Director, AI & Cybersecurity Legal Strategy

Merck; Rahway (NJ); Hybrid; USD 191,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, seeks a Director, AI and Cybersecurity Legal to advise on AI/ML governance and cybersecurity regulatory compliance across the enterprise. You will partner with the Chief Privacy and Digital Trust Officer and the Chief Information Security Officer to enable innovation while managing legal risk in a highly regulated pharmaceutical environment.

The role includes leading AI contract negotiations and supervising regulatory affairs related to AI and cybersecurity,

Qualifications

• J.D. required with active U.S. state bar.
• Minimum 10 years of legal experience with at least 5 focused on cybersecurity, technology or AI law.
• Deep understanding of cybersecurity and AI regulatory frameworks (HIPAA, GDPR, NIS2, SEC rules) and related risk management.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic legal counsel on AI governance, compliance, and vendor engagements.
• Advise on cybersecurity incident response and breach notification obligations.
• Lead AI contract negotiations and technology transactions with internal stakeholders.
• Collaborate with IT, privacy, compliance and business teams on governance and risk.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Executive presence

Written & verbal communication

Regulatory awareness

Technical fluency

Risk assessment

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

J.D. from an accredited law school

Active U.S. state bar

Job description

Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, seeks a Director, AI and Cybersecurity Legal to advise on AI/ML governance and cybersecurity regulatory compliance across the enterprise. You will partner with the Chief Privacy and Digital Trust Officer and the Chief Information Security Officer to enable innovation while managing legal risk in a highly regulated pharmaceutical environment.

The role includes leading AI contract negotiations and supervising regulatory affairs related to AI and cybersecurity,