Controls Strategy Lead (SCADA/Ignition)

Merck; New Jersey; On-site; USD 200,000 - 320,000; Full time

Job summary

Merck in New Jersey seeks a Director for Development Sciences Digital Technologies to define and deliver a vision for scalable Ignition and lab orchestration across labs, interfacing with science, IT, and engineering.

You will design, develop, and deploy automation and data integration solutions, mentor teams, and champion modern software practices while advancing AI, digital twins, and autonomous lab capabilities to support rapid pharmaceutical development.

Qualifications

• Significant experience designing and deploying industrial or laboratory OT solutions.
• Expertise with Ignition, DeltaV, WinCC OA or similar platforms.
• Ability to lead technical strategy while contributing hands-on.
• Proven success delivering automation, integration, or digital transformation projects.
• Experience with modern engineering practices: version control, testing, CI/CD.
• Excellent communication for broad scientific and leadership audiences.
• Experience coaching, mentoring, and developing talent.

Responsibilities

• Lead Ignition and laboratory orchestration strategy across Development Sciences and Clinical Supply.
• Design, develop, and deploy automation and integration solutions; provide technical leadership.
• Create reusable architectures and governance for instrument, robotics, data platforms, and systems.
• Evaluate AI, digital twins, and autonomous labs; translate into platform capabilities.
• Coach, mentor, and educate colleagues through projects, training, and forums.
• Communicate complex ideas, align teams and sites, and guide technology adoption.

Skills

Industrial automation

Ignition/DeltaV/WinCC OA

Technical leadership

Automation/digital transformation

Software development practices

Communication skills

Mentoring & coaching

Education

Ph.D. in Engineering or closely related field with 6+ years experience

M.S. in Engineering or closely related field with 8 years experience

B.S. in Engineering or closely related field with 10 years experience

Tools

Ignition

DeltaV

WinCC OA

Job description

Role Summary

In the Development Sciences and Clinical Supply organization, we believe digital is the force multiplier that enables faster experiments, smarter decisions, more robust supply chains, and is ultimately redefining how we bring medicines to patients.

Within Development Sciences and Clinical Supply, the Development Sciences and Clinical Supply Digital Technologies team is building the next generation of data-rich, connected lab environments-where hardware, software, and AI-driven tools work together to accelerate pharmaceutical development. Our goal is simple but ambitious: embed advanced digital capabilities into the DNA of how we work. We believe this future starts with an effective foundation of laboratory tools: innovative robotics, process analytical technology, high-throughput technologies, reliable instrumentation, and integrated systems that seamlessly transition data from the physical labs to the digital world. We believe innovation is fueled by teams that come together to build technologies that truly impact how our scientists conduct research. We're looking for a director to help define and deliver this future vision.

Responsibilities

• Lead Ignition and laboratory orchestration strategy: Shape the vision, roadmap, architecture, standards, and investment priorities for scalable SCADA and orchestration capabilities across Development Sciences and Clinical Supply, partnering with scientific, automation, digital, IT, and engineering leaders.
• Deliver high-impact solutions: Remain hands-on by designing, developing, and deploying complex Ignition, automation, and integration solutions while providing technical leadership across critical programs and unique business challenges.
• Build sustainable platform ecosystems: Establish reusable architectures, development patterns, governance, validation approaches, and implementation practices that connect instrumentation, robotics, process equipment, data platforms, and enterprise systems.
• Advance innovation and future capabilities: Evaluate emerging technologies and translate opportunities in AI, advanced analytics, digital twins, and autonomous laboratories into practical platform capabilities that address current and future scientific needs.
• Grow organizational technical depth: Coach, mentor, and educate laboratory automation, software, and digital engineering colleagues through direct project engagement, formal mentorship and training, technical forums, and communities of practice.
• Influence decisions and adoption: Communicate complex technical ideas, build alignment across teams and sites, and guide technology selection, resource prioritization, and adoption of common platform approaches.

Education Minimum Requirement

• A Ph.D. in Engineering (i.e. Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical), Robotics, Mechatronics, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Pharmaceutical Sciences or a closely related field with at least 6 years of relevant experience
• A M.S. in Engineering (i.e. Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical), Robotics, Mechatronics, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Pharmaceutical Sciences or a closely related field with at least 8 years of relevant experience
• A B.S. in in Engineering (i.e. Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical), Robotics, Mechatronics, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Pharmaceutical Sciences or a closely related field with at least 10 years of relevant experience

Required Experience and Skills

• Significant experience designing and deploying industrial or laboratory SCADA, orchestration, or operations technology solutions.
• Demonstrated expertise with Ignition, DeltaV, WinCC OA, or similar industrial automation platforms.
• Proven ability to lead technical strategy while remaining an active individual contributor.
• Demonstrated success delivering complex automation, integration, or digital transformation initiatives.
• Experience developing software solutions using modern engineering practices including version control, testing, CI/CD, and maintainable software architectures.
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to present complex technical concepts to broad scientific and leadership audiences.
• Demonstrated experience coaching, mentoring, and developing talent.