Job Description

We have an exciting opportunity for a Senior Process Engineer, Technical Operations - Small Molecule Drug Product (Oral Solid Dose) to join our growing team.

Join a purpose-built, agile small molecule manufacturing site where your work will help bring important medicines to patients in the U.S. This facility is designed to move quickly and reliably, receiving technology transfers from commercialization sites and fast-following into production with a focus on quality, safety, and operational excellence.

At our site, you'll be part of a team committed to creating a safe, environmentally responsible, and compliant workplace where people can do their best work. We are building deep small molecule expertise in the U.S., and we want team members who are excited to grow their skills, help improve how we operate, and contribute to a site positioned for future growth.

The successful candidate will provide technical leadership and process ownership supporting facility design, commissioning, qualification, and startup through to technology transfer, validation, and ongoing commercial manufacture of oral solid dosage forms.

In this role, you will work as a key member of a cross-functional team, initially supporting the capital project and transitioning into process lead responsibilities across technology transfer and commercial manufacturing, driving technical excellence and operational performance.

Key Responsibilities

Technical & Process Leadership

• Provide technical leadership for oral solid dose manufacturing processes, including:
  
  • Blending and granulation (where applicable)
  • Roller compaction (dry granulation)
  • Tablet compression
  • Film coating and finishing operations
• Act as process owner / SME for assigned unit operations, equipment, or product processes
• Provide technical input to the Capital Project Team, supporting:
  
  • Equipment selection and design reviews
  • Commissioning and qualification (CQV)
  • Startup readiness for OSD manufacturing lines
• Lead or coordinate process scale-up, technology transfer, and validation activities (e.g. process performance qualification - PPQ)
• Analyze and interpret process and product data (e.g. blend uniformity, tablet properties, coating performance) to drive data-driven decision-making and performance improvements
• Provide advanced troubleshooting support for compression, compaction, and coating issues (e.g. weight variability, hardness, sticking/picking, coating defects)

Technology Transfer & Commercialization

• Lead or play a key role in execution of technology transfers for oral solid dose products into the facility
• Partner with global R&D and network sites to ensure robust transfer of formulation and process knowledge
• Drive:
  
  • Process fit assessments
  • Scale-up strategy from development to commercial scale
  • Equipment capability and process comparability assessments
• Own or guide development and optimization of:
  
  • Master batch records (MBRs)
  • Process descriptions and control strategies
• Support integration and industrialization of new formulations and technologies (e.g. continuous manufacturing, advanced granulation approaches where applicable)

Process Optimization & Operational Excellence

• Partner with Manufacturing to ensure safe, efficient, and reliable OSD plant performance
• Identify, prioritize, and implement improvements in:
  
  • Content uniformity and tablet quality
  • Process robustness (e.g. compaction consistency, compression stability)
  • Yield, throughput, and cycle time
• Lead or drive continuous improvement initiatives aligned with operational excellence
• Use structured problem-solving approaches (e.g. RCA, DOE where applicable) to resolve:
  
  • Compression issues (e.g. capping, lamination)
  • Compaction variability
  • Coating defects (e.g. color variation, twinning, roughness)
• Monitor process trends and product quality attributes to proactively identify risks and opportunities
• Contribute to line optimization, changeover reduction, and debottlenecking activities

Compliance & Documentation

• Ensure all activities are conducted in compliance with cGMP, safety, and environmental standards
• Provide technical leadership in campaign preparation, execution, and post-campaign review
• Own and approve batch record updates, process specifications and control strategies
• Support regulatory inspections and audits, providing technical input and ensuring inspection readiness
• Ensure high standards of data integrity and technical documentation

Cross-functional Collaboration & Influence

• Act as a technical representative across Manufacturing, Quality, Engineering, Supply Chain, and R&D
• Provide clear technical direction and influence decision-making across product introductions and commercial operations
• Lead or contribute to cross-functional initiatives, ensuring alignment to timelines and site objectives
• Support knowledge sharing and best practice transfer across internal and external networks

Qualifications

To excel in this role, you will have:

• Degree in Chemical Engineering, Pharmaceutics, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or related discipline
• Typically 5+ years' experience in oral solid dose manufacturing, formulation, or process development
  (PhD may offset experience)

• Strong experience in OSD manufacturing operations, particularly:
  
  • Roller compaction (dry granulation)
  • Tablet compression
  • Film coating processes
• Experience in process scale-up and commercialization of solid oral dosage forms
• Demonstrated involvement in:
  
  • Technology transfer
  • Process validation (PPQ)
  • Manufacturing support
• Good understanding of cGMP manufacturing and regulatory expectations
• Experience troubleshooting tableting and coating processes in a commercial environment

Key Skills:

• Strong analytical capability with ability to interpret process and product performance data
• Demonstrated ability to lead technical workstreams or projects
• Excellent problem-solving skills with structured, science-based approach
• Effective communicator with ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic manufacturing environment
• Proactive, self-driven mindset with strong focus on continuous improvement and ownership

Key Skills:
Adaptability, Biopharmaceutical Industry, Change Control Processes, Chemical Engineering, Customer-Oriented, Deviation Management, Engineering Standards, Equipment Selection, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Maintenance Engineering, Manufacturing Process Validation, Operational Excellence, Oral Solid Dosage, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Process Optimization, Regulatory Compliance, Root Cause Analysis (RCA), Strategic Thinking, Teamwork, Technical Leadership, Technical Support, Technical Transfer, Technology Transfer, Vibratory Rollers

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
$117,000.00 - $184,200.00

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:
Not Indicated

Valid Driving License:
No

Hazardous Material(s):
n/a

Job Posting End Date:
08/15/2026
*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.