Job DescriptionAn amazing opportunity has arisen for a Digital Manufacturing Operations Director. This is a crucial role that is a trusted partner who fosters enablement of purposeful innovation and sustained value from our digital assets, while enabling a safe, compliant, reliable, and cost-effective supply to our patients. This role provides support to our manufacturing division as they aspire to simultaneously run the business, grow the business, and transform the business. A focus on creating and fostering an engaged and inclusive culture is essential to deliver sustained performance excellence.
Responsibilities- Direct the technical activities of the shopfloor automation teams responsible for all of site's manufacturing areas to achieve business objectives through execution of standard work and processes
- Adapt and implement functional strategic plans and priorities based on division scorecard and overall digital strategic plans to address local business, service and operational challenges
- Provide leadership for the team across technical, compliance, security, and business acumen knowledge domains
- Direct support of regulatory inspections and audits and other validation activities
- Provide leadership of digital process improvements, productivity, and system support projects
- Lead individual and team development through approved HR guidance and practices
- Provide guidance on digital activities to key stakeholders
- Provide guidance and ensure that the team follow established standards, principles and governance
- Support problem solving practices to identify and resolve technical and operational problems; able to collaborate with peers to resolve problems that cross into inter-related units
- Support project execution and Asset Life Cycle Management (LCM) for automation assets
- Guide proactive strategic management of shop floor assets and their risk profiles
- Build relationships/partnerships with digital leaders across the business network and product value teams
- Manage vendor relationships
QualificationsRequired
- Bachelor's Degree or higher in Engineering or Computer Science
- Minimum ten (10) years of experience in a production regulated industry (part or all the ten years providing manufacturing automation services) - OR - Master's or MBA degree with eight (8) years' experience - OR - PhD with five (5) years' experience
- Minimum of five (5) years of direct people management experience
- Minimum of five (5) years of experience in a GMP manufacturing automation role
- Experience with DeltaV (or equivalent), PLCs, MES, and PI (or equivalent)
- Demonstrated ability to build relationships with direct reports, team, peers and site/business leaders
- Experience managing automation requests during regulatory inspections
- Demonstrated leadership in achieving shared objectives in a matrix organization
- Strong understanding of manufacturing principles/ processes and ability to translate manufacturing requirements into Automation/IT solutions
- Ability to develop, articulate and build support around a long-term vision and implement incremental milestones in support of that vision
- Proven track record of analytical skills, problem solving and attention to detail
- Able to demonstrate our company Leadership Principles (Ways of Working) and Enterprise Leadership
- High personal integrity, credibility, and energy
- Excellent communication and influencing skills
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
Preferred
- Lean Six Sigma experience
- Strong Problem solving, Project management, Communication and Collaboration skills required
Required Skills: Audit Management, Business Process Improvements, Collaborative Communications, Computer Science, Data Management, Digital Manufacturing, Lean Six Sigma (LSS), Oral Communications, Problem Management, Project Management, Quality Management, Real-Time Programming, Regulatory Inspections, Six Sigma, Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), Strategic Management, Strategic Planning, Supplier Relationship Management, Team Leadership
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.
The salary range for this role is
$173,200.00 - $272,600.00
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:Domestic
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:08/25/2026
*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. 
