Associate Director, Engineering

Associate Director, Engineering

The West Point Technical Operations organization within the company's Manufacturing Division is responsible for providing technical support to vaccine manufacture through technical investigations, lifecycle-management driven process enhancements, and commercial vaccine expansions. We are seeking an experienced Associate Director, Engineering to join Technical Operations in West Point, PA. The candidate will have a primary role providing manufacturing process support to our company's portfolio of live virus vaccines. The candidate will collaborate with key stakeholders to design and analyze experiments to enhance production of these vaccines and to provide technical support to the manufacturing shop floor. The candidate will additionally serve as a resource for the broader vaccine manufacturing organization as a subject matter expert (SME). The ideal candidate will have a strong background in virology, host-cell interactions, cell biology, biochemistry, and/or molecular genetics.

Responsibilities Include but are not limited to:

• Subject matter expert (SME) for virus-cell interactions
• Manages one or more vaccine cell culture based projects and prioritizes resources to align with business objectives
• Designs or consults on execution of experimental protocols using lab facilities and/or production equipment at full scale. Communicating study designs and data driven results to all levels within and across organizations and incorporating stakeholder feedback.
• Hands-on leadership and participation in laboratory or shop floor activities
• Examines an issue from diverse perspectives (safety, compliance, automation, equipment, process, and people) in order to best understand and resolve the root cause.
• Authors and approves technical documentation to support manufacturing investigations and process enhancements.
• Collaborates and engages with counterparts within technical operations, site manufacturing, commercialization, our Research Division, and other process support labs within our global network.

Minimum Education Requirement and Experience:

• Bachelor of Science in biology, chemistry, or related field with eight (8) years' experience in virology or a related field in a pharmaceutical, biotech, or academic setting; OR
• Master of Science in biology, chemistry, or related field with six (6) years' experience in virology or a related field in a pharmaceutical, biotech, or academic setting; OR
• Ph.D. in biology, chemistry, or related field with three (3) years' experience in virology or a related field in a pharmaceutical, biotech, or academic setting

Required Skills and Experience:

• In-depth knowledge of virus-cell interactions.
• Familiarity with various viral pathogens and their mechanisms of action.
• Proficiency in cell culture techniques, particularly with vaccine cell lines.
• Ability to design robust experimental protocols and analyze complex data sets.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and drive projects to completion.
• Strong interpersonal skills to collaborate with various stakeholders, including technical operations, manufacturing, and research teams.
• Ability to communicate complex scientific concepts clearly to diverse audiences.
• Proficiency in presenting study designs, results, and recommendations to all levels of the organization.
• Capacity to think creatively and propose novel approaches to enhance vaccine production processes.
• Willingness to engage in hands-on laboratory or shopfloor activities and lead by example.

Preferred Skills and Experience:

• Strong foundation in biochemical processes related to vaccine formulation and stability.
• Knowledge of molecular genetics techniques for analyzing viral genomes.
• Proficiency in statistical analysis and interpretation of experimental results.
• Ability to examine issues from multiple perspectives (safety, compliance, automation, etc.) to identify root causes and implement solutions.
• Track record of publications.

Required Skills:

• Accountability
• Adaptability
• Biochemistry
• Cell Cultures
• Cell Physiology
• Data Analysis
• Decision Making
• Immunoassays
• Immunochemistry
• Innovation
• Interpersonal Relationships
• Leadership
• Mammalian Cell Culture
• Manufacturing Scale-Up
• Medical Virology
• Microbiology
• Molecular Biology
• Primary Cell Culture
• Regulatory Compliance
• Statistical Analysis
• Strategic Thinking
• Virology

Preferred Skills:

• Accountability
• Adaptability
• Biochemistry
• Cell Cultures
• Cell Physiology
• Data Analysis
• Decision Making
• Immunoassays
• Immunochemistry
• Innovation
• Interpersonal Relationships
• Leadership
• Mammalian Cell Culture
• Manufacturing Scale-Up
• Medical Virology
• Microbiology
• Molecular Biology
• Primary Cell Culture
• Regulatory Compliance
• Statistical Analysis
• Strategic Thinking
• Virology

Salary Range: $139,600.00 - $219,700.00

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.