Director, Cybersecurity Engineering

MSD; Rahway (NJ); Remote; USD 157,000 - 247,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision coverage

401(k) plan

Job summary

Merck & Co., Inc. in Rahway, NJ seeks a Director of Zero Trust Infrastructure Security to lead a US-based team of Zero Trust engineers.

You will own strategy, architecture, implementation, and ongoing operation of the enterprise Zero Trust program across the organization. You will drive the design and deployment of the Zscaler-based SASE platform, ensuring secure access for users, applications, and workloads.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, information technology, cybersecurity, or related field.
• Relevant industry certifications including Zscaler, CISSP, CIAM desirable.
• 10+ years in IT with 5+ years in Zero Trust and Zscaler initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, deployment, and operation of enterprise Zero Trust security program.
• Oversee Zscaler-based SASE platform deployment across users, apps, and workloads.
• Mentor engineers and develop Zero Trust standards.
• Collaborate across infra, networking, cloud, cyber, and business teams.

Skills

Secure Access

Zscaler

AI Security

Zero Trust

Security Architecture

Threat Detection

Security Analytics

Team Leadership

Cloud Security

Network Security

Education

Bachelor’s degree in CS/IT/Cybersecurity

Security certifications (Zscaler, CISSP, CIAM)

Tools

Zscaler solutions

ZIA

ZTNA (ZPA)

Job description

Job Description

We are seeking a highly motivated and skilled Zero Trust Infrastructure Security Leader with deep expertise in Secure Access Service Edge (SASE), Zscaler, and emerging AI-driven security technologies. This role is Director of Zero Trust Infrastructure Security and will lead a team of U.S.-based Zero Trust Engineers and be responsible for the strategy, architecture, implementation, and ongoing operation of our enterprise Zero Trust security program.

Responsibilities

Key responsibilities include leading the design, deployment, integration, maintenance, and continuous enhancement of our Zscaler-based SASE platform to support secure access for users, applications, and workloads across the organization.

This leader will collaborate closely with infrastructure, networking, cloud, cybersecurity, application teams, and various businesses to integrate Zero Trust principles and network security solutions across enterprise systems and platforms. The role will also oversee the implementation, configuration, monitoring, detection, and response capabilities of security technologies, ensuring operational excellence and a strong security posture across the environment.

In addition, this leader will establish Zero Trust engineering standards, mentor and develop team members, and identify opportunities to leverage AI-driven capabilities to enhance threat detection, automation, security analytics, and operational efficiency. Staying current with advancements in Zero Trust, cloud security, network security, AI security and emerging technologies will be critical to evaluating and adopting innovative solutions that support the organization's security strategy.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Technology, Cybersecurity, or a related field is required. Relevant industry certifications, including Zscaler certifications, CISSP, CIAM, or similar credentials, are highly desirable. The candidate will possess advanced hands‑on experience designing, deploying, and operating Zscaler solutions within large-scale enterprise environments.
• Minimum 10+ years of experience in Information Technology, including 5+ years of experience designing, implementing, and managing Zero Trust and Zscaler security initiatives.
• A strong understanding of Zero Trust principles, methodologies, and technologies is required, along with expertise in AI Security, network security, endpoint security, and cloud security architecture. Candidate should have experience with firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDPS), network segmentation, and secure remote access technologies.
• The successful candidate will demonstrate strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, the ability to quickly learn and apply emerging technologies, and excellent communication and collaboration capabilities.
• Extensive experience with Zscaler Internet Access (ZIA), Zscaler Private Access (ZPA), Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), cloud security, network transformation, and enterprise‑scale Zero Trust security engineering programs are essential.
• Proven success leading high-performing Zero Trust engineering teams, driving complex security transformations, and providing guidance and support to IT and security teams in the successful implementation and operation of Zero Trust principles is required.

Required Skills

• Application Security
• Application Security
• Certificate Services
• Cloud Computing Security
• Cloud Security
• Communication
• Corporate Security Management
• Cross‑Cultural Awareness
• Cybersecurity
• Cybersecurity Analytics
• Cybersecurity Operations
• Delivery of Security Applications
• Design Applications
• Endpoint Security Management
• Information Security
• IT Security Architecture
• Network Security
• Network Segmentation
• Operational Technology (OT) Security
• Security Analysis
• Security Configuration Management
• Security Engineering
• Security Fundamentals
• Security Infrastructure
• Security Monitoring {+ 10 more}

Our company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities. Please click here if you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process.

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 RightsEEOC 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

The salary range for this role is $156,900.00 - $247,000.00This 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.

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 CarefullyMerck & 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: No relocation

VISA Sponsorship: No

Travel Requirements: 10%

Flexible Work Arrangements: Remote

Shift: 1st - Day

Valid Driving License: No

Hazardous Material(s): N/A

Job Posting End Date: 10/3/2026*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.