Associate Director, Engineering, Maintenance, & Utility Department

Job Description

Join our company, a premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical organization, and be at the forefront of delivering innovative health solutions. As an Associate Director in our Engineering, Maintenance, & Utility Department, you will play a crucial role in ensuring the reliability and efficiency of our manufacturing processes. This is an exciting opportunity to lead a team dedicated to improving asset reliability and manufacturing capacity while adhering to GMP, safety, and environmental regulations.

Responsibilities

• Ensure area objectives are achieved while reliably supplying quality products at a competitive cost consistent with our company, Regulatory Agency, and State and Local code requirements for quality, GMP, equal employment opportunity, finances, labor, employee, environment, and safety.
• Manage tactical and strategic area operations, including collaboration with indirect staff.
• Promote behaviors and principles that drive continuous improvement.
• Create and sustain a culture of compliance (Safety, Environment, cGMP, etc.) as imperatives for business.
• Establish a Right First-Time culture by reducing waste and driving continuous improvement.
• Review and approve compliance documents as per procedures or need.
• Lead area daily walkthroughs, exercising independent judgment and decision-making to ensure quality products are reliably produced while managing cost.
• Manage area supply performance metrics (Schedule Adherence, Release on Time, Customer service performance, Product Lead Time, etc.).
• Develop a company Production System (MPS) and continuous improvement culture while achieving MPS targets and business results for the area.
• Develop strategic initiatives related to the manufacturing process, equipment, and human resources in support of long-range operating plans.
• Report area monthly metrics and action plans to address gaps to the IPT Leadership team.
• Identify, prioritize, and champion improvement projects to improve process efficiency, cycle time, yield, reduce process variability, and eliminate waste.
• Develop and manage the area operating budget as defined by the profit plan.
• Meet the operating budget and continuously reduce costs.
• Ensure area members have business acumen and understand their impact on business finances.
• Create and sustain a highly engaged workforce through utilization of company Leadership Behaviors and Inclusion.
• Provide coaching on professional development and career paths, timely feedback, and performance evaluations for direct reports.
• Provide feedback and input on performance evaluations for indirect staff and support IPT Talent Management.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s Degree in Science, Engineering, or another technical field.
• Minimum of six (6) years’ experience in more than one functional area, such as Operations, Quality, Technical Operations, Technology, Engineering, Maintenance, and/or Supply Chain.
• Minimum of two (2) years of line experience, with responsibility for direct reports.

Preferred

• Minimum of two (2) years’ experience in relevant manufacturing or processing (aseptic/sterile, bulk, solid oral dosage, packaging, etc.).
• Demonstrated knowledge of High Performing Organization tools and methodology, including MPS/lean processing.
• Demonstrated ability to create an engaged workforce using Inclusion as the How.
• Demonstrated experience interacting with sites, divisional, or regulatory audits.
• Demonstrated success with Talent Management.
• Working knowledge of cGMP for pharmaceutical and/or vaccine manufacturing, Lean Six Sigma Methodology, Root Cause Analysis, Failure Mode Effects Analysis, knowledge in reliability engineering (including asset life cycle management), Computerized Management Maintenance Systems (SAP), and CMRP certification desired.

This position is expected to operate on a day shift schedule; however, candidates must be flexible and available to support occasional business-critical needs outside of standard business hours. On-call requirements, if applicable, will be confirmed with the hiring team.

Required Skills:

Adaptability, Adaptability, Business Acumen, Coaching, Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS), Cost Reduction, Customer Service Management, Digital Transformation, Driving Continuous Improvement, Financial Management, GMP Compliance, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), HVAC Systems, Improvement Projects, Leadership, Lean Six Sigma (LSS), Lean Six Sigma Tools, Maintenance Management, People Leadership, People Management, Performance Feedback, Preventative Maintenance Programs, Process Control Systems, Regulatory Compliance, Reliability Engineering {+ 3 more}

Preferred Skills:

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

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. Please click here if you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process.

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 an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively.

Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State Acts

The salary range for this role is

$142,400.00 - $224,100.00

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.

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.

You can apply for this role through https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (or via the Workday Jobs Hub if you are a current employee). The application deadline for this position is stated on this posting.

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 Please Read Carefully 
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:

Regular

Relocation:

No relocation

VISA Sponsorship:

No

Travel Requirements:

10%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Not Applicable

Shift:

1st - Day

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

n/a

Job Posting End Date:

07/6/2026

*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.