Associate Director, Engineering

Associate Director, Engineering – Merck

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Our Packaging Technical Operations (PTO) team ensures seamless supply support of primary, secondary, and tertiary packaging for a diverse portfolio of oral solid dosage and parenteral products. In this vital role, you will contribute to the assembly and distribution of innovative solutions supporting our mission in Human Health, covering small molecules, biologics, and vaccines. Be part of a dedicated team that thrives on compliance and robustness, driving excellence in logistics technology and making a meaningful impact in healthcare.

Our innovative team is a key player in designing and implementing exciting technical projects. This role involves leveraging your expertise in packaging, particularly in thermal protection systems and distribution testing. We value sound scientific principles and encourage creative thinking to develop effective solutions for cold‑chain and distribution challenges. You will collaborate closely with experienced supervisors while leading projects from conception to implementation.

• Lead the development and qualification of tertiary packaging components and processes, including environmental monitors.
• Analyze complex problems using critical thinking and laboratory experiments to create effective shipping solutions that maintain temperature control and physical protection.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams to evaluate processes and shipping systems, resolving excursion issues and implementing corrective actions.
• Provide expert guidance and mentorship to engineers and other functions.
• Develop regional strategies for temperature‑controlled product movement in collaboration with stakeholders.
• Create detailed specifications for packaging components and maintain comprehensive documentation, including testing protocols and reports.
• Develop sound scientific justifications for planned material and process changes related to secondary and tertiary packaging.
• Build working relationships with global company functions, external manufacturing and third‑party distribution centers.
• Prepare, maintain, and review documentation such as testing protocols, testing reports, technical memos, and supplier assessments.

• Bachelor’s degree in Packaging, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Material Science, or a related field.
• Minimum eight years of experience in engineering, logistics, planning, procurement, quality or related disciplines.
• Strong interpersonal and leadership skills aligned with Merck’s Ways of Working norms.
• Excellent technical writing and project management capabilities.
• Preferred experience in packaging design and thermal protection systems, particularly in qualification of shipping systems.
• Strong problem‑solving and decision‑making skills with ability to interrogate the science and detect critical flaws.
• Experience and knowledge of the pharmaceutical environment including regulatory requirements.
• Familiarity with Lean Six Sigma principles and Risk Management tools.
• Understanding of new product introduction, commercial supply, lifecycle management.
• Proven project leadership and complex problem‑solving skills, with good written and verbal communication abilities.
• Track record of driving continuous improvement and implementing best practices in technical support.
• Strategic and analytical thinking with focus on continuous improvement.
• Ability to guide key activities, including development of standard work, investigations, and problem solving.

Change Management, Combination Products, Cross‑Functional Teamwork, Deviation Management, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Leadership, Manufacturing Scale‑Up, New Product Introduction Process, Packaging Engineering, Process Optimization, Product Packaging Design, Project Leadership, Risk Management, Root Cause Analysis (RCA), Technical Leadership, Technical Projects.

We are committed to inclusion and offer accommodations for applicants who need assistance during the application or hiring process.