Executive Director, Laboratory Operations and Platforms
Executive Director, Laboratory Operations and Platforms
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$ 206200 - 324600
1 Vacancy
Job Description
Job Description
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 domainspecific endtoend 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 organizations 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
Bachelors or Masters 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.
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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 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
$206200.00 - $324600.00This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An employees 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 can apply for this role through (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
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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:
RegularRelocation:
DomesticVISA Sponsorship:
NoTravel Requirements:
10%Flexible Work Arrangements:
HybridShift:
1st - DayValid Driving License:
NoHazardous Material(s):
N/ARequired 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 KnowledgePreferred Skills:
Job Posting End Date:
10/1/2025*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFOREthe listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.
Required Experience:
Director
Employment Type
Full-Time
