Specialist, Engineering (Energy & Sustainability)

Biopharma Careers; Elkton (MD); On-site; USD 87,000 - 137,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Dental benefits

Vision benefits

401(k) plan

Paid time off

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Merck is seeking an Energy & Sustainability Specialist for the Elkton site to drive energy and sustainability initiatives in a collaborative environment. The role leads strategy, budgeting, and project delivery within a Facilities Center of Excellence.

You will work with utilities, government agencies, and vendors to influence energy policy and achieve LEED certification for new buildings and renovations, while delivering measurable savings and emissions reductions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or higher in Engineering, Environmental Science, or related discipline.
• Minimum of 2 years creating energy-saving initiatives in manufacturing and site infrastructure.
• Proven project management experience leading projects or programs.
• Strong leadership and communication across multi-functional teams.
• Ability to work autonomously with minimal supervision.

Responsibilities

• Develop and promote site energy and sustainability objectives aligned with corporate goals.
• Deliver site energy, emissions, and waste reduction strategies with internal and external stakeholders.
• Coordinate with utilities and government agencies on energy policies and technologies.
• Manage the site’s energy and utilities budgets from forecast to reconciliation.
• Develop robust business cases for energy and sustainability-driven capital projects.
• Coordinate LEED certification efforts for new buildings and renovations.

Skills

Energy Analysis

Energy Consumption

Project Leadership

Process Optimization

Stakeholder Engagement

Education

Bachelor’s Degree or higher in Engineering, Environmental Science, or related discipline

Tools

LEED Standards

GMP/FDA knowledge

Job description

Specialist, Energy & Sustainability

Position Overview

The Energy & Sustainability Specialist will work in a team environment committed to continuous improvement with process and business consciousness. As a member of the Facilities Center of Excellence team, the successful candidate will lead the Elkton site’s energy and sustainability advancement.

Core Responsibilities

Strategy & External Liaison

• Develop and promote site energy and sustainability objectives aligned with corporate goals
• Deliver site energy, emissions, and waste reduction strategies in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.
• Represent the site in above-site energy and sustainability forums with leadership support.
• Act as the primary liaison between the site, utility providers, and government agencies to stay ahead of energy policies and technologies.

Financial Management

• Manage the site’s energy and utilities budgets from forecast to reconciliation.
• Collaborate with consultants, finance, and production planning to deliver accurate energy usage budgets.
• Develop robust business cases for energy and sustainability-driven capital projects and expenses.
• Partner with procurement to establish and manage associated contracts.

Project Design & Standards

• Ensure jurisdictional, site, and corporate energy standards are integrated into project designs with support from Facilities Engineering SMEs.
• Coach capital project teams to understand sustainability standards and resolve design inquiries.
• Coordinate all site efforts to obtain LEED certification for new buildings and renovations.

Operational Optimization

• Analyze site performance data to identify and implement energy optimization measures.
• Evaluate process optimization ideas using professional process engineering tools.
• Audit existing manufacturing and infrastructure processes to reduce site energy consumption.
• Explore and evaluate the suitability of emerging sustainability technologies for the site.

Culture & Communication

• Partner with management and staff to foster an organizational culture of sustainability awareness.
• Generate and present energy and sustainability metrics during site town halls and meetings.
• Collaborate with vendors, suppliers, and other sites to share best practices and achieve targets.
• Support broader Facilities Engineering and site operational teams on ad-hoc initiatives as required.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s Degree or higher in Engineering, Environmental Science, or a related discipline.

Required Experience

• Minimum of 2 years of experience initiating and executing energy-saving initiatives within manufacturing processes and site infrastructure.
• Proven project management experience leading projects or programs.
• Strong leadership skills with a demonstrated ability to influence others and make confident decisions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills across multi-functional teams.
• Proven ability to work autonomously with minimal supervision.

Preferred Experience

• Professional certification: Certified Energy Manager (CEM), Renewable Energy Professional (REP), Energy Management Professional (EMP), or Energy Star Compliance (ESC).
• Solid knowledge of GMP / FDA regulatory requirements and current Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) regulations.
• Experience working in a highly regulated environment (pharmaceutical, biotech, or food industry).

Required Skills

• Business Case Development, Business Case Development, Carbon Footprint Reduction, Community Management, Detail-Oriented, Energy Analysis, Energy Consumption, Energy Reduction, Engineering Design, Engineering Standards, Environmental Stewardship, Environmental Sustainability, Estimation and Planning, Facility Engineering, Facility Management, Financial Tracking, Kaizen Certification, Laboratory Experiments, Machine Safety, Maintenance Supervision, Manufacturing Quality Control, Project Facilitation, Project Leadership, Projects Design, Renewable Energy {+ 8 more}

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.

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:

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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.

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The salary range for this role is

$87,300.00 - $137,400.00

This 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

Employee Status: Regular

Relocation: Domestic

VISA Sponsorship: No

Travel Requirements: No Travel Required

Flexible Work Arrangements: Not Applicable

Shift: Not Indicated

Valid Driving License: No

Hazardous Material(s): NA

Job Posting End Date: 09/8/2026 *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.

Requisition ID:R415342