Watch Officer (Day Shift)

Merck; New Jersey; On-site; USD 85,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Merck is seeking a Day Shift Watch Officer to maintain real-time situational awareness within the Resiliency Center, coordinating incident triage and crisis escalation. You will work with cross-functional partners, leveraging advanced threat intelligence and AI-assisted tools to safeguard people, operations, and assets during peak global business hours.

The role requires a Bachelor's degree and at least 3 years in a GSOC-like environment, with strong analytical and communication skills for rapid

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• At least 3 years of experience in a Global Security Operations Center (GSOC) or similar fast-paced monitoring environment.
• Experience using situational awareness and threat intelligence platforms.

Responsibilities

• Conduct real-time monitoring of global events and identify risks using integrated platforms.
• Perform initial triage, impact assessment, and rapid escalation for incidents.
• Draft clear incident reports, travel advisories, and intelligence summaries for stakeholders.
• Serve as primary contact for employee assistance and travel risk inquiries during day shift.
• Coordinate with Night Shift during handovers for continuity.
• Assist in improving watch desk workflows and test new tech and AI procedures.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Alarm Monitoring

Crisis Management

Incident Analysis

Decision Making

Real Time Monitoring

Project Risk Assessments

Interpersonal Relationships

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Threat Intelligence Platforms

Situational Awareness Platforms

Job description

Job Description Summary

The Day Shift Watch Officer is a critical frontline role within our Company's Resiliency Center, responsible for maintaining real-time situational awareness and threat monitoring during peak global business hours. Reporting to the Director of Watch Desk Operations, this role serves as the lead tactical interface for incident triage, information coordination, and crisis escalation. The successful candidate will thrive in a dynamic, high-visibility environment, utilizing advanced technology platforms and AI-driven tools to protect our Company's people, operations, and assets while collaborating actively with cross-functional business partners.

Job Description and Responsibilities

• Conduct continuous real-time monitoring of global events, utilizing integrated threat intelligence and situational awareness platforms to identify potential risks to our Company.
• Perform initial triage, impact assessment, and rapid escalation of emerging incidents, ensuring timely and accurate information flow to leadership and relevant business units.
• Draft and disseminate clear, concise incident reports, travel security advisories, and daily intelligence summaries for enterprise stakeholders.
• Act as the primary point of contact for employee assistance and travel risk inquiries during daytime operations, providing immediate guidance and support.
• Coordinate seamlessly with the Night Shift team during shift handovers to ensure total continuity of operations and situational awareness.
• Assist in the continuous improvement of watch desk workflows, including the testing and adoption of new technological platforms and AI-assisted operational procedures.
• Perform other duties as assigned or as required based on the evolving needs of our Company.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• At least 3 years of experience in a Global Security Operations Center (GSOC), intelligence watch floor, emergency dispatch, or similar fast-paced monitoring environment.
• Experience using situational awareness and threat intelligence platforms.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a corporate security environment.
• Familiarity with mass notification and crisis management systems.
• Prior military or law enforcement experience in an operational role.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong analytical capability, with the ability to rapidly synthesize multiple streams of information into clear, actionable assessments.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to remain composed and make sound, rapid decisions under pressure.
• Collaborative team player with a strong focus on customer service.

Physical & Operational Requirements

• Must be able to work a fixed day shift schedule, potentially including weekends and holidays.
• Must be flexible and able to work a 12-hour rotating day shift schedule; specific shift hours, durations, and rotations are subject to change based on company operational tempo and business needs.
• Able to travel locally or regionally as required.

Required Skills

• Alarm Management
• Alarm Management
• Alarm Monitoring
• Asset Protection
• Business Continuity Management (BCM)
• Business Continuity Planning (BCP)
• Contingency Planning
• Contractor Management
• Crisis Management
• Decision Making
• Detail-Oriented
• Emergency Notification Systems
• Event Monitoring
• Incident Analysis
• Incident Management
• Incident Reporting
• Incident Response
• Interpersonal Relationships
• Investigation Techniques
• IT Security Auditing
• Lease Administration
• Project Risk Assessments
• Real Estate Management
• Real Time Monitoring
• Right-Of-Way (ROW) Acquisitions

EEO Statement

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: 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. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when people with diverse ideas, broad experiences, backgrounds, and skills come together in a