Associate Director, Data Engineer

Merck’s DSCS Digital Technologies team is seeking an Associate Director, Data Engineer to help design, build, and maintain a data foundation that enables data-driven modeling for sterile drug product development. In this onsite role in Rahway, New Jersey, you will capture and curate SPD experimental and process data and deliver it into machine learning, statistical, and hybrid modeling workflows.

What You’ll Do

• Partner with SPD experimentalists, process engineers, and analytical scientists to gather requirements that directly support modeling pipeline needs.
• Design and implement robust, scalable data pipelines to ingest experimental and process data across SPD unit operations such as mixing, pooling, pumping, filling, filtration, and freeze-drying, plus analytical characterization data.
• Work alongside teams on process modeling by translating data-driven model requirements into analysis-ready, feature-rich datasets.
• Define and enforce data standards, metadata schemas, and ontologies to keep SPD data interoperable and readily consumable by modeling workflows.
• Automate data ingestion from laboratory instruments, electronic lab notebooks, PAT systems, and manufacturing systems, integrating with cloud-based storage and compute environments.
• Create data analysis and visualization workflows that surface insights from SPD data.
• Design and build dashboards, reports, and data exports for scientific and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Curate data and define requirements for automating data ingestion at scale.
• Support SPD digital data strategy by identifying opportunities to improve data capture at the source and reduce friction between experimentation and modeling.
• Communicate and collaborate effectively across scientific, engineering, and digital disciplines.
• Embrace Merck’s core values of inclusion and foster a supportive culture where all can thrive.
• Collaborate in a dynamic, integrated, multidisciplinary team environment and contribute to scientific innovation through trusted stakeholder partnerships.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or closely related field, with at least 3 years of industrial/pharmaceutical or relevant experience; OR
• M.S. in the same fields, with at least 5 years of industrial/pharmaceutical or relevant experience; OR
• B.S. in the same fields, with at least 7 years of industrial/pharmaceutical or relevant experience.
• Hands-on experience in sterile drug product development, sterile DS and DP manufacturing processes, or closely related pharmaceutical development, plus a demonstrated transition into a data engineering, data science, or computational role.
• Experience developing and deploying data pipelines, ETL/ELT workflows, and data integration solutions in a scientific or pharmaceutical context.
• Proficiency programming in Python and/or R, and experience with Posit/RStudio and Jupyter.
• Working knowledge of how data-driven models consume and depend on experimental data, sufficient to anticipate modeler needs and deliver appropriately structured datasets.
• Excellent communication, creativity, and interpersonal skills.
• Proven ability to deliver complex solutions under compressed timelines in a dynamic environment.
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment with cross-functional interactions.
• Motivation to learn new skills, willingness to take on new challenges, and scientific curiosity.

Technologies You May Use

• Python, R, Posit/RStudio, Jupyter
• ETL/ELT
• Shiny, Streamlit
• Spotfire, Dash, Power BI, Tableau
• AWS: S3, Redshift, Glue, Athena, SageMaker
• Dataiku, Databricks
• SQL
• Graph databases
• Electronic lab notebooks (ELN), LIMS, historian/SCADA systems, PAT
• Cloud-based storage and compute environments

Benefits

• Annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable
• 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

Role Details

• Location: Rahway, NJ (onsite)
• Work arrangement: Hybrid
• Employee status: Regular
• Requisition ID: R418480
• Job posting end date: 10/5/2026
• Salary range: USD 129,000 - 203,100 per year