Job Description

Working within the Site DMO team, the Senior Specialist, Manufacturing Automation serves as the site technical lead for manufacturing automation systems supporting production operations. The role provides automation expertise across PLC, HMI, machine vision, serialization, MES, IT and OEM manufacturing systems. The position is responsible for maintaining reliable, compliant and secure automation solutions while driving continuous improvement, equipment reliability, and digital manufacturing initiatives. Emphasis is placed on packaging automation, vision inspection systems, and serialization technologies, including Systech, Cognex and Optel platforms.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership and shop floor support for PLC, HMI, Vision Systems, Serialization, MES, IT, Inspection, and OEM equipment within Manufacturing Operations.
• Serve as the site subject matter expert for machine vision and serialization technologies, with strong preference for Systech experience and knowledge of Cognex and Optel platforms.
• Act as the primary interface between Operations and digital support organizations to resolve issues impacting production performance and equipment reliability.
• Lead troubleshooting, root cause investigations, and implementation of corrective and preventive actions for complex automation-related issues.
• Support packaging and inspection systems including barcode verification, reject verification processes, track-and-trace, and serialization solutions.
• Develop and execute strategies to optimize automation system performance, reliability, scalability, and lifecycle management.
• Identify and implement continuous improvement opportunities that improve throughput, reduce downtime, and enhance product quality.
• Lead or support automation modernization projects, equipment upgrades, startup activities, and new technology deployments.
• Ensure systems remain compliant with GMP, validation, data integrity, cybersecurity, and change management requirements.
• Maintain automation documentation, backups, inventories, SOPs, and system lifecycle records.
• Provide mentoring, coaching, and technical knowledge sharing across engineering, maintenance, and operations teams.
• Participate in on-call and limited off-shift support as required to maintain manufacturing operations.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Science,Engineering or related technical field.
• Eight or more (8+) years of automation, controls engineering, manufacturing systems, or related experience.
• Strong working knowledge of PLCs, HMIs, servo drives, and industrial control systems.
• Experience supporting automation systems in regulated manufacturing environments.
• Demonstrated project leadership, problem-solving, and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Preferred

• Experience with packaging technology and automated inspection equipment.
• Knowledge of vision systems including Systech, Cognex, and Optel.
• Familiarity with serialization and track-and-trace technologies.
• Guardian platform experience preferred.
• MES, IT/OT integration, data integrity, and cybersecurity knowledge.
• Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, and Right First-Time methodologies.

Required Skills:

Preferred Skills:

Current Employees apply

Current Contingent Workers apply

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 employees 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 .

You can apply for this role through (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.

Employee Status:

Relocation:

VISA Sponsorship:

Travel Requirements:

Flexible Work Arrangements:

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