytics efforts remain anchored in well-defined business problems and deliver practical, scalable value

• Serve as a credible technical partner across business, manufacturing, scientific, and digital teams

• Convert complex processes, operational, and business needs into scalable analytical and data engineering solutions

• Bridge technical and non-technical stakeholders to support alignment, clarity, and execution

• Influence cross-functional teams where coordinated delivery is required to achieve business outcomes

• Lead the design and enhancement of robust data pipelines, data flows, and curated datasets supporting analytics use cases

• Improve the quality, contextualization, and accessibility of manufacturing and process data across SM S&T

• Support scalable approaches for integrating data from source systems into analytical environments

• Enable scientists and engineers to more effectively access and use data for process monitoring, investigations, and lifecycle management

• Drive deployment and sustained use of analytics capabilities across Drug Substance, Drug Product, Packaging, and Analytical Sciences

• Apply technical understanding of manufacturing and unit operations to ensure solutions are practical and fit for purpose

• Support development of repeatable methods, user enablement, and working practices that improve adoption beyond centralized expertise

• Represent technical considerations, dependencies, and value drivers in prioritization and governance discussions

• Partner with business and digital stakeholders to clarify high-value use cases and delivery sequencing

• Track progress, adoption, and value realization for assigned initiatives

• Identify and escape delivery risks, tradeoffs, and resource constraints in a timely manner

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Data Science, Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related technical discipline with eight (8) years of required experience (MS with 6).

• Significant experience in pharmaceutical manufacturing, technical operations, data engineering, analytics, or related digital roles in a regulated environment

• Demonstrated ability to independently lead complex technical workstreams and deliver results across matrixed organizations

• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes and unit operations across Drug Substance, Drug Product, Packaging, and/or Analytical Sciences

• Experience designing or supporting data pipelines, analytical data products, dashboards, or scalable analytics solutions

• Strong ability to translate between technical and business stakeholders and influence without direct authority

• Demonstrated ability to work effectively across multiple functions, balance priorities, and manage ambiguity

• Travel to manufacturing sites may be required, estimated at <10% of time

Preferred

• Advanced degree in a related technical discipline

• Experience with manufacturing data and analytics platforms such as DataLynx, SEEQ, MPI, MES, historians, or similar technologies

Required Skills:

Business Decisions, Business Decisions, Business Informatics, Business Intelligence (BI), Business Requirements Analysis, Business Workflow Analysis, Data Access, Data Aggregation, Database Administration, Data Engineering, Data Management, Data Modeling, Data Stewardship, Data Strategies, Data Visualization, Data Warehousing (DW), Delivery Management, Design Applications, Enterprise Data Management, Feature Prioritization, Implementation Methodologies, Information Management, Insight Generation, Software Development, Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) {+ 2 more}

Employee Status:

Regular

Relocation:

No relocation

VISA Sponsorship:

No

Travel Requirements:

10%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Hybrid

Shift:

1st - Day

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

N/A

Additional location(s):

Please note the salary range above applies to the Primary Location of the position. Where a role has other listed locations, different compensation guidelines may apply. You may find the salary ranges for additional locations below. If the salary range is not listed for the location you are applying to, our Talent Acquisition team will provide further information to you relevant to your location.

Additional location(s) Compensation Information:

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

Company Culture

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 (https://www.msdprivacy.com/us/en/CCPA-notice/)

Salary Range

The salary range for the primary location of this role is:

$142,400.00 - $224,100.00

This range reflects the Company's reasonable expectation of the base salary applicable to this role at the time of 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.

Benefits

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 .