Director, Pharmaceutical Commercialization Technology

Merck & Co.; Rahway (NJ); On-site; USD 173,000 - 273,000; Full time

Job summary

Merck & Co. in Rahway, NJ, seeks a Director of Pharmaceutical Commercialization Technology to lead a team of 10–20 engineers and scientists, guiding development strategies from early formulation through to supply.

You will champion talent development, drive operational excellence, and build cross-functional partnerships across global technical, quality, and manufacturing networks to bring medicines to market.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree with extensive experience in chemical engineering or related fields.
• Advanced degree with strong track record in drug product development and tech transfer.
• Deep knowledge of formulation development and regulatory submissions.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and deliver results.
• Experience driving change and process improvements.
• Strong collaboration and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Drive development of product portfolio and control strategies for robust supply.
• Lead department results and cross-functional coordination.
• Translate priorities into actionable steps and ensure delivery.
• Sponsor continuous improvement across the organization.
• Develop partner relationships and sponsorship frameworks.
• Support regulatory, tech transfer, and financial forecasting activities.
• Lead change management across the organization.
• Oversee core functions including safety, digital strategy, and compliance.

Skills

Adaptability

Change Agility

Consulting

GMP

Key Client Relationships

Manufacturing Scale-Up

People Leadership

Process Development

Process Characterization

Regulatory Experience

R&D Operations

Results-Oriented

Teamwork

Technical Transfer

Writing Technical Docs

Education

Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering

Master of Science in Chemical Engineering

Ph.D. in Chemistry

Job description

Job Description

Our company is a global health care leader with a diversified portfolio of small molecules, biologics, and vaccines across human and animal health. We are building a new kind of healthcare company, one that is ready to help create a healthier future for all of us. Join our team and contribute to our mission of delivering innovative health solutions that advance the prevention and treatment of diseases in people and animals.

The-Pharmaceutical Commercialization Technology (PCT)-organization, within our Manufacturing Division, develops robust processes and technologies for small-molecule, solid-dosage drugs. From early formulation partnerships through to commercial launch and stable global supply, we bridge the gap between discovery and patients worldwide. Our operations are anchored by development centers in Rahway, NJ and West Point, PA, alongside a global manufacturing network spanning Ireland, Singapore, and external contract organizations.

As the-Director of Pharmaceutical Commercialization Technology, you will lead a high-performing department of-10 to 20 engineers and scientists-ranging from entry-level researchers to senior scientific leaders and people managers.

In this role, you will shape and execute program strategies for our development pipeline while fostering a culture anchored in-Safety First, Quality Always, and Inclusion for All. You will champion talent development, drive operational excellence, and build highly collaborative partnerships across our global technical, quality, and manufacturing networks to bring life-saving medicines to market.

Responsibilities

• Drive development of product portfolio including overall plan for control strategy development, experimental designs across scales, execution of experimental plans, and data analysis with the goal of creating robust control strategies that will lead to reliable supply.
• Drive results and executional excellence within the department's portfolio, impacting multiple layers of the organization and other lines within PCT.
• Drive operational excellence by clarifying and translating priorities into actionable steps and holding teams accountable to deliver against priorities.
• Recognize gaps in systems and drive improvement in process and department function, sponsoring and driving a culture of continuous improvement throughout the organization.
• Develop critical partner relationships and create sponsorship frameworks with peers to ensure the success of highly cross-functional teams.
• Actively sponsor the creation of high-performing teams with peers and ensure necessary technical reviews are occurring proactively with the right cross-section of peer partner groups.
• Utilize a sophisticated employee development toolkit across many levels within the organization, including people managers, senior scientific staff, and new hires.
• Help teams drive programmatic strategy including regulatory, siting, and tech transfer, and assist in creating financial forecasts.
• Lead change throughout the organization with a well-developed change leadership toolkit.
• Oversee the department's core functions including PCT Source (clinical supply stewardship), the APEX (Applied Pharmaceutical Engineering & eXperimentation) supply-support facility, safety teams, digital strategy, compliance, modeling, risk assessment platforms, diversity and inclusion, due diligence, and capital projects.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences or related scientific field with a minimum of twelve (12) years of required experience; OR Master of Science (M.S.) with a minimum of ten (10) years; OR Ph.D. degree with a minimum of eight (8) years.
• Possesses deep technical and subject matter expertise with the function.
• Knowledge of oral drug product formulation and process development, proven track record in small molecule commercial process development, scale-up, and technology transfer to supply.
• Applies a deep understanding of new product development and commercialization.
• Experienced in the end-to-end development of drug products from commercialization through to supply.
• Experience with authoring regulatory submissions and responding to regulatory questions.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and collaboration skills.
• Effective delegation skills and demonstrated ability to drive improvement priorities in addition to driving the portfolio.
• Demonstrated ability in leading and sponsoring cross-functional teams.
• Strength in delivering results on firm deadlines.
• Experience with leading organizational change.

Preferred

• Experience in supporting supply investigations.

Location: Rahway, NJ preferred. Candidate will have reports based in Rahway and West Point, PA, so travel to West Point will be required.

Required Skills

• Adaptability
• Change Agility
• Consulting
• Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
• Key Client Relationships
• Manufacturing Scale-Up
• People Leadership
• Pharmaceutical Process Development
• Process Characterization
• Regulatory Experience
• Research and Development Operations (Inactive)
• Results-Oriented
• Teamwork
• Technical Transfer
• Writing Technical Documents

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. Please click here if you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process.

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 primary location for this posting is:

USA - New Jersey - Rahway

Where 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.

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 .

Additional location(s):

Please note the salary range above applies to the Primary Location of the position. Where a role has other listed locations, different compensation guidelines may apply. You may find the salary ranges for additional locations below. If the salary range is not listed for the location you are applying to, our Talent Acquisition team will provide further information to you relevant to your location.

Additional location(s) Compensation Information:

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:

Domestic

VISA Sponsorship:

Yes

Travel Requirements:

10%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Not Applicable

Shift:

1st - Day

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

n/a