Job Description
The
Director, Quality Assurance will be responsible for team leadership and technical subject matter expertise in Sterile Drug Product Quality Operations at our Company's Rahway, New Jersey site. This position will serve a critical role in supporting the expansion of clinical development activities at the site with responsibilities including, but limited to the following:
- Execute GMP quality assurance activities directly related to sterile drug product production and release for clinical trial material supply.
- Support the start-up of a new, state-of-the-art sterile filling line.
- Support the design and operational readiness of multiple other significant capital projects that are aligned with the expanding site mission.
- Develop relationships with and provide Quality oversight of key partner groups that are commensurately expanding in size and scope of work.
- Lead and develop a growing team of professionals.
The successful candidate will assure that quality systems and controls for investigational new drugs (investigational medicinal products) meet all quality requirements, regulatory standards, and meet continuous clinical supply and delivery expectations.
Essential Duties And Responsibilities
- Lead and perform quality assurance activities (e.g., review and approve GMP documentation) related to internally and externally sourced sterile drug products in a complex and rapidly changing clinical development environment.
- Support sterile drug product manufacturing in compliance with cGMP, regulatory expectations, and clinical filings.
- Provide Quality oversight of formulation, process and analytical development activities
- Provide Quality oversight of investigations of events or deviations to support batch release and facility control decisions.
- Enable ongoing start-up of a new, state-of-the-art sterile filling line.
- Support evaluation, introduction, and installation of new processes, technologies and capabilities.
- Support design and operational readiness of sterile manufacturing facility expansion.
- Build effective, collaborative working relationships and create effective communications within and across organizations and with all stakeholder functions and levels.
- Identify improvement/efficiency opportunities and propose and implement appropriate solutions.
- Provide a Quality mindset while balancing operational needs to develop pragmatic solutions to complex, technical and compliance challenges.
- Support activities necessary to achieve GMP compliant and continuous clinical supply.
- Serve as steward for knowledge management and capability build within team.
- Manage program assignments and facility coverage.
Education Minimum Requirement
- Bachelor’s degree in science, engineering, or related discipline; an advanced degree will be preferred.
Required Experience, Knowledge, And Skills
- Minimum of 12 years of experience in Pharmaceutical / Biotechnology industry role(s).
- Experience in Quality and manufacturing operations of sterile drug products, at pilot and/or commercial scale.
- Strong knowledge and application of Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) for sterile product manufacturing (e.g., Annex 1) and the application of Quality Risk Management principles.
- Technical understanding and knowledge of manufacturing processes and unit operations for sterile and/or large molecule products.
- Leadership of cross-functional teams, investigations, or problem-solving situations.
- Interpersonal skills in verbal and written communications, collaboration, teamwork, negotiation, and conflict resolution.
Preferred Experience And Skills
- A combination of experiences in sterile product formulation, development, process development, manufacturing, technology transfer, scale-up, facilities, quality systems, and / or quality operations
- Advanced technical knowledge in one or more elements of sterile products, processing, sterile dosage forms and associated technologies.
- Advanced ability to identify and solve complex problems in a timely and efficient manner.
- Experience in R&D or clinical supply areas and processes
- Experience with leading, growing and developing teams
- Experience with facility design and start-up
EligibleforERP
Required Skills
Capital Projects, Capital Projects, Change Management, Clinical Development, Clinical Trials, Coaching, Collaborative Communications, Conflict Resolution, Data Integrity, Decision Making, GMP Compliance, Interpersonal Communication, Interpersonal Relationships, IS Audit, Leadership, Leadership Training and Development, Manufacturing Processes, Manufacturing Quality Control, Operational Efficiency, People Leadership, Quality Assurance (QA), Quality Auditing, Quality Management Standards, Quality Risk Assessment, Quality Risk Management {+ 5 more}
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.
Requirements
As an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, we provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. As a federal contractor, we comply with all affirmative action requirements for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit:
EEOC Know Your Rights
EEOC GINA Supplement
We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing together, talented, and committed people with diverse experiences, perspectives, skills and backgrounds. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when people with diverse ideas, broad experiences, backgrounds, and skills come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively.
Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State Acts
U.S. Hybrid Work Model
Effective September 5, 2023, employees in office-based positions in the U.S. will be working a Hybrid work consisting of three total days on-site per week, Monday - Thursday, although the specific days may vary by site or organization, with Friday designated as a remote-working day, unless business critical tasks require an on-site presence.This Hybrid work model does not apply to, and daily in-person attendance is required for, field-based positions; facility-based, manufacturing-based, or research-based positions where the work to be performed is located at a Company site; positions covered by a collective-bargaining agreement (unless the agreement provides for hybrid work); or any other position for which the Company has determined the job requirements cannot be reasonably met working remotely. Please note, this Hybrid work model guidance also does not apply to roles that have been designated as “remote”.
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:
No relocation
VISA Sponsorship
No
Travel Requirements
10%
Flexible Work Arrangements
Hybrid
Shift
1st - Day
Valid Driving License
No
Hazardous Material(s)
No
Job Posting End Date
02/7/2026
- 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.
Requisition ID:R382145
