Senior Specialist, Trade (Hybrid)

Job Description

Position within our Company's Global Clinical Supply, Logistics & Regions Trade team. Responsibility for operational and strategic work for compliant US imports/exports ensuring alignment with US CBP, government and health agencies regulations including internal our Company's Global Trade Standards & Controls (GTSC). Position will work in Rahway NJ or West Point, PA and develop strong professional internal and external relationships including but not limited to GCS, GTSC, Customs & International Trade (CIT), our Company's Regulatory, Clinical and Research stakeholders across all our Company's global locations; brokers, carriers ensuring you represent the team and company interests in a professional and collaborative manner.  Ability to influence all constituents and stakeholders to follow trade procedures, track reporting to Customs, and solving specific issues when they arise. A strong team player attitude is imperative to be successful in this role and enable the success of the team and the work we do. Ability to prioritize work and escalate challenges, in a fast-paced ever-changing environment. Growth mindset, offering solutions and embracing change as opportunity. You will champion consistency, drive efficiency improvements, and align day-to-day execution with strategic priorities.

Specifically, this role:

• Lead and execute import and export activities for clinical trial shipments, switching fluidly between inbound (imports) and outbound (exports) responsibilities as operational needs dictate.

• Ensure full compliance with U.S. CBP requirements and other applicable global customs, regulatory, and controlled-substance rules; maintain up-to-date knowledge and implement process updates.

• Own shipment lifecycle monitoring, exception resolution, and escalation to minimize delays and maintain patient supply continuity.

• Develop, document, and improve SOPs and work instructions; identify and implement efficiencies in processes, systems, and vendor performance.

• Serve as primary point of contact for cross-functional partners (clinical operations, regulatory, QA, vendors, local depots) to coordinate complex shipments and resolve issues.

• Provide on-the-job coaching, mentoring, and training to peers and junior staff to build consistent capability across the team.

• Participate in and develop to Lead continuous improvement initiatives: analyze root causes, propose pragmatic solutions, measure impact, and standardize successful practices.

• Demonstrate calm, decisive leadership during disruptions; communicate transparently with stakeholders and support team resilience and alignment.

• Participate in audits and regulatory inspections as required; prepare documentation and respond to findings related to global trade and clinical supply.

• Support capacity planning and show flexibility during peak shipment windows or critical patient-supply events.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, life sciences, or related field (or equivalent work experience).

• 5+ years’ hands-on experience in clinical supply chain or pharmaceutical logistics with direct responsibility for import/export operations.

• Knowledge of U.S. CBP and global trade/customs regulations; controlled-substance import/export a plus

• Experience with cross-functional teams; strong interpersonal and change-management skills

• Excellent problem-solving, organization, and stakeholder-management; prioritizes well under pressure

• Continuous-improvement mindset; Lean/Six Sigma experience preferred

• Strong written/verbal communication; comfortable preparing reports, SOPs, and briefings for leadership

• Collaborative, inclusive team player

• Flexible to work outside standard hours for global shipments

• Experience with SAP GTS, FTZ inventory systems, or similar tools preferred

• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, Word)

• Ability to escalate issues appropriately in a fast-paced environment and seek support without delay

Required Skills:

Accountability, Accountability, Biological Sciences, Brokerage Trading, Clinical Supply Chain Management, Communication, Customer-Focused, Customs Compliance, Customs Regulations, Detail-Oriented, Distribution Management, Diversity Awareness, Documentations, Driving Continuous Improvement, External Relations, International Trade Compliance, International Trade Finance, Inventory Control Management, Life Science, Logistics Coordination, Management Process, Medical Supply Management, Microsoft Outlook, Oral Communications, Performance Measurement {+ 5 more}

Preferred Skills:

Lean Six Sigma (LSS)

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

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

$96,200.00 - $151,400.00

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):

n/a

Job Posting End Date:

04/17/2026

*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.