Specialist, Engineering (Hybrid)

Merck & Co.; Rahway (NJ); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Merck & Co. is seeking a Specialist, Digital Operations Agentic Intelligence to contribute to AI-ready data foundations, intelligent agents, and governance-backed data products.

You will work with Python, SQL, Databricks, Power BI, and enterprise AI platforms to design, build, test, and deploy scalable digital solutions across DSCS operations. The role emphasizes collaboration with business and technology teams, adherence to engineering standards, and ongoing learning to advance agentic AI

Qualifications

• 2+ years of experience in data engineering, software development, or related technical role.
• Hands-on experience with Python and SQL for data transformation and reporting.
• Knowledge of data pipelines, semantic layers, and data quality checks.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to design, build, test, and operationalize governed agents and AI-enabled workflows.
• Develop data pipelines, dashboards, and automation using enterprise platforms.
• Translate business needs into technical requirements and acceptance criteria.
• Apply Git-based version control, documentation, and release-readiness checks.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to deliver secure, scalable digital solutions.

Skills

Python

SQL

Data engineering

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS or related field

MS in CS or related field

Tools

Databricks

Dataverse

Power BI

GitHub

VS Code

Copilot Studio

Vertex AI

Power Platform

Job description

Job Description

Specialist, Digital Operations Agentic Intelligence (m/f/d)

Digital is the multiplier that will allow Development Sciences and Clinical Supply (DSCS) to deliver better experiments faster, efficient filing and launch, more robust supply chains and higher-confidence decisions across the portfolio. The DSCS Digital Technologies (DDT) organization is tasked with the mission to pioneer and deploy innovative digital technologies that drive the acquisition, automation and utilization of data to enhance insights, efficiency, and quality of DSCS processes and methods.

The Specialist, Digital Operations Agentic Intelligence, is a hands-on technical contributor within the Agentic Intelligence team. This role supports the organization's shift from traditional business intelligence and manual reporting toward governed, AI-ready data foundations and production-grade intelligent agents. The Specialist will contribute to the design, build, testing, documentation, and operationalization of agents, data products, automations, and reporting solutions using modern data engineering, low code/pro-code agent platforms, and disciplined software development practices.

This role is intended for a technically strong early-career professional who can build with direction, learn quickly, follow engineering standards, and contribute to reusable agent patterns, governed data foundations, evaluation frameworks, and secure deployment practices. The Specialist will work across tools such as Python, SQL, Databricks, Dataverse, Power BI, GitHub, Copilot Studio, Gemini/Vertex AI or comparable enterprise AI platforms, and Microsoft Power Platform.

The Specialist, Digital Operations Agentic Intelligence will:

• Contribute to the development of AI-ready data foundations, semantic data layers, data pipelines, dashboards, web applications, automations, and intelligent agents that support DSCS digital operations.
• Contribute to the design, build, testing, documentation, and operational support of governed data products, reporting solutions, automations, and intelligent agents.
• Translate business needs into clear technical requirements, data requirements, agent instructions, test cases, and acceptance criteria with guidance from senior team members.
• Apply disciplined development practices, including Git-based version control, documentation, testing, reusable templates, and release-readiness checks.
• Collaborate across business, data, technology, quality, and compliance stakeholders to deliver scalable, secure, and trustworthy digital solutions.
• Demonstrate curiosity, ownership, strong problem-solving, and a builder mindset while continuing to develop knowledge of DDT systems, DSCS processes, and enterprise technology standards.

Primary Activities & Responsibilities Include:

• Agentic AI Development & Governance: Support the design, build, and testing of governed agents and AI-enabled workflows using Copilot Studio, Gemini/Vertex AI or comparable enterprise AI platforms, Microsoft Power Platform, APIs, connectors, and approved data sources. Contribute to agent lifecycle activities, including intake, proof of concept, MVP readiness, deployment validation, sustainment, monitoring, and retirement.
• AI-Ready Data Foundations & Integration: Build and maintain data pipelines, curated datasets, semantic layers, and reusable data products using Python, SQL, Databricks, Dataverse, Power BI, SharePoint, and other approved enterprise platforms. Ensure data is accessible, traceable, documented, fit for purpose, and aligned with applicable governance expectations.
• BI, Web Applications & Automation: Develop and maintain dashboards, reports, web applications, Power Apps, Power Automate flows, and workflow automations that help users interact with data, submit inputs, trigger processes, review recommendations, and act on insights.
• Testing, Evaluation & Release Readiness: Create and execute test cases for agents, automations, data pipelines, and reports. Support evaluation of response quality, grounding accuracy, task success, failure modes, regression performance, monitoring needs, access controls, and responsible deployment requirements.
• Engineering Standards, Documentation & Enablement: Use GitHub, VS Code, branching, pull requests, code review, reusable templates, design notes, runbooks, decision logs, and handover materials to make solutions maintainable, reviewable, and scalable across the team.

Required Experience and Skills

• Experience: 2 + years of experience in data engineering, software development, web application development, automation, data science, business intelligence, AI/ML, or a related technical role. Relevant internship, academic, research, or project experience may be considered.(M.S. with 1+ year, or B.S. with 2+ years of relevant experience)
• Core Programming & Data Skills: Hands-on experience with Python and SQL, including the ability to read, write, debug, and optimize code or queries for data transformation, analysis, automation, and reporting use cases.
• Data Engineering Foundation: Working knowledge of data pipelines, data modeling, data quality checks, semantic layers, metadata, lineage, and structured data products. Experience with Databricks, Dataverse, cloud data platforms, or comparable enterprise data environments is strongly preferred.
• Agentic AI & LLM Application Development: Exposure to Generative AI, Large Language Models, prompt engineering, AI-enabled automation, or agentic workflow concepts through work experience, academic projects, training, hackathons, or self-directed learning. Interest in developing hands-on experience with Copilot Studio, Gemini/Vertex AI, Microsoft Power Platform, retrieval-augmented generation, workflow orchestration, and responsible AI practices.
• Software Engineering Practices: Experience using GitHub or comparable source-control systems, including repositories, branching, pull requests, code review, version control, and structured documentation. Comfort working in VS Code or comparable development environments is required.
• Testing, Evaluation & Governance Mindset: Ability to define test cases, validate outputs, identify failure modes, check data and answer quality, support regression testing, and understand basic principles for secure and responsible AI deployment, including access control, privacy, auditability, human oversight, monitoring, and escalation.
• API, Integration & Automation Aptitude: Exposure to APIs, connectors, workflow automation, structured payloads such as JSON, permissions, service accounts, and troubleshooting integration issues are preferred.
• BI, Visualization & Communication: Familiarity with Power BI or comparable BI platforms, with the ability to interpret business metrics, explain technical concepts clearly, and write