AVP, Engineering

Merck & Co.; Rahway (NJ); Hybrid; USD 282,000 - 444,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision benefits

401(k) retirement plan

Paid holidays and vacation

Sick days

Job summary

Merck & Co. invites an accomplished AVP to lead drug product technical operations across the global network, including external partners and the Singapore facility.

The role demands deep technical leadership, strategic influence, and a focus on reliable supply and continuous improvement. The successful candidate will guide governance, risk management, and lifecycle stewardship, shaping innovation and organizational capability while driving inspection readiness and regulatory compliance across

Qualifications

• Significant leadership experience spanning pharmaceutical technical operations and lifecycle management.
• Proven success leading global technical organizations and strategic external partnerships.
• Influence enterprise strategy across multiple functions to deliver sustainable solutions.
• Deep expertise in GMP, quality systems, regulatory compliance, and lifecycle product stewardship.

Responsibilities

• Provide enterprise leadership for drug product manufacturing across internal sites, external CMOs, and global networks.
• Serve as senior technical authority for complex product and process challenges with data-driven decisions.
• Oversee external drug product CMOs and Singapore facility leadership for tech stewardship and inspection readiness.
• Advance network performance through risk management, lifecycle monitoring, and CAPA effectiveness.
• Champion digital analytics and advanced process monitoring to strengthen technical decisions.

Skills

GMP manufacturing

Regulatory compliance

Quality systems

Lifecycle management

Leadership

Risk management

Cross-functional collaboration

Data-driven decisions

Strategic influence

Executive presence

Education

Ph.D., M.S. or B.S. in Chemistry, Engineering or Analytical Sciences

Job description

Job Description

The Associate Vice President (AVP), Drug Product Technical Operations (DP Tech Ops) provides enterprise technical leadership for drug product manufacturing across the company's commercial manufacturing network, including oversight of external manufacturing partners, technical operations leadership for the Singapore manufacturing facility, and strategic stewardship of in-line product manufacturing across the global network.

Reporting to the Vice President, Small Molecule Science & Technology (SM S&T) within the our company's Manufacturing Division, this leader is accountable for ensuring robust, reliable, compliant supply, and continuously improving drug product operations that enable uninterrupted patient supply and support the long-term success of the portfolio.

The role requires deep technical operations expertise combined with strategic leadership, enterprise influence, and a demonstrated ability to build organizational capability. As the senior drug product technical leader, the AVP provides technical stewardship across the manufacturing network, addressing complex technical, operational, quality, and supply challenges while advancing technical excellence, operational performance, and transformational change.

Success in this role is defined by the ability to build and sustain a high-performing technical operations organization that consistently delivers reliable supply, proactively identifies and mitigates risk, develops future leaders, and strengthens the long-term competitiveness of the manufacturing network through innovation, operational excellence, and enterprise leadership.

The AVP partners closely with senior leaders across Science & Technology, Manufacturing, Quality, Regulatory, Supply Chain and Engineering to drive strategic priorities, strengthen network performance, and deliver business outcomes across the enterprise.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide enterprise leadership for drug product manufacturing performance across internal sites, external manufacturing partners, and global commercial product networks, ensuring reliable supply, regulatory compliance, and effective lifecycle stewardship.
• Serve as the senior technical authority for complex product, process, manufacturing, and supply challenges, driving science-based decisions and sustainable solutions.
• Provide strategic oversight of external drug product CMOs and technical operations leadership for Singapore manufacturing facilities, ensuring strong technical stewardship, operational excellence, and inspection readiness.
• Advance network performance through proactive risk management, lifecycle monitoring, investigation excellence, CAPA effectiveness, and continuous improvement.
• Champion digital, analytics, and advanced process monitoring capabilities to strengthen technical decision-making, process understanding, and operational effectiveness.
• Lead transformational initiatives that enhance manufacturing reliability, organizational agility, and the long-term competitiveness of the drug product manufacturing network.
• Build and lead a high-performing organization recognized for technical excellence, scientific rigor, accountability, collaboration, and continuous learning.
• Develop leadership bench strength through coaching, talent development, succession planning, and deliberate capability-building strategies.
• Foster an inclusive, high-performing culture that promotes innovation, engagement, and operational excellence.

The successful candidate will:

• Be recognized as an enterprise technical operations leader with deep expertise in drug product manufacturing, commercialization, and lifecycle management.
• Anticipate and effectively manage technical, operational, quality, and supply risks through sound scientific judgment, data-driven decision-making, and robust governance.
• Influence and align senior stakeholders across Manufacturing, Quality, Regulatory, Supply Chain, Engineering, Science & Technology, and external partner organizations to deliver business outcomes and sustainable solutions.
• Balance technical excellence, operational performance, compliance requirements, and business priorities in a highly complex and regulated environment.
• Build enduring organizational capability through leadership development, succession planning, and a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Drive transformational change that strengthens manufacturing performance, technical decision quality, and the long-term effectiveness and competitiveness of the global drug product network.

Education:

• Ph.D., M.S. or B.S. in Chemistry, Engineering or Analytical Sciences with a minimum of 15 years of experience

Required Experience and Skills:

• Significant leadership experience spanning pharmaceutical technical operations, manufacturing science, CMC development, commercialization, and lifecycle management.
• Proven success leading global technical organizations, complex manufacturing networks, and strategic external partnerships in highly regulated environments.
• Demonstrated ability to influence enterprise strategy and drive alignment across Science and Technology, Engineering, Operations, Quality, Regulatory, Supply Chain, and commercial manufacturing organizations.
• Deep expertise in GMP manufacturing, quality systems, regulatory compliance, inspection readiness, and lifecycle product stewardship.
• Strong track record of leading organizational transformation, improving operational performance, and advancing technical excellence through innovative and data-driven approaches.
• Proven ability to build, develop, and retain high-performing teams, including experience in organizational design, succession planning, leadership development, and capability building.
• Demonstrated commitment to fostering an inclusive, high-performance culture characterized by accountability, psychological safety, continuous learning, and innovation.
• Experience leading large, cross-functional organizations and complex strategic initiatives requiring significant stakeholder influence and change leadership.
• Exceptional communication, executive presence, sound judgment, and strategic decision-making capabilities.

Required Skills:

Analytical Thinking, Analytical Thinking, Building Capability, Business Decisions, Business Performance Management, Business Process Improvements, Business Requirements Analysis, Chemical Engineering Fundamentals, Chemical Plant Operations, Competency Management, Cross-Cultural Awareness, Customer-Focused, Engineering Leadership, Ethical Compliance, Executive Leadership, Executive Presence, Financial Acumen, Innovation, Manufacturing Scale-Up, Mentoring Staff, Operational Quality, Organizational Leadership, People Leadership, People Management, Performance Improvements {+ 7 more}

US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:

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.

Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State Acts

The salary range for this role is $282,200.00 - $444,200.00

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.

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 .

The application deadline for this position is stated on this posting.

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:

VISA Sponsorship:

Travel Requirements:

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Hybrid

Shift:

Valid Driving License:

Hazardous Material(s):

Job Posting End Date:

08/19/2026

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:

R412416