Controls Strategy Lead (SCADA/Ignition)

MSD; Rahway (NJ); Hybrid; USD 173,000 - 273,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Job summary

MSD is seeking a Director to define and deliver the next-gen laboratory automation and orchestration platform for Development Sciences and Clinical Supply in Rahway, NJ. You will lead cross-functional teams, shape roadmaps, and drive scalable Ignition-based solutions that connect robotics, data platforms, and enterprise systems.

You will advance AI, digital twins, and analytics to meet current and future scientific needs while mentoring staff and aligning stakeholders across sites.

Qualifications

• Significant experience designing and deploying industrial or laboratory SCADA/OT solutions.
• Expertise with Ignition, DeltaV, WinCC OA, or similar platforms.
• Proven ability to lead technical strategy while contributing as a hands-on contributor.
• Experience delivering complex automation, integration, or digital transformation initiatives.
• Experience using modern software practices: version control, testing, CI/CD, maintainable architectures.
• Excellent communication to broad scientific and leadership audiences.
• Experience coaching and developing talent.

Responsibilities

• Lead ignition and laboratory orchestration strategy across DS&CS operations.
• Deliver high-impact automation and integration solutions with hands-on design and deployment.
• Build reusable platform architectures and governance for data and instrumentation integration.
• Translate AI, analytics, and digital twin opportunities into platform capabilities.
• Mentor and grow laboratory automation and software engineering teams.

Skills

Analytical Thinking

Automation

BuildMaster

Change Agility

Cross-Functional Leadership

Digital Transformation

Software Architectures

Engineering Standards

Estimation and Planning

Platform Management

Education

Ph.D. in Engineering or related field

M.S. in Engineering or related field

B.S. in Engineering or related field

Job description

Role Summary:

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. This position serves as a technical leader for laboratory operations technology and orchestration platforms across the Development Sciences and Clinical Supply organization.

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.

Preferred Experience and Skills:

• Strong understanding of systems integration, industrial networking, OT/IT convergence, cybersecurity, and platform architecture
• Deep expertise with Ignition architectures, gateway deployment strategies, module development, and enterprise-scale implementations.
• Experience developing laboratory digital transformation strategies.
• Experience with data historians, MES, LIMS, ELN, enterprise data platforms, and cloud-based analytics solutions.
• Experience integrating laboratory robotics, process analytical technology (PAT), and advanced instrumentation platforms.
• Familiarity with AI/ML applications within laboratory operations and scientific workflows.
• Experience building reusable software frameworks, development standards, or enterprise technology platforms.
• Understanding of biologics, vaccine, sterile, small molecule, or analytical development environments.
• Experience leading communities of practice, technical academies, or organizational training programs.
• Demonstrated ability to identify future technology needs and develop long-term platform roadmaps.
• Strong understanding of regulatory, quality, and compliance considerations relevant to pharmaceutical development environments.
• Ability to influence technical direction across multiple organizations without direct authority.

Required Skills:

• Analytical Thinking
• Analytical Thinking
• Automation
• BuildMaster
• Change Agility
• Commercial Software
• Consulting
• Cross-Functional Leadership
• Digital Transformation
• Digital Twin
• Engineering Principle
• Engineering Standards
• Estimation and Planning
• Implementation Methodologies
• Integrated Product Teams
• Intercultural Collaboration
• Maintenance Supervision
• Manufacturing Scale-Up
• Platform Management
• Professional Engineering
• Results-Oriented
• Retention Strategies
• Software Architectures
• Software Design
• Software Development Management

Preferred Skills:

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.

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

Compensation:

When required by law, the compensation range for this role is provided below. The salary range for the primary location of this role is: $173,200.00 - $272,600.00 This range reflects the Company's reasonable expectation of the base salary applicable to this role at the time of 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.

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.

Additional location(s):

Additional location(s): Please note the salary range above applies to the Primary Location of this role.

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

Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully

Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company. No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific.

Employee Status: Regular
Relocation: Domestic
VISA Sponsorship: Yes
Travel Requirements: 10%
Flexible Work Arrangements: Hybrid
Shift: Not Indicated
Valid Driving License: No
Hazardous Material(s): n/a

Our company is a global health care leader with a diversified portfolio of prescription medicines, vaccines and animal health products. The difference between potential and achievement lies in the spark that fuels innovation and inventiveness; this is the space where we have codified our legacy for over a century. Our success is backed by ethical integrity, forward momentum, and an inspiring mission to achieve new milestones in global healthcare.