Job Description Position Description: The Environmental & Process Safety Engineering (EPSE) group within the Chemical Engineering Research & Development department (CERD), part of the Process Research and Development (PR&D) organization, is seeking highly motivated individuals who are looking for an opportunity to work in a fast-paced job that provides a high degree of technical responsibility. This position will lead and carry out independent work conceiving, designing, planning, and implementing advanced small scale laboratory studies aimed at characterizing the hazards associated with the process and materials used to produce active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) and intermediates at all scales, from the laboratory to commercial manufacturing. Specific areas include thermal hazard assessment and potential for gas generation with a variety of calorimeters such as SuperCRC, Insight, EZMax and RC1, and modeling for scale-up. This role is a leadership role within EPSE and is an on-site position located in our Rahway, NJ location.

This position requires expertise in laboratory instruments and techniques, managing the workflow of requests for testing and guidance, organizing collaboration to complete testing and issuing reports to document results. The individual in this position is expected to interpret and apply safety and environmental regulations and make scientific contributions to research programs of major importance to our Company's Research and Manufacturing Divisions. This position is seeking an individual who is a subject matter expert in the specific field of chemical process safety testing including scaleup experience from the laboratory to a pilot plant and/or a commercial site. As such, a deep understanding/exposure of organic chemistry and chemical engineering principles, and exposure to process safety and/or small molecule API scale-up is required.

A high level of innovation and creativity are necessary to adapt to evolving technologies and tools. Also, a high level of self-initiative, attention to detail, and ownership along with the ability to plan and organize activities is expected. Successful candidates will be required to communicate regularly, clearly, and with confidence as they discuss technical problems, provide oversight to laboratory, pilot plant and commercial manufacturing operations, and interface with cross-functional colleagues such as chemistry, chemical engineering, facility and/or site EHS to influence process development and drive a safer process design.

This leadership role for EPSE function is a scientific supervisor for several chemists and chemical engineers. This individual is expected to lead multiple projects simultaneously in EPSE to define commercial process by working with chemists and chemical engineers within PR&D in addition to other EPSE technology development assignments. As such, demonstrated multitasking skills are essential.

Position Qualifications:

Education Minimum Requirement:

The position requires either a BS and/or MS in Chemistry or Chemical/Biochemical Engineering (or comparable) from an accredited college/university plus at least 11 years of relevant work experience in process development, or a PhD in Chemistry or Chemical/Biochemical Engineering (or comparable) from an accredited college/university with at least 6 years of relevant work experience post PhD defense.

Required Experience and Skills: For BS/MS candidates, at least 11 years of relevant work experience post-graduation

• OR – for PhD candidates with at least 6 years of relevant work experience post PhD defense, where relevant work experience would include the following:

• Experience performing laboratory-based research/process development in process safety.

• Experience with process scale-up and/or technology transfer, moving from laboratory to pilot plant or production scale.

• Highly effective communication and collaboration skills.

• Good organizational, interpersonal, writing, multitasking, and time management skills.

• Project management experience.

Preferred Experience and Skills:

• Experience with thermal analysis techniques including differential scanning and reaction calorimetry.

• Experience with evaluating process safety including risks of thermal decomposition, gas generation, vent sizing, static/conductivity, or dust explosivity; industrial hygiene risk assessments.

• Experience with process and/or process safety modeling.

• Experience with in-situ or off-line analytical techniques such as FTIR, Raman, and/or GC/HPLC

• Scientific supervisory experience

Required Skills: Accountability, Accountability, Chemical Engineering, Chemical Technology, Clinical Manufacturing, Creativity, Cross-Functional Teamwork, Decision Making, Detail-Oriented, Downstream Processing, Driving Continuous Improvement, Environmental Engineering, Fast-Paced Environments, Industrial Hygiene, Innovation, Laboratory Techniques, Machine Learning (ML), Manufacturing Scale-Up, Mentorship, Organic Chemistry, Process Characterization, Process Control, Process Design, Process Optimization, Process Safety {+ 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.

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: Domestic/International

VISA Sponsorship: Yes

Travel Requirements: 10%

Flexible Work Arrangements: Not Applicable

Shift: Not Indicated

Valid Driving License: No

Hazardous Material(s): N/A

Job Posting End Date: 02/28/2026A 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.