Operations Manager

MSD; North Carolina; On-site; USD 96,000 - 151,000; Full time

Job summary

Merck & Co., Inc. in Durham, NC is seeking an Operations Manager to lead manufacturing teams across multiple shifts for the production of vaccines and therapeutics.

You will drive reliable process execution, maintain product quality, and ensure customer demand is met. You will coach and develop staff, approve payroll, and lead continuous improvement initiatives while ensuring safety, regulatory compliance, and cost controls.

Qualifications

• Minimum six (6) years of experience in a manufacturing, technical, support, or Military role or at least four (4) years with a Bachelor’s in Life Science or Engineering
• Able to work rotating shift schedule including 2-3-3, 6:00AM–6:30PM or 6:00PM–6:30AM, with weekend coverage
• Ability to enter classified areas after gowning requirements and lead a team
• Proven ability to lead a team and manage multiple priorities to meet a production schedule
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and problem-solving skills

Responsibilities

• Develop, motivate, and manage a team to ensure reliable manufacturing process execution
• Set yearly objectives aligned with department goals and provide regular feedback to staff
• Lead on-the-floor problem solving to minimize downtime and maintain quality
• Provide SME guidance during tours and audits for area/process overview
• Coach team through improvements, scheduling, and protocol execution
• Represent Operations on project teams and drive continuous improvement initiatives

Skills

Team leadership

Production scheduling

Communication

Problem solving

GMP experience

Lean Six Sigma

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Life Science or Engineering

High School Diploma/GED

Tools

PAS-X

SAP

Delta-V

Job description

Job Description Job Description:

This requisition is for both day shift and night shift positions. This position is for a manufacturing leadership role as Operations Manager supporting the commercial-scale manufacture of vaccines and therapeutics at the Durham, NC site. The individual in this role must provide direction, coaching, and technical expertise to operations personnel responsible for the manufacturing processes. This individual must actively manage their assigned team to reliably support customer demand, including hiring as needed, employee development, routine 1:1 meetings and coaching, recognition, and performance management. Additionally, they must become proficient in the use of manufacturing systems and knowledgeable of site procedures in order to resolve process/equipment issues, minimize downtime, and ensure product quality. Successful candidate(s) will be assigned to support one of the manufacturing factories located at the Durham, NC site.

Responsibilities

Employee Development / People Management

• Develop, motivate, and manage a team to ensure reliable manufacturing process execution
• Assign yearly performance objectives for the team in alignment with department and site goals
• Provide regular feedback and coaching to employees on work performance
• Provide leadership to the team as needed based on the team’s capabilities and maturity
• Ensure on time approval of payroll activities using site approved software like ADP.

Process Execution / Continuous Improvement

• Provide a leadership presence on the manufacturing floor
• Champion standard work to drive consistent use of best practices across teams
• Regularly help the team troubleshoot issues to minimize downtime and maintain product quality
• Identify opportunities to improve the process (e.g. cycle times, ease of execution, reliability)
• Support work as needed to implement improvements (e.g. scheduling, staffing, protocol execution)
• Coach team members in executing smaller improvement projects in their operational area
• Represent Operations on project teams as needed

Communication

• Lead and support daily (Tier) meetings to facilitate flow of information up/down through the organization
• Hold regular team meetings to cascade information and collect team feedback
• Provide clear consistent communication from shift to shift
• Escalate issues as needed to ensure the right support/awareness is given to issues as they arise
• Serve as an Subject Matter Expert (SME) during tours to provide area/process overview information to visitors/auditors upon request

Quality & Safety Compliance

• Foster strong safety culture on the team through actions, coaching, and prioritization
• Coach individuals when reporting safety issues and completing corrective/preventative actions
• Drive culture of compliance through actions, consistent quality-driven decision making, and coaching of the team (e.g. documentation, housekeeping, area 5S, etc.)
• Participate in safety/regulatory audits (i.e. tours, topic discussion)

Financial

• Coach the team to ensure SAP transaction completion is timely and accurate
• Manage team staffing and overtime to support customer demand while meeting budget targets
• Recognize opportunities for cost savings and communicates them for potential project chartering

Education

Minimum Requirement: High School Diploma/GED required

Required Experience and Skills

Minimum six (6) years of experience in a manufacturing, technical, support, or Military role or at least four (4) years of experience in a manufacturing, technical, support, or Military role with a Bachelor’s degree in Life Science or Engineering Must be willing to work a rotating shift schedule including but not limited to: 2-3-3 rotation x 12.5 hr shifts (example 6:00AM to 6:30PM or 6:00PM – 6:30 AM).Note that this schedule does include working alternating weekends and holidays 4 day x 10.5 hr shifts with rotating weekend coverage. Note that this schedule does include working alternating weekends and holidays. 5 day x 8.5 hr shifts. Note that this schedule does include working holidays with weekend coverage required based on business needs. Ability to qualify and maintain gowning requirements to enter classified areas in the manufacturing area to provide shopfloor support Demonstrated ability to lead a team (i.e. experience leading directly as a supervisor/coach or indirectly as part of a project or through routine process execution) Ability to manage multiple priorities and coordinate people/resources to meet a production schedule Strong interpersonal, communication, and problem-solving skills

Preferred Experience and Skills

• Previous supervisory experience
• Experience in a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)-regulated manufacturing environment
• Experience using electronic manufacturing systems (e.g. PAS-X, SAP, Delta-V, etc.)
• Experience interacting with regulatory auditors as part of area tours and/or topic discussion
• Lean Six Sigma certification #MSJR #VetJobs #EBRG

Required Skills

• Adaptability, Aseptic Manufacturing, cGMP Compliance, Data Analysis, Employee Performance Standards, Interpersonal Relationships, Inventory Management, Manufacturing Quality Control, Operational Excellence, Packaging Operations, People Leadership, Process Engineering, Process Improvements, Production Scheduling, Sterile Filling

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. 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 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.

Location

The primary location for this posting is: USA - North Carolina - Durham (Old Oxford)

Compensation and Benefits

Where required by law, the compensation range for this role is provided below. The salary range for the primary location of this role is: $96,200.00 - $151,400.00 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)

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

Recruitment and Hiring Policies

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. Please, no phone calls or emails. Employee Status: Regular Relocation: No relocation VISA Sponsorship: No Travel Requirements: 10% Flexible Work Arrangements: Not Applicable Shift: 1st - Day, 2nd - Evening, 3rd - Night Valid Driving License: No Hazardous Material(s): Cleaning Supplies Job Posting End Date: 11/16/2026 *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.

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.