Associate Specialist, Engineering

Merck & Co.; West Point (PA); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 108,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

medical

dental

Vision care

401(k)

Paid holidays

Vacation

Compassionate and sick days

Job summary

Merck & Co. is seeking an Associate Specialist, Engineering - Platform Assembly and Packaging Technical Leadership to join the Packaging Technical Operations team.

In this early-career role, you will work with experienced leaders and cross-functional teams to solve manufacturing challenges and support new product introductions. You will gain hands-on experience in risk management, technology transfer, and lifecycle improvement while building a foundation for a career in pharmaceutical packaging

Qualifications

• Exposure to assembly, packaging, manufacturing processes, components, or equipment through coursework, internships, co-ops, research, or work experience.
• Curiosity and enthusiasm for learning packaging, device assembly, or manufacturing technologies.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills with an ability to interrogate the science and detect critical flaws including the ability to determine areas of potential risk.
• Interest in working across technical disciplines and contributing to products that benefit patients.

Responsibilities

• Provide packaging and assembly knowledge to ensure scientific rigor, technical problem solving and execution excellence across the packaging and combination product assembly platform portfolio.
• Support the development and execution of robust technical plans across device assembly, packaging, and/or distribution and logistics of packaged product.
• Analyze data, participate in technical reviews and explore alternative approaches to solve problems.
• Contribute to proactive risk management activities, including risk assessment, risk mitigation, and risk communication strategies.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure that all packaging and assembly platforms meet safety, efficacy, quality, and robust supply standards.

Skills

Packaging Engineering

Lifecycle Planning

Manufacturing Scale-Up

Risk Mitigation

Analytical Thinking

Cross-functional Collaboration

Technical Writing

Problem Solving

Attention to Detail

Education

Bachelor's degree in packaging, mechanical, chemical, or related field

Job description

Job Description

Associate Specialist, Engineering -Platform Assembly and Packaging Technical Leadership

Join our Packaging and Assembly Technical Leadership team and help bring new medicines to patients. In this early-career engineering role, you will work with experienced technical leaders and cross-functional teams to solve real manufacturing challenges, support new product introductions, and improve packaging and device assembly processes across a global network. You will gain hands-on experience in technical problem-solving, risk management, technology transfer, and lifecycle improvement while building a strong foundation for a career in pharmaceutical assembly and packaging engineering.

The Packaging Technical Operations organization aims to be an industry leader in delivering robust and pragmatic technical solutions to accelerate the commercialization of new products, and ensuring an uninterrupted, compliant supply of commercialized products for the benefit of patients. The Associate Specialist for Platform Packaging and Assembly Technical Leadership is integral to this mission.

Essential Responsibilities

• Provide packaging and assembly knowledge to ensure scientific rigor, technical problem solving and execution excellence across the packaging and combination product assembly platform portfolio, including:
• Support the development and execution of robust technical plans across device assembly, packaging, and/or distribution and logistics of packaged product
• Analyze data, participate in technical reviews and explore alternative approaches to solve problems.
• Contribute to proactive risk management activities, including risk assessment, risk mitigation, and risk communication strategies.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure that all packaging and assembly platforms meet safety, efficacy, quality, and robust supply standards.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with internal stakeholders to facilitate effective technical support.
• Support lifecycle management changes and tech transfers for the platform components, equipment, and processes.

Minimum Education Requirements and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in packaging, mechanical, chemical, or biochemical engineering; pharmaceutical science; chemistry; or a related discipline.
• Advanced degrees are welcome but not required.

Required Skills and Experience

• Exposure to assembly, packaging, manufacturing processes, components, or equipment through coursework, internships, co-ops, research, or work experience.
• Curiosity and enthusiasm for learning packaging, device assembly, or manufacturing technologies.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills with an ability to interrogate the science and detect critical flaws including the ability to determine areas of potential risk
• Interest in working across technical disciplines and contributing to products that benefit patients.
• Good technical writing, communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively engage with internal and external stakeholders.
• Able to contribute effectively across multiple teams, organize priorities, and follow through on commitments.
• Demonstrates accountability for assignments and outcomes.

Required Skills

Ability to Coordinate, Ability to Coordinate, Accountability, Cold Chain Management, Commercialization, Competency Management, Critical Thinking, Engineering Design, Engineering Standards, Life Cycle Planning, Manufacturing Scale-Up, Materials Science, Packaging Engineering, Packaging Equipment, Packaging Innovation, Packaging Processes, Packaging Science, Packaging Technologies, Packaging Testing, Product Innovations, Product Launch Planning, Product Rollouts, Risk Mitigation, Risk Mitigation Strategies, Schedule Adherence {+ 4 more}

Equal Opportunity & Diversity

Our company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities.

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: EEOC Know Your Rights EEOC GINA Supplement 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.

Salary

The salary range for this role is $71,900.00 - $113,200.00. 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.

Benefits

• medical
• dental
• vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family)
• retirement benefits, including 401(k)
• paid holidays
• vacation
• compassionate and sick days

The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable.

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

Domestic

VISA Sponsorship

No

Travel Requirements

10%

Flexible Work Arrangements

Hybrid

Shift

1st - Day

Valid Driving License

No

Hazardous Material(s)

NA

Job Posting End Date

10/23/2026

A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.

Requisition ID

R417776