AVP, Engineering

Job Description

The Associate Vice President (AVP), Drug Product Technical Operations (DP Tech Ops) provides enterprise technical leadership for drug product manufacturing across the company's commercial manufacturing network, including oversight of external manufacturing partners, technical operations leadership for the Singapore manufacturing facility, and strategic stewardship of in-line product manufacturing across the global network.

Reporting to the Vice President, Small Molecule Science & Technology (SM S&T) within the our company's Manufacturing Division, this leader is accountable for ensuring robust, reliable, compliant supply, and continuously improving drug product operations that enable uninterrupted patient supply and support the long-term success of the portfolio.

The role requires deep technical operations expertise combined with strategic leadership, enterprise influence, and a demonstrated ability to build organizational capability. As the senior drug product technical leader, the AVP provides technical stewardship across the manufacturing network, addressing complex technical, operational, quality, and supply challenges while advancing technical excellence, operational performance, and transformational change.

Success in this role is defined by the ability to build and sustain a high-performing technical operations organization that consistently delivers reliable supply, proactively identifies and mitigates risk, develops future leaders, and strengthens the long-term competitiveness of the manufacturing network through innovation, operational excellence, and enterprise leadership.

The AVP partners closely with senior leaders across Science & Technology, Manufacturing, Quality, Regulatory, Supply Chain and Engineering to drive strategic priorities, strengthen network performance, and deliver business outcomes across the enterprise.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide enterprise leadership for drug product manufacturing performance across internal sites, external manufacturing partners, and global commercial product networks, ensuring reliable supply, regulatory compliance, and effective lifecycle stewardship.

• Serve as the senior technical authority for complex product, process, manufacturing, and supply challenges, driving science-based decisions and sustainable solutions.

• Provide strategic oversight of external drug product CMOs and technical operations leadership for Singapore manufacturing facilities, ensuring strong technical stewardship, operational excellence, and inspection readiness.

• Advance network performance through proactive risk management, lifecycle monitoring, investigation excellence, CAPA effectiveness, and continuous improvement.

• Champion digital, analytics, and advanced process monitoring capabilities to strengthen technical decision-making, process understanding, and operational effectiveness.

• Lead transformational initiatives that enhance manufacturing reliability, organizational agility, and the long-term competitiveness of the drug product manufacturing network.

• Build and lead a high-performing organization recognized for technical excellence, scientific rigor, accountability, collaboration, and continuous learning.

• Develop leadership bench strength through coaching, talent development, succession planning, and deliberate capability-building strategies.

• Foster an inclusive, high-performing culture that promotes innovation, engagement, and operational excellence.

The successful candidate will:

• Be recognized as an enterprise technical operations leader with deep expertise in drug product manufacturing, commercialization, and lifecycle management.

• Anticipate and effectively manage technical, operational, quality, and supply risks through sound scientific judgment, data-driven decision-making, and robust governance.

• Influence and align senior stakeholders across Manufacturing, Quality, Regulatory, Supply Chain, Engineering, Science & Technology, and external partner organizations to deliver business outcomes and sustainable solutions.

• Balance technical excellence, operational performance, compliance requirements, and business priorities in a highly complex and regulated environment.

• Build enduring organizational capability through leadership development, succession planning, and a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.

• Drive transformational change that strengthens manufacturing performance, technical decision quality, and the long-term effectiveness and competitiveness of the global drug product network.

Education:

• Ph.D., M.S. or B.S. in Chemistry, Engineering or Analytical Sciences with a minimum of 15 years of experience

Required Experience and Skills:

• Significant leadership experience spanning pharmaceutical technical operations, manufacturing science, CMC development, commercialization, and lifecycle management.

• Proven success leading global technical organizations, complex manufacturing networks, and strategic external partnerships in highly regulated environments.

• Demonstrated ability to influence enterprise strategy and drive alignment across Science and Technology, Engineering, Operations, Quality, Regulatory, Supply Chain, and commercial manufacturing organizations.

• Deep expertise in GMP manufacturing, quality systems, regulatory compliance, inspection readiness, and lifecycle product stewardship.

• Strong track record of leading organizational transformation, improving operational performance, and advancing technical excellence through innovative and data-driven approaches.

• Proven ability to build, develop, and retain high-performing teams, including experience in organizational design, succession planning, leadership development, and capability building.

• Demonstrated commitment to fostering an inclusive, high-performance culture characterized by accountability, psychological safety, continuous learning, and innovation.

• Experience leading large, cross-functional organizations and complex strategic initiatives requiring significant stakeholder influence and change leadership.

• Exceptional communication, executive presence, sound judgment, and strategic decision-making capabilities.

Required Skills:

Preferred Skills:

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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:

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The salary range for this role is

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

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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. 

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