Associate Director, Regulatory Intelligence

Merck & Co.; Rockville (MD); Hybrid; USD 129,000 - 203,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401(k) retirement benefits

Paid holidays and vacation

Job summary

Merck & Co. in Rockville, MD seeks a Regulatory Intelligence Lead to monitor global regulatory developments and translate signals into actionable insights for our portfolio and pipeline.

You will conduct targeted regulatory research, leverage AI-enabled tools, and support SRP policy activities to inform decision-making and strategic planning.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years in regulatory affairs with a relevant bachelor's degree.
• Experience monitoring, analyzing, and synthesizing regulatory policy information for business decisions.

Responsibilities

• Monitor global regulatory developments across FDA, EMA, MHRA, and others.
• Conduct targeted regulatory research and precedent analyses.
• Generate concise intelligence outputs for senior leadership.
• Support policy engagement and external communications preparation.
• Manage regulatory intelligence tools and knowledge bases.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Written communication

Regulatory knowledge

Regulatory scanning

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Cortellis

Regulatory portals

Copilot

SharePoint/Teams

Job description

Job Description

The Regulatory Intelligence Lead monitors and analyzes global regulatory, scientific, and policy developments and translates external signals into actionable insights that support our company's portfolio, pipeline, and strategic priorities. The role conducts targeted research, precedent analyses, and competitor assessments; supports - the - Science & - Regulatory Policy - (SRP) - team's - policy and advocacy activities; and - leverages - modern intelligence tools, including AI-enabled capabilities, to enhance horizon scanning, knowledge management, and decision-making across Regulatory Affairs.

Key Responsibilities

Horizon Scanning and External Monitoring

• Monitor global regulatory, scientific, and policy developments across key health authorities and organizations (e.g., FDA, EMA, MHRA, PMDA, Health Canada, ICH, WHO) for changes relevant to our company's portfolio, pipeline, and strategic priorities. -
• Leverage public, subscription-based, and AI-enabled intelligence sources to - identify - emerging regulations, - guidances , advisory committee outcomes, labeling developments, enforcement trends, and policy shifts. -
• Track competitor regulatory activities and - maintain - awareness of upcoming agency meetings, workshops, conferences, and public comment opportunities with strategic relevance to the business . -
• Maintain awareness of agenda s a nd activities of key professional and patient organizations and scientific and - regulatory policy groups for - impact and opportunities pertinent to the business. - -
• Maintain a forward-looking watchlist of high-impact regulatory and policy topics, including upcoming agency meetings, workshops, conferences, and public commenting opportunities pertinent to the business.- -

Research & Intelligence Generation

• Conduct targeted regulatory research including precedent analyses for regulatory pathways, approval decisions, labeling outcomes, post-marketing requirements, and advisory committee dynamics , - to support business-critical questions - and regulatory strategy. -
• Leverage a combination of public domain sources (e.g., FDA/EMA websites, Federal Register, EPARs, approval packages, inspection findings) and subscription-based tools , - including AI-enabled search, monitoring, and knowledge management capabilities, - to generate robust, evidence-based insights. -
• Perform structured benchmarking and precedent research to inform development strategy, regulatory positioning, and health authority engagement approaches. -
• Support ad hoc deep-dive analyses on emerging regulatory topics, scientific or policy inflection points, or specific agency actions, synthesizing findings into clear, decision-ready outputs.
• Ensure intelligence outputs are grounded in high-quality, traceable evidence, with - appropriate documentation - of sources and assumptions. -

Analysis - and Insight Generation

• Distill complex regulatory and policy information into concise, clear, and business-relevant insights for a range of internal audiences, including senior leadership. -
• Develop - timely - intelligence outputs such as alerts, briefing notes, landscape scans, trend analyses, and executive-ready summaries that clearly articulate the "so what , now what " associated risks, opportunities, and recommended next steps.- -
• Inform stakeholders promptly of changes to the regulatory environment that could directly affect product programs, functional planning, or broader enterprise priorities. -

Policy Support and External Engagement Preparation

• Work with - Science & - Regulatory Policy colleagues to - identify - and prioritize draft guidance, proposed regulations, consultation papers, and other public commenting opportunities relevant to our company's - business and strategic - objectives.
• Coordinate internal review of comment opportunities, including gathering SME input, synthesizing feedback, and supporting development of company messaging for submission through - appropriate channels - (e.g., trade associations, direct engagement). -
• Provide evidence-based analyses, precedent assessments, competitive insights, and trend - monitoring - to inform SRP-led evaluations of regulatory risks, opportunities, policy scenarios, and health authority engagement strategies . -
• Support identification of opportunities to advance science-based regulatory policy, regulatory innovation, and efficient development approaches through targeted intelligence and external landscape assessments. -

Knowledge Management, Communications, and Capability Building

• Manage and serve as subject matter expert for regulatory intelligence tools and databases; evaluate and implement enhancements to improve intelligence workflows.
• Leverage emerging technologies, including AI-enabled tools, automation, and advanced search capabilities, to enhance horizon scanning, signal detection, knowledge management, and intelligence dissemination processes.
• Support - development - of scalable intelligence repositories, dashboards, automated alerts, and knowledge-sharing approaches that improve organizational awareness and access to regulatory intelligence. -
• Develop internal communications, presentations, and training materials to increase regulatory awareness and support decision-making. -
• Help - establish - and refine regulatory intelligence processes, governance, and best practices.- -

Qualifications

Experience and - Education

Minimum - of - 5 years - of experience in regulatory affairs and bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline, or equivalent combination of : -

• Education and experience.
• Demonstrated - experience monitoring, analyzing, and synthesizing regulatory and policy information to inform business decisions and support regulatory strategy . -

Skills

• Strong analytical and synthesis skills ; - able to distill complex external changes into concise, - decision - ready - insights. -
• Excellent writing - skills, - with the ability to communicate complex regulatory concepts in a clear and concise manner . -
• Familiarity with major regulatory frameworks (FD&C Act , FDA regulations and FDA web site , EMA regulations, ICH guidelines) and expedited pathways. -
• Familiarity with and ability to track and analyze relevant articles, o p/ed's and reports in mainstream and trade media, peer-reviewed scientific and me dical journals, science and regulatory and publ ic - policy jo ur nals , - policy papers, studies, and reports published by professional and patient advocacy grou ps - and - think - ta n ks, - newsletters, and other publications. -
• Proficiency - with intelligence tools and knowledge management platforms (e.g., - Cortellis , Federal Register/Regulations.gov, EMA/ICH portals, Copilot, SharePoint/Teams). - -

Required Skills:

Adaptability, Benchmarking, Building Capability, Change Management, Complex Analysis, Engagement Strategies, FDA Regulations, Knowledge Management, Knowledge Management Systems, Public Policies, Regulatory Affairs Management, Regulatory Compliance, Regulatory Labeling, Regulatory Operations, Regulatory Processes, Regulatory Research, Regulatory Submissions, Research Analysis, Strategic Thinking

Preferred Skills:

Publishing Research, Researching, Scientific Research

US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:

Our company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities. Please click here if you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process.

As an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, we provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.--As a federal contractor, we comply with all affirmative action requirements for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.- For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit:

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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.

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The salary range for this role is

$129,000.00 - $203,100.00

This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this 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.

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 .

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

Employee Status: Regular

Relocation: No relocation

VISA Sponsorship: No

Travel Requirements: No Travel Required

Flexible Work Arrangements: Hybrid

Shift: 1st - Day

Valid Driving License: No

Hazardous Material(s): N/A

Job Posting End Date: 09/24/2026