Assoc. Dir, Operations Orchestration

Job Description

We’re seeking an experienced candidate to join our Operations Orchestration team in an Associate Director level role, supporting digital transformation across our global manufacturing shop floors. Reporting to the Operations Orchestration Product Manager, this role provides senior execution and technical leadership for industrial data platforms, helping translate product direction into scalable, reliable solutions delivered through a global team model. Pharmaceutical manufacturing experience is strongly preferred.

In this role, you will act as a senior execution leader and technical authority, working closely with manufacturing, automation, and IT stakeholders across regions while partnering with established delivery and support teams worldwide.

Why this role matters

Your leadership will enable consistent, trusted shop-floor data that improves quality, productivity, and decision-making, helping accelerate the delivery of life-changing healthcare solutions to patients worldwide.

Key Responsibilities

• Partner closely with the Operations Orchestration Product Manager to execute the product vision and roadmap, providing technical input, delivery leadership, and operational oversight.

• Lead complex deployments and upgrades of the data historian and visualization stack, including AVEVA PI Data Archive, PI-AF, PI Notifications, PI Vision, PI Interfaces, and related components.

• Provide senior level, hands on troubleshooting and resolution support for incidents impacting industrial data platforms, working directly with manufacturing, automation, and IT partners to diagnose complex issues, restore service, and prevent recurrence in coordination with global support teams. 

• Work closely with operations and support services to understand shop-floor data needs and translate them into practical, scalable technology solutions that improve day-to-day manufacturing efficiency and effectiveness.

• Collaborate with process engineers and key users to define and maintain company-wide manufacturing assets, process-data requirements, and standard templates.

• Provide day-to-day technical oversight and leadership for application support teams, actively supporting incident investigation, root cause analysis, and resolution, and identifying opportunities to optimize system management and supportability.

• Coordinate execution across a distributed, global team model, working closely with delivery and support teams across regions to ensure alignment, timely decision-making, and effective escalation handling.

• Partner with automation and application leads to define and maintain robust data and system integration standards.

• Drive continuous improvement of the Data Enablement product’s processes, governance, and best practices.

• Contribute to SDLC and computer validation practices where applicable.

What We’re Looking For

• 8-12+ years of experience in manufacturing; pharmaceutical manufacturing experience strongly preferred.

• A minimum of 5 years in automation or Information Technology.

• Experience leading delivery and operation of enterprise industrial data platforms within complex, multi-site environments.

• Deep, hands-on experience with AVEVA PI Systems, including architecture, PI-DA, AF, Analysis, Notifications, PI Vision, DAS, PI Interfaces, and integrations with larger data platforms.

• Ability to design and explain different PI architectures (on-prem, virtualized, hybrid) and integration patterns.

• Extensive exposure to manufacturing control systems (DeltaV, PLC/SCADA, etc.) and common manufacturing analytics use cases.

• Good working knowledge of IT infrastructure considerations that affect data systems (networking, virtualization, storage).

• Experience with SDLC methodology and computer validation concepts.

• Familiarity with modern manufacturing data ecosystems and relevant Industry 4.0 concepts (e.g., IoT platforms, data brokers, OPC UA technologies, edge solutions) as they relate to industrial data integration.

• Self-driven with strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder-management skills, with the ability to influence across functions and geographies.

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Computer Science, or a related discipline preferred.

Required Skills

• AVEVA PI System, Change Controls, Computer Technical Support, Incident Management, Management System Development, Problem Management, Software Configurations, Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), Testing, Troubleshooting

Preferred Skills

• Global manufacturing environments, distributed delivery models, pharma manufacturing operations, industrial data platform operations, cross-regional execution leadership

Required Skills:

Audit Management, Business Process Improvements, Computer Science, Computer Technical Support, Data Management, Design, Digital Transformation, Global Team Collaboration, Incident Investigations, Information Technology (IT) Infrastructure, Management System Development, Manufacturing Environments, Pharmaceutical Manufacturing, Problem Management, Quality Management, Real-Time Programming, Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), Systems Development Lifecycle (SDLC), Technical Leadership

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.

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:

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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

$142,400.00 - $224,100.00

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:

Not Indicated

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

n/a

Job Posting End Date:

04/29/2026

*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.