Specialist, Time & Attendance Analyst (Hybrid - Rahway, NJ)

MSD; Rahway (NJ); On-site; USD 79,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision benefits

401(k) retirement plan

Paid holidays & vacation

Job summary

MSD in Rahway, NJ is seeking a Time & Attendance Analyst to ensure accurate payroll processing for US & PR Non‑Exempt employees. You will partner with HR, IT, Legal, and vendor teams, supporting SOX controls and data integrity.

The role requires 3+ years in payroll/T&A, strong Excel skills, and experience with ADP/Workday/UKG. Hybrid collaboration and process improvements are key components of success.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years of payroll, time & attendance, or HRIS support experience; hands‑on experience with payroll and T&A preferred.
• Audit and controls: Experience supporting payroll audits, SOX controls, or internal control frameworks.
• Knowledge of wage calculations, overtime rules, deductions; familiarity with federal/state/provincial labor laws.

Responsibilities

• Execute end-to-end time & attendance and payroll validation on a biweekly cycle; data gathering, pre-run validation, and reconciliations.
• Validate and reconcile time, payroll, and HRIS data; investigate discrepancies with HR, managers, employees, and ADP.
• Lead root‑cause analysis for recurring T&A payroll issues and drive remediation to improve data quality.

Skills

Payroll & T&A experience

Excel

Verbal & written communication

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Tools

ADP/EV6

E-Time Workday

UKG

ServiceNow

Job description

Job Description

The Time & Attendance (T&A) Analyst will be a hands‑on role ensuring accurate, timely payroll processing and compliance across our US & Puerto Rico Non‑Exempt employee population. This role will partner closely with several cross functional business units such as HRBPs, IT, Legal, Total Rewards and vendor partner teams and report to the HR Operations Associate Director- US/ PR Payroll Support and Global Supplier Manager. The ideal candidate combines payroll and T&A technical expertise with strong customer service and process‑improvement skills.

Key responsibilities

• Execute end-to-end time & attendance (T&A) and payroll validation activities on a biweekly payroll cycle, including data gathering, pre-run validation, payroll calculations verification, time sheet approvals coordination, and post-run reconciliations.
• Validate and reconcile time, payroll, and HRIS data; investigate discrepancies; and partner with HR, managers, employees, and ADP to resolve issues.
• Lead root‑cause analysis for recurring T&A related payroll issues and drive remediation to improve data quality and process reliability.
• Lead and manage T&A projects with ADP and business stakeholders, ensuring accurate configurations, rules, and workflows for operational efficiency.
• Produce standard and ad‑hoc T&A data reporting and analytics to support HR, Finance, and business stakeholders.
• Develop standardized Payroll Guiding Principles into SOP’s to enable comprehensive training material and support cross functional stakeholders.
• Maintain controls, documentation, reconciliations, and audit readiness in support of SOX and internal audit/ compliance requirements.
• Utilize AI‑driven analytics and automation tools to monitor T&A transactions, identify data anomalies, support root‑cause analysis, and improve payroll accuracy, compliance, and operational efficiency.
• Primary contact and subject‑matter expert for T&A processes and integrate with broader payroll functions, and finance and business stakeholders.
• Monitor vendor performance for T&A systems and services, and escalat issues related to T&A data integration and SLA compliance.
• Support HRBP Stakeholders to enhance T&A process governance and collaboration between cross functional business units Align stakeholders on T&A related policy, Union/ CBA, and regulatory changes to support system enhancements and process improvements.
• Participate in T&A system implementations, upgrades, and enhancements; assist with requirements, testing (including user acceptance testing), and post‑deployment support.
• Hands on support to manage expectations, provide timely updates, and elevate risks or unresolved issues as needed.
• Translate complex T&A related payroll issues into clear business language for operational and technical teams.
• Knowledgeable in T&A related regulatory requirements and compliance initiatives to ensure accurate T&A processes aligned with policy and requirements.

Education

Bachelor’s Degree, current pursuit of degree completion, or equivalent relevant work experience.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years of payroll, time & attendance, or HRIS support experience; hands‑on experience with payroll and T&A preferred.
• Audit and controls: Experience supporting payroll audits, SOX controls, or internal control frameworks
• Experience with some payroll and HRIS systems (e.g., ADP/EV6, E-Time Workday, UKG, ServiceNow).
• MS Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, basic formulas).
• Knowledge: Working knowledge of payroll and T&A concepts including wage calculations, overtime rules, deductions.
• Compliance and confidentiality: Demonstrated understanding of federal/state/provincial labor laws and best practices for enabling T&A processes.
• Communication: Strong verbal and written communication skills; ability to explain T&A and payroll calculations.
• Attention to detail: High level of accuracy in data entry, reconciliation, and reporting.
• Problem solving: Ability to identify, investigate, and resolve payroll and T&A exceptions and discrepancies.
• Time management: Ability to work to strict payroll deadlines and prioritize multiple tasks in a fast‑paced environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced technical skills: Advanced Excel skills (macros, Power Query), experience with SQL or data analysis tools, and familiarity with HRIS/payroll integrations/ and E Time.
• Systems experience: Direct experience implementing or supporting major payroll/ T&A system upgrades, integrations, or migrations.
• Analytical skills: Strong ability to produce and interpret payroll analytics and ad‑hoc reporting to inform process improvements.
• Stakeholder management: Demonstrated experience collaborating across HR, Finance, IT, and external vendors.
• Strong attention to detail, accuracy, and confidentiality.
• Effective problem‑solving, communication, and stakeholder‑management skills.

MSJR Required Skills

MSJR Required Skills: Audit Readiness, Data Analysis, HR Analytics, Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS), Microsoft Excel, Payroll Calculation, Payroll Processing, Payroll Tax Compliance, Process Improvements, Relationship Management, System Improvements, Time Attendance, Vendor Management, Wage Garnishments, Workforce Planning, WorkForce Software Time and Attendance Preferred Skills:

Inclusion and Equal Opportunity

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.

Primary location and salary

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: $79,200.00 - $124,700.00

Benefits

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.

Additional location compensation

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

Search Firm Representatives

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 & Work Arrangements

Employee Status: Regular Relocation: No relocation VISA Sponsorship: No Travel Requirements: No Travel Required Flexible Work Arrangements: Hybrid Shift: Not Indicated Valid Driving License: No Hazardous Material(s): N/A

Company Overview

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.