Job Description
Role Summary
The Associate Director, EU Digital ST Lead is a key leadership role responsible for executing the digital and data strategy for major capital projects within the EU (including key Boxmeer projects BOND IDEFIX, and the Unterschleissheim project MUSE).
Bridging the gap between digital design and the operational realities of manufacturing, this role ensures key Animal Health EU facilities are built upon a robust, modern digital foundation. The ST Digital Lead serves as a strategic and pragmatic contributor—shaping local IT/OT design and guiding complex systems integration across the entire project lifecycle, from initial concept through Performance Qualification (PQ), Process Performance Qualification (PPQ), and routine commercial manufacturing. A primary objective is to ensure digital investments yield measurable business value by championing scalable Data Enablement strategies, leveraging enterprise Data Lakes and cloud platforms to lower operational costs, improve Right-First-Time (RFT) rates, and drive the seamless adoption of digital workflows on the shop floor.
Responsibilities and Primary Activities
ST Data Enablement IT Strategy:
- Act as the primary ST Digital Lead to define and execute robust Data Enablement and IT architecture strategies for EU capital projects.
- Leverage enterprise Data Lakes, cloud platforms, and advanced data pipelines to build solutions that truly work cross-functionally across the entire ST network.
- Ensure critical data connectivity and seamless knowledge-sharing across ST teams.
Lifecycle Management Business Outcomes (PQ/PPQ to Commercialization):
- Manage digital solutions beyond the project delivery phase, ensuring active utilization and optimization during manufacturing scale-up (PQ/PPQ) and routine commercial production.
- Translate software and digital capabilities into measurable business value, specifically targeting operational cost reductions and improvements in RFT and yield metrics.
Complex Systems Integration Technical Support:
- Provide deep technical expertise and architectural guidance on a broad spectrum of IT enabler systems.
- Drive the technical implementation of core manufacturing and IT enabling systems, ensuring SCADA, MES, LIMS, QM, Veeva (Reliance), and ATLAS (ERP) are seamlessly integrated into enterprise Data Lakes to enable real-time data access and advanced analytics.
Methodology, Tools, Agile Governance:
- Apply standard software deployment methodologies, IT project management, and agile governance across all digital workstreams.
- Ensure compliance with Computer System Validation (CSV) requirements and provide clear visibility into project performance, risks, and ROI.
Cross-Functional Collaboration Stakeholder Management:
- Serve as the critical liaison bridging IT developers and ST/Manufacturing end-users, ensuring that deployed software solutions directly address shop-floor realities and scientific workflows.
- Partner with IT, Quality, Operations, Engineering, and Supply Chain to resolve complex technical issues. Build strong relationships across the network, including close partnership with the North America Digital Lead and external IT consulting partners.
Required Qualifications, Skills, Experience
Minimum
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biotechnology, or a related discipline.
- Significant experience in manufacturing, technical operations, or related operational excellence environments, including regulated or complex manufacturing settings beyond pharmaceuticals.
- Strong experience in digital technology implementation (e.g., MES), process scale-up, or manufacturing science.
- Understanding of manufacturing environments, with Small Molecule and/or Large Molecule experience considered beneficial but not mandatory.
- Experience managing projects or technology workstreams in a matrix organization.
- Strong stakeholder engagement and communication skills.
Preferred
- Experience across a Pharmaceutical or Biological manufacturing network.
- Deep expertise in MES implementation and integration with systems like ERP, LIMS, and automation layers.
- Exposure to digital tools supporting manufacturing or technology transfer execution.
- Experience supporting regulatory inspections or audits related to digital systems.
- Understanding of global supply chain and network strategy concepts.
What we offer
The opportunity to contribute to high impact technology transfers, supporting supply continuity and manufacturing excellence across our network. You will work in a collaborative, global environment while building expertise in transfer execution, governance and continuous improvement. Benefits are competitive and aligned with the level and scope of the role.
Animal Health
Our Animal Health Division is a trusted global leader in veterinary medicine, dedicated to improving the health, wellbeing and performance of animals and the people who care for them. Through our commitment to The Science of Healthier Animals, we provide a broad portfolio of veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and digital solutions, supported by strong research and development and a modern global supply chain.
Required Skills:
Agile Principles, Business Management, Capital Projects, Cross-Functional Collaboration, Cross-Functional Teamwork, ICT Strategy, Manufacturing Environments, Problem Management, Process Scale Up, Quality Management, Research and Development, Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)
Preferred Skills:
Pharmaceutical Industry, Project Lifecycle
Current Employees applyHERE
Current Contingent Workers applyHERE
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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:
Regular
Relocation:
VISA Sponsorship:
Travel Requirements:
Flexible Work Arrangements:
Not Applicable
Shift:
Valid Driving License:
Hazardous Material(s):
Job Posting End Date:
08/31/2026*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the dayBEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the dayBEFORE the job posting end date.
Requisition ID: R408754
