Executive Director, Research Operations and Platforms

MSD.com

206k - 325k USD/year

Remote

New Jersey

Full Time

Job Description

Research & Development Sciences It (Rads It) Delivers The Digital Solutions That Power The Research Half Of Our Company, Spanning Drug Discovery, Cmc Development, Preclinical Research And Translational Medicine. Rads It Laboratory Operations & Platforms Provides The Products And Services That Enable Research Operations Across The Laboratories And Pilot Plants. Its Mission Is To Deliver And Operate Digital Solutions And Platforms That Enable Safe, Efficient And Compliant Lab And Pilot Plant Operations. Rads It Digital Solutions And Rads It Data & Analytics Are Key Partners: Digital Solutions Composes Domain‑Specific End‑To‑End Scientific Solutions That Consume These Platforms And Data & Analytics Builds The Data Foundations, Integrations And Analytics Capabilities That Make Platform Data Discoverable, Reusable And Fit For Insight And Regulatory Needs.

The Executive Director, Laboratory Operations & Platforms Will Be Accountable For The Full Suite Of Digital Capabilities That Enable Laboratory Management And Execution. This Accountability Includes Overseeing The Digital Platforms, Services, And Practices Needed To Effectively Run Research Labs — Spanning Sample Inventory, Registration, Materials Management, Laboratory Notebooks, Workflow Orchestration, Digital Instrument Enablement, Lab Automation, Data Capture And Data Archiving.

This Key Leader Will Partner Closely With Rads It -Digital Solutions In Order To Understand Opportunities To Enable Reusable Platform Components To Enable Agility And Sustainability In End-To-End Digital Solutions, Defining And Delivering The Services To Enable Commercial Informatics Platforms And Custom Solutions To Be Utilized As Components Of End-To-End Digital Solutions. The Role Will Also Partner Closely With The Rads It Data & Analytics Team To Understand Data Standards And Meta Data Requirements Needed To Be Enabled As Part Of Data Capture To Realize The Organization’S Data Strategy.

This Role Leads Both Product Management And Engineering/Architecture Functions Across The Lab Management Product Lines, Ensuring That Capabilities Are Delivered In A Scalable, Integrated, And Sustainable Way. The Executive Director Will Play A Pivotal Role In Shaping The Strategy For Research Operations, Ensuring That Laboratories Have The Digital And Technical Foundation To Accelerate Discovery And Development.

Key Activities

Own Accountability For All Lab Management Capabilities, Covering Sample And Inventory Workflows, Lab Execution And Planning, And Data And Device Management.
Manage & Lead Both Product Management And Engineering/Architecture Functions For The Lab Management Product Lines.
Define The Long-Term Strategy And Roadmap For Research Operations, Ensuring Platforms And Services Enable Modern, Automated Laboratories.
Partner With Research, Development, And Data Teams To Align Lab Management Capabilities With Enterprise Strategy And Emerging Scientific Needs.
Ensure Architectural Integrity, Scalability, And Interoperability Across Systems Supporting Laboratory Operations.
Drive Adoption, Usability, And Continuous Improvement Of Lab Management Tools And Services.
Build, Mentor, And Lead Cross-Functional Teams Of Product Managers, Engineers, And Architects.
Establish Standards, Best Practices, And Governance Models To Ensure Reliability, Compliance, And Quality Across The Lab Management Ecosystem.

Education Requirements

Bachelor’S Or Master’S Degree In Computer Science, Engineering, Life Sciences, Or Related Discipline.

Required Skills And Experience

Technical Expertise

Deep Knowledge Of Laboratory Operations And Associated Informatics Systems (E.G., Lims, Eln, Sample/Inventory Management, Lab Execution Systems), Or Other Biopharmaceutical R&D Systems, Including Regulated Implementations.
Experience Overseeing Both Product Management And Engineering/Architecture Teams, Driving Modern Architectural And Engineering Best Practices, As Well As Agile Product Discovery And Effective Product Management.
Strong Understanding Of Data Management, System Interoperability, And Compliance In Research Environments.

Leadership And Management

12+ Years Of Progressive Experience In Research It, Laboratory Informatics, Or Related Fields, With Significant Leadership Exposure.
Proven Track Record Of Leading Cross-Functional Teams And Delivering Enterprise-Scale Capabilities.
Experience Managing Large Portfolios With Complex Interdependencies.
Proven Experience In Coaching And Developing Teams, With Ability To Rapidly Recognize Friction Points, Diagnose Root Causes And Take Corrective Action.

Strategic Thinking

Ability To Define And Execute A Long-Term Vision For Research Operations, Balancing Innovation With Operational Excellence.
Skilled At Aligning Lab Management Capabilities With Broader Enterprise Strategies In Discovery, Development, And Data/Analytics.
Adept At Identifying Opportunities For Automation, Efficiency, And Reuse Across Research Operations.

Communication And Collaboration

Strong Communication Skills, Able To Convey Technical And Operational Strategies To Scientific, Technical, And Executive Stakeholders.
Collaborative Leader Who Builds Partnerships Across Product, Data, And Research Functions.
Effective At Influencing Decisions At The Executive Level.

Program Management

Experienced In Overseeing Multi-Product Portfolios And Managing Delivery Across Engineering, Product Management, And Architecture Teams.
Skilled At Setting And Tracking Kpis For Adoption, Usability, Compliance, And Operational Performance, Driving A Culture Of Continuous Improvement.
Strong Governance Skills, Ensuring Standards And Regulatory Requirements Are Met Across Lab Management Systems.

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

$206,200.00 - $324,600.00

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

Visa Sponsorship:

Travel Requirements:

10%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Hybrid

Shift:

1st - Day

Valid Driving License:

Hazardous Material(S):

N/A

Required Skills:

Career Development, Communication, Computer Science, Data Science, Drug Discovery Process, Emerging Technologies, Information Systems Management, IT Executive Management, IT Governance, Leadership, Management Process, Methods and Tools, Product Lifecycle, Product Management, Product Strategies, Requirements Management, Software Development, Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), Solution Architecture, Strategic Planning, System Designs, Team Building Training, Technical Advice, Trend Knowledge

Preferred Skills:

Job Posting End Date:

10/1/2025

*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.