Senior Drug Product Operations Engineer — Greenfield Start-Up

MSD Malaysia; Elkton (VA); On-site; USD 96,000 - 151,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Long-term incentive

Medical, dental, vision coverage

Retirement benefits (401(k))

Paid holidays and vacation

Job summary

Merck & Co., Inc. in Elkton, Virginia seeks a Senior Operations Engineer - Drug Product to lead commissioning, qualification, and startup readiness for a new small-molecule facility.

You will partner with cross-functional teams to ensure safe, compliant operations and drive continuous improvement during project execution and into steady-state production. The role requires a Bachelor's degree in a technical field and 5+ years in Drug Product/SDI manufacturing, with strong Lean and GMP experience.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a technical field is required.
• Chemical, pharmaceutical, or biochemical specialization is preferred.
• Experience in Drug Product/SDI manufacturing and cross-functional settings.

Responsibilities

• Support commissioning, qualification, start-up, and operational readiness for the Elkton facility.
• Collaborate with Operations, Engineering, Quality, and Supply Chain for safe start-up.
• Provide technical and operations support during start-up, troubleshooting, and optimization.
• Coordinate tech transfer and implement commercial processes in the new facility.
• Define and improve operating practices, standard work, and routines.
• Prioritize improvement activities within the IPT to meet performance goals.
• Apply MPS tools, Kaizen, 5S, visual management, and Standard Work for improvements.
• Embed best practices across shifts and teams to ensure efficiency and compliance.
• Support a culture of safety, quality, compliance, and continuous improvement.
• Act as delegate for the Production Lead when needed to ensure continuity.
• Contribute to an inclusive, high-performance work environment.

Skills

Adaptability

Analytical Problem Solving

cGMP Compliance

Chemical Engineering

Cross-Functional Project Management

Data Analysis

Decision Making

Engineering Support

Focused Improvement

Inventory Management

Leadership Theories

Lean Six Sigma Continuous Improvement

Manufacturing

Manufacturing Processes

Manufacturing Strategies

Manufacturing Systems

Manufacturing Technologies

Operational Quality

Operations Engineering

Personal Initiative

Pharmaceutical Process Development

Pharmaceutical Process Engineering

Process Improvements

Process Optimization

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Chemical Engineering, Pharmaceutical Engineering, Biochemical Engineering, Chemistry or related technical discipline preferred

Job description

Merck & Co., Inc. in Elkton, Virginia seeks a Senior Operations Engineer - Drug Product to lead commissioning, qualification, and startup readiness for a new small-molecule facility.

You will partner with cross-functional teams to ensure safe, compliant operations and drive continuous improvement during project execution and into steady-state production. The role requires a Bachelor's degree in a technical field and 5+ years in Drug Product/SDI manufacturing, with strong Lean and GMP experience.