hirly

Merck & Co.

Associate Director (m/f/d), EU Digital S&T Lead

DEU - Bayern - Unterschleissheim · NLD - North Brabant - Boxmeer

See how you match this job — and similar ones. Free.

Upload your resume and hirly scores it against this role at Merck & Co. first, then against similar open jobs, and shows where you fit and why.

PDF or DOCX, up to 12MB. No sign-up to see your matches.

Get past the screening software and onto a recruiter's desk

hirly rewrites your resume for this job — matching the keywords and skills in the posting, moving your most relevant experience to the top, and writing a cover letter to fit. About 30 seconds.

  • Keywords matched to this posting
  • Fit score before you apply
  • Cover letter included
Tailor my resume for this job →

Apply from your AI assistant

Connect hirly to Claude and ask it to apply to this job. hirly tailors your resume, fills the employer’s form and asks before sending. ChatGPT: manual setup today.

Some employer sites stop an application at a CAPTCHA or sign-in and hand it back with a link. Applying needs a paid plan. Works with any assistant that supports MCP.

hirly's read of this role

Seniority
Director
Countries
DE, NL
Work mode
On-site / unstated
First seen by hirly
26 Oct 2026

Derived automatically from the posting. Upload your resume above to see how the role scores against it.

the posting

Job Description

Role Summary

The Associate Director, EU Digital S&T Lead is a key leadership role responsible for executing the digital and data strategy for major capital projects within the EU (including key Boxmeer projects BOND & IDEFIX, and the Unterschleissheim project MUSE).

Bridging the gap between digital design and the operational realities of manufacturing, this role ensures key Animal Health EU facilities are built upon a robust, modern digital foundation. The S&T Digital Lead serves as a strategic and pragmatic contributor—shaping local IT/OT design and guiding complex systems integration across the entire project lifecycle, from initial concept through Performance Qualification (PQ), Process Performance Qualification (PPQ), and routine commercial manufacturing. A primary objective is to ensure digital investments yield measurable business value by championing scalable Data Enablement strategies, leveraging enterprise Data Lakes and cloud platforms to lower operational costs, improve Right-First-Time (RFT) rates, and drive the seamless adoption of digital workflows on the shop floor.

Responsibilities and Primary Activities

S&T Data Enablement & IT Strategy:

  • Act as the primary S&T Digital Lead to define and execute robust Data Enablement and IT architecture strategies for EU capital projects.
  • Leverage enterprise Data Lakes, cloud platforms, and advanced data pipelines to build solutions that truly work cross-functionally across the entire S&T network.
  • Ensure critical data connectivity and seamless knowledge-sharing across S&T teams.

Lifecycle Management & Business Outcomes (PQ/PPQ to Commercialization):

  • Manage digital solutions beyond the project delivery phase, ensuring active utilization and optimization during manufacturing scale-up (PQ/PPQ) and routine commercial production.
  • Translate software and digital capabilities into measurable business value, specifically targeting operational cost reductions and improvements in RFT and yield metrics.

Complex Systems Integration & Technical Support:

  • Provide deep technical expertise and architectural guidance on a broad spectrum of IT enabler systems.
  • Drive the technical implementation of core manufacturing and IT enabling systems, ensuring SCADA, MES, LIMS, QM, Veeva (Reliance), and ATLAS (ERP) are seamlessly integrated into enterprise Data Lakes to enable real-time data access and advanced analytics.

Methodology, Tools, & Agile Governance:

  • Apply standard software deployment methodologies, IT project management, and agile governance across all digital workstreams.
  • Ensure compliance with Computer System Validation (CSV) requirements and provide clear visibility into project performance, risks, and ROI.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Stakeholder Management:

  • Serve as the critical liaison bridging IT developers and S&T/Manufacturing end-users, ensuring that deployed software solutions directly address shop-floor realities and scientific workflows.
  • Partner with IT, Quality, Operations, Engineering, and Supply Chain to resolve complex technical issues. Build strong relationships across the network, including close partnership with the North America Digital Lead and external IT consulting partners.

Required Qualifications, Skills, & Experience

Minimum

  • Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biotechnology, or a related discipline.
  • Significant experience in manufacturing, technical operations, or related operational excellence environments, including regulated or complex manufacturing settings beyond pharmaceuticals.
  • Strong experience in digital technology implementation (e.g., MES), process scale-up, or manufacturing science.
  • Understanding of manufacturing environments, with Small Molecule and/or Large Molecule experience considered beneficial but not mandatory.
  • Experience managing projects or technology workstreams in a matrix organization.
  • Strong stakeholder engagement and communication skills.

Preferred

  • Experience across a Pharmaceutical or Biological manufacturing network.
  • Deep expertise in MES implementation and integration with systems like ERP, LIMS, and automation layers.
  • Exposure to digital tools supporting manufacturing or technology transfer execution.
  • Experience supporting regulatory inspections or audits related to digital systems.
  • Understanding of global supply chain and network strategy concepts.

What we offer

The opportunity to contribute to high impact technology transfers, supporting supply continuity and manufacturing excellence across our network. You will work in a collaborative, global environment while building expertise in transfer execution, governance and continuous improvement. Benefits are competitive and aligned with the level and scope of the role.

Animal Health

Our Animal Health Division is a trusted global leader in veterinary medicine, dedicated to improving the health, wellbeing and performance of animals and the people who care for them. Through our commitment to The Science of Healthier Animals, we provide a broad portfolio of veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and digital solutions, supported by strong research and development and a modern global supply chain.

Additional location(s) Compensation Information:

Required Skills:

Agile Principles, Business Management, Capital Projects, Cross-Functional Collaboration, Cross-Functional Teamwork, ICT Strategy, Manufacturing Environments, Problem Management, Process Scale Up, Quality Management, Research and Development, Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

Preferred Skills:

Pharmaceutical Industry, Project Lifecycle

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

  • 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:

VISA Sponsorship:

Travel Requirements:

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Not Applicable

Shift:

Valid Driving License:

Hazardous Material(s):

Job Posting End Date:

11/13/2026 *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.

Original posting on Merck & Co.'s site ↗

Listed on hirly, a job board. hirly is not the employer: Merck & Co. is hiring for this role.

Browse similar roles

Want this one?

Upload your resume and hirly rewrites it for this job and writes the cover letter — in about thirty seconds, before you sign up.

Tailor my resume for this job