Associate Specialist Drug Safety

Job Description

For over 130 years, we have pioneered groundbreaking science.  Today, we are driven by continuous innovation to develop breakthrough medicines, vaccines and technology.  Rooted in direct experience on the farm and in the clinic, we work hand in hand with our customers every step of the way. 

 

Our singular focus is to empower those who care for animals, helping them manage their vital responsibility with confidence.  Because when it comes to animal health, no one sees it like we do. 

 Our company is a global healthcare leader with a diversified portfolio of prescription medicines, vaccines, and animal health products.  Our ability to excel depends on the integrity, knowledge, imagination, skill, diversity, and teamwork of our people. We strive to create an environment of mutual respect, encouragement, and collaboration. As part of our global team, colleagues in this role work cross-functionally with talented and dedicated partners while developing and expanding their skills and careers.

 

This role ensures timely, compliant handling of technical service inquiries, product complaints, and adverse events for the companion animal portfolio. Responsibilities include triaging incoming inquiries, managing technician level complaint processing end-to-end, supporting pharmacovigilance veterinarians, and serving as a liaison for product quality investigations and customer follow-up. The role supports accurate case documentation, quality assurance coordination, and clear communication with veterinarians, pet owners, sales representatives, and distributors.

 

Technical Support, Triage, and Complaint Handling (some combination of the below)

• Serve as a first point of contact via phone, email, fax, written correspondence, and web inquiries (Technical Services 800-line).
• Triage technical service inquiries, determining when to escalate to veterinarians and handling those that do not require veterinarian attention.
• Address questions related to product usage and competitor product comparisons.
• Processing and documenting complaints (may include but not limited to, call handling, data entry and/or releasing).
• Identify trends and initiate product testing procedures; track testing through Global Quality and follow up with customers.
• Retrieve, process, and follow up on after-hours product complaints.
• Support PV veterinarians with:
  • Customer correspondence and follow-up.
  • Uploading correspondence/medical records into the complaint database.
  • Reviewing medical records for accuracy and forwarding to PV veterinarians.
  • Reviewing compensation requests and processing reimbursements.
  • Keeping the complaint database updated in real time.

Quality Assurance for Product Complaints:

• Serve as primary contact for product quality issues, testing procedures, and warranty questions.
• Initiate product sample returns from the field; ensure timely receipt, coordinate with Global Quality, and manage destruction when appropriate.
• Upload QA testing results into the complaint database and close the loop with complainants

.

Cross-Functional and Commercial Support:

• Share relevant information and trends in the veterinary marketplace with internal stakeholders.
• Support special projects (e.g., diagnostic testing programs).
• Assist with sales training and provide administrative/training support at meetings or national sales meetings.
• Provide pharmacovigilance data and reports upon request.
• Support the Equine PV team as needed by triaging incoming calls; addressing customer concerns and questions; handling product quality complaints (PQCs), product replacements, and reimbursement requests; and performing case entry when required.

Required Education and Experience (one of the following):

• BA/BS with at least 1 year of experience in the veterinary field; or
• Associate’s degree (biological sciences preferred) with 3 years of veterinary-related experience; or
• RVT/CVT/LVT with 2 years of related experience; or
• 5 years of pharmacovigilance and/or animal science and/or companion animal customer care experience.

Core Requirements:

• Minimum 1 year of pharmacovigilance experience and/or experience in animal science/companion animal customer care.
• Strong computer skills: Word, Excel, Outlook; comfort with databases and data entry accuracy.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; able to interact effectively with internal stakeholders and external customers.

Nice-to-Have Qualifications:

• Experience with product knowledge management, database fundamentals, and internal/external compliance regulations.
• Knowledge of parasiticide products in the animal health industry.
• Prior call center or customer service experience.

Skills and Competencies:

• Customer focus: Empathetic, responsive, and clear in communications with veterinarians, pet owners, and partners.
• Detail orientation: Accurate, timely case entry and meticulous document handling.
• Compliance mindset: Adheres to timelines and regulatory requirements for adverse events and quality complaints.
• Problem solving: Identifies trends, flags issues, and initiates appropriate testing or escalations.
• Collaboration: Partners effectively with PV veterinarians, Quality, Sales, and other internal teams.
• Time management: Manages multiple cases and follow-ups within established timelines.
• Data literacy: Proficient with complaint databases; able to upload and manage records with accuracy.
• Professionalism: Maintains confidentiality and demonstrates diplomacy in sensitive situations.

Animal Health Commercial Competencies

 

Leadership Behaviors:

• Demonstrate Ethics and Integrity: Adhere to the highest standards of trustworthy and ethical behavior in all interactions and hold others to the same standards; comply with all laws, policies and regulations; identify and address ethical issues without hesitation.
• Drive Results: Set clear performance standards; overcome obstacles; hold ourselves and others accountable for achieving results.
• Focus on Customers and Patients: Focus the entire organization on delivering value for customers, including patients, by understanding and meeting their needs.
• Make Rapid, Disciplined Decisions: Make timely decisions at the right level with the right data, and support them once made.
• Act with Courage and Candor: Speak openly, honestly and with conviction; have the courage to take appropriate risks and make difficult decisions.
• Build Talent: Build diverse talent with the capabilities necessary to succeed in our markets; inspire, reward and develop individuals to reach their potential; make tough calls when necessary.
• Foster Collaboration: Actively listen and seek to understand differing perspectives; work together to achieve the common goals of the Company.

#MSJR 

#NSN2026 

Required Skills:

Adverse Event Report, Adverse Event Report, Compliance Investigations, Compliance Policies, Corporate Ethics, Customer Complaint Resolution, Customer-Focused, Customer Service, Data Analysis, Data Confidentiality, Data Management, Data Processing, Data Quality Assurance, Decision Making, Detail-Oriented, Diplomacy, Drug Safety Surveillance, Employee Training Programs, Ethical Standards, Financial Acumen, Liaison Work, Pharmacovigilance, Policy Compliance, Policy Implementation, Product Analysis {+ 8 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.

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

The primary location for this posting is:

USA - REMOTE - REMOTE

Where required by law, the compensation range for this role is provided below.

The salary range for the primary location of this role is:

$71,900.00 - $113,200.00

This range reflects the Company's reasonable expectation of the base salary applicable to this role at the time of 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.

Additional location(s): Please note the salary range above applies to the Primary Location of the position. Where a role has other listed locations, different compensation guidelines may apply. You may find the salary ranges for additional locations below. If the salary range is not listed for the location you are applying to, our Talent Acquisition team will provide further information to you relevant to your location.

Additional location(s) Compensation Information:

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:

Remote

Shift:

1st - Day

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

n/a

Job Posting End Date:

10/24/2026

*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.