Sr. Specialist, Technical Product Management

MSD Malaysia; Rahway (NJ); On-site; USD 117,000 - 184,000; Full time

Job summary

Merck seeks a Sr. Specialist Technical Product Manager to bridge scientific needs and data-driven product development in drug discovery and preclinical research. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to define data products, manage requirements, and guide agile delivery.

The role requires deep domain knowledge in cheminformatics and data management, with strong communication to both scientists and engineers. Global health impact is a key motivator.

Qualifications

• Must have 2+ years building tools or data assets for scientific workflows.
• 3+ years working with scientists to define data product requirements.
• Experience with data analytics in a scientific context.
• Experience modeling scientific data and ETL/ELT workflows.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with Product, Data Science, and Engineering to define data products for drug discovery.
• Gather and prioritize product requirements from scientific stakeholders.
• Define backlog, write actionable user stories reflecting preclinical workflows.
• Act as user expert for scientific users and translate problems into tasks.
• Justify improvements to existing products to deliver measurable research value.
• Maintain domain knowledge in drug discovery, cheminformatics, and data-driven research.
• Write clear requirements; facilitate solution design with engineers.
• Serve as Product Owner on Agile teams or work closely with one.
• Plan, design, and conduct testing; create training content for end-users.
• Analyze data to generate insights informing strategy and decisions.

Skills

Agile Application Development

Agile Software Project Management

Asset Management

AWS Tools

Data Analytics

Data Science

Scientific Data Management

Requirements Management

Product Management

Stakeholder Management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Computer Science

Advanced degree (preferred)

Tools

Cheminformatics platforms (Pipeline Pilot, RDKit, OpenEye)

AWS data services (Athena, Glue, S3, Redshift)

SQL

Job description

Job Description

We aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company. We're at the forefront of research to deliver innovative health solutions that advance the prevention and treatment of diseases in people and animals. We are seeking a Sr. Specialist Technical Product Management with deep expertise in the drug discovery and pre-clinical research process to help build and enhance data products. Join our team to bridge the gap between scientific requirements and data-driven product development and make a significant impact on global health.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate closely with Product, Data Science, and Engineering teams to define and develop data products tailored for drug discovery and preclinical research.
• Gather, manage, and prioritize product requirements by engaging with scientific stakeholders to understand user problems, technical constraints, and strategic objectives.
• Define and refine the product backlog; create actionable user stories that reflect the unique workflows and challenges of preclinical drug discovery.
• Act as a user expert, deeply understanding the motivations, pain points, and goals of scientific users.
• Justify and prioritize improvements to existing products, focusing on delivering measurable value to scientific research and operations.
• Develop and maintain technical knowledge and domain expertise in drug discovery, cheminformatics, and data-driven research processes.
• Write clear problem statements and requirements; facilitate solution design with engineering teams.
• Serve as Product Owner on Agile teams or work closely with one to ensure scientific and data needs are met.
• Plan, design, and conduct testing activities; compile critical training and communication content for scientific end-users.
• Analyze data, observations, and research to generate insights that inform product strategy and decision-making.
• Support the Product Manager in defining and executing strategy in collaboration with engineering teams for one or more data products.
• Accept completed user stories, ensuring deliverables meet acceptance criteria and scientific requirements.
• Act as a customer champion, articulating and advocating for the needs of scientific stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Required Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
• Two or more (2+) years building tools or data assets supporting scientific or data analytics workflows.
• Three or more (3+) years working with scientific users (e.g., chemists) to define requirements for data products.
• Experience with data analytics or data science capabilities, especially in a scientific context.
• Experience building ERDs, logical data models, and source‑target mappings for scientific data.
• Hands‑on experience or working knowledge with data management services (AWS Athena, Glue, S3, Redshift, or similar).
• Proficiency in SQL and scientific data management.
• Ability to translate scientific/business problems into actionable requirements and tasks.
• Strong analytical problem‑solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage both technical and scientific stakeholders.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple complex projects simultaneously.

Preferred

• Advanced degree in a related field.
• Direct experience in pharmaceutical drug discovery and pre‑clinical development.
• Domain knowledge or familiarity with cheminformatics, laboratory data, and scientific workflows.
• Knowledge of cheminformatics platforms (e.g., Pipeline Pilot, RDKit, OpenEye) and integration with data science tools.
• Familiarity with the drug discovery processes, including key endpoints such as potency, selectivity, ADMET properties, and lead optimization strategies.
• Familiarity with cheminformatics tools and concepts such as molecular descriptors, fingerprints, QSAR modeling, and chemical database management.
• Experience with Machine Learning Platforms (e.g., Sagemaker, DataBricks) in a scientific setting.
• Experience working in Agile software development.
• Familiarity with cloud‑based software and scientific data platforms.

Required Skills

• Agile Application Development
• Agile Software Project Management
• Asset Management
• AWS Tools
• Benefits Management
• Biomedical Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Computer Science
• Data Analytics
• Data Science
• Drug Discovery Process
• Management System Development
• Mechatronics
• Multi-Management
• Preclinical Research
• Product Management
• Requirements Management
• Scientific Data Management
• Stakeholder Management
• Stakeholder Relationship Management
• Strategic Planning
• System Designs
• Training Documents

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.

Equal Employment Opportunity

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.

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.

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. More information about benefits is available at https://jobs.merck.com/us/en/compensation-and-benefits.

Salary

The salary range for this role is $117,000.00 - $184,200.00 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.

Location & Working Arrangements

Employee Status: Regular Relocation: No relocation VISA Sponsorship: No Travel Requirements: 10% Flexible Work Arrangements: Hybrid Shift: 1st - Day Valid Driving License: No Hazardous Material(s): n/a

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

Job Posting End Date

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.

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.