Associate Director, Engineering, GES Strategic Scheduler and Planner

Merck; New Jersey; Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Merck is seeking an experienced Global Engineering Solutions Strategic Planner and Scheduler to support a portfolio of capital projects at US sites. The role focuses on front end loaded schedules, business case alignment, and cross-functional leadership across the GES team and external partners.

You will guide planning, run end-to-end scheduling workshops, and ensure schedules reflect scope, design, procurement, and validation activities. Hybrid work and travel are required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required in a related field.
• Eight or more years of comprehensive experience with related equipment and facility design in the pharmaceutical industry.

Responsibilities

• Support a portfolio of Capital Projects and develop front end loaded schedules for US sites.
• Provide business studies, peer reviews of projects, and periodic improvement initiatives.
• Lead and collaborate with multiple teams across GES and external partners on planning and scheduling.
• Evaluate and challenge partner work in areas including Biological, Chemical, Safety, Process, Utilities, and Validation.
• Facilitate planning sessions and guide teams through strategy and scheduling workshops.
• Coordinate with project controls and ensure progress measures across all phases of capital execution.
• Provide hybrid work with 25–50% travel as required.

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

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 team and use the power of leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world.

The Global Engineering Solutions (GES) Strategic Planner and Scheduler will support a portfolio of Capital Projects, responsible for the conceptualization and development of front end loaded schedules that support critical business objectives primarily at US Sites.The Associate Director will have comprehensive experience and subject matter expertise in our Company manufacturing with associated equipment and facility design experience. Advanced knowledge of benchmarks and industry approaches will enable them to coach a team of engineers in the development and execution of project schedules using strategic lean solutions from business cases through commercial manufacturing.

The Associate Director will also provide expertise to business studies, peer reviews of projects, and periodic improvement initiatives to advance standard work processes within GES. The Strategic Planner & Scheduler is an engaged, energetic, people-oriented individual with advanced skills to lead and collaborate with other Integrated Capital Project Team members, including GES Tech Center, Delivery, End-to-End Solutions and Project Business Service (PBS) Engineers, Internal Organization Capital Team Leaders, Digital, Site Engineering, Operations, Quality, Validation and Regulatory Representatives, External Contractors, Equipment Vendors, and Service Providers. The individual can evaluate and challenge the work of engineering partners in the preparation of project related deliverables across many diverse areas including Biological, Chemical, Safety, Process, Utilities, Technical Services, Construction, Procurement, Commissioning & Qualification, and Validation.

Responsibilities

• Support a portfolio of Capital Projects, responsible for the conceptualization and development of front end loaded schedules that support critical business objectives primarily at US Sites.
• Provide expertise to business studies, peer reviews of projects, and periodic improvement initiatives to advance standard work processes within GES.
• Lead and collaborate with other Integrated Capital Project Team members, including GES Tech Center, Delivery, End-to-End Solutions and Project Business Service (PBS) Engineers, Internal Organization Capital Team Leaders, Digital, Site Engineering, Operations, Quality, Validation and Regulatory Representatives, External Contractors, Equipment Vendors, and Service Providers.
• Evaluate and challenge the work of engineering partners in the preparation of project related deliverables across many diverse areas including Biological, Chemical, Safety, Process, Utilities, Technical Services, Construction, Procurement, Commissioning & Qualification, and Validation.
• Facilitate planning sessions and guide team members through a planning strategy.
• Lead scheduling workshops for capital projects from an end-to-end perspective.
• Plan aspects of engineering by understanding scope boundaries, process & facility design, equipment design, lead times and complexity, vendor interaction, construction support, factory acceptance testing, equipment qualification, facility start-up, and technology transfer.
• Provide front end planning schedule support for GES Business Integrators, Project Design Managers, and Project Managers during Business Case and Concept Phase (FEL1 and FEL2) by developing Capital Review Committee (CRC) level of detail schedules.
• Develop End to End schedules during Concept Phase and Basis of Design Phase (FEL2 & FEL3) in partnership with the EPCM Service Provider and Project Controls group schedulers with a focus on best practices set out by the Strategic Scheduling Group (SSG).
• Develop a High-Level Production Plan (or Production Planning Management, PPM) Strategy document with continued team follow-up to ensure PPM best practices are maintained on business-critical projects.
• Conduct Peer Review/Audit of in-progress project schedules by ensuring the schedules adhere to Standard Work and reflect the scope of the project and by providing feedback on the deliverability of the project based on the schedule.
• Provide "HyperCare" support globally to projects as required based on direction from GSEC leadership.
• Implement standard work for schedule development and governance in all phases of Capital Execution.
• Coordinate closely with the GES Project Controls Group to ensure there are adequate progress measures in place for all phases of the project.
• Flexible hybrid work with travel 25-50% required.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in related field.
• Eight (8) years of comprehensive experience and subject matter expertise with associated equipment and facility design experience with pharmaceutical indust