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Production Lead – FLEx Non-Sterile Operations (Onsite)

MSD


Job Location:

Rahway, NJ - USA

Monthly Salary: $ 129000 - 203100
Posted: 21 August 2026 (Yesterday)
Application Deadline: 18 November 2026
Vacancies: 1 Vacancy

Job Summary

Job Description

Position Summary

The Associate Director Production Operations serves as the Production Lead for FLEx Non-Sterile operations and is accountable for end-to-end manufacturing readiness production scheduling and execution across both first and second shift operations.

This role provides direct leadership for production teams and is responsible for ensuring safe compliant and reliable execution of manufacturing campaigns while balancing customer demand resource utilization and operational efficiency. The Production Lead partners closely with Tech Ops Engineering Process Engineering Quality Supply Chain Maintenance and Program teams to ensure that manufacturing plans are executable and that production commitments are delivered on time.

This role owns daily manufacturing execution resource readiness shift integration production scheduling and operational performance.

Primary Responsibilities

Production Leadership & Manufacturing Execution

  • Lead manufacturing operations across all shift production teams.
  • Provide direction and oversight to Production Supervisors and production technicians.
  • Ensure safe compliant and efficient execution of all clinical manufacturing campaigns.
  • Own daily production performance schedule attainment and operational execution metrics.
  • Establish clear production priorities and ensure alignment across shifts.
  • Drive operational accountability through tiered meetings production reviews and performance management processes.
  • Serve as escalation point for manufacturing execution challenges and operational risks.

Manufacturing Readiness

  • Own production readiness processes to ensure successful campaign startup and execution.
  • Coordinate staffing training equipment availability materials and operational support requirements.
  • Lead readiness reviews with cross-functional stakeholders prior to campaign initiation.
  • Identify and proactively mitigate schedule or execution risks.
  • Ensure robust turnover and communication processes between shifts.
  • Partner with Tech Ops and Process Engineering to ensure technical readiness for new products and processes.

Production Scheduling & Planning

  • Own the granular production schedule for FLEx Non-Sterile operations.
  • Translate forecasted manufacturing demand into executable production plans.
  • Balance customer priorities manufacturing capacity staffing availability and equipment utilization.
  • Chair scheduling meetings and align stakeholders on production priorities.
  • Monitor schedule adherence and implement recovery plans when disruptions occur.
  • Drive optimization of campaign sequencing changeovers and resource utilization.

People Leadership

  • Lead and develop a high-performing production organization.
  • Provide coaching performance management and talent development for supervisors and direct reports.
  • Build succession plans and organizational capabilities to support future growth.
  • Drive employee engagement and foster a culture of accountability teamwork and continuous improvement.
  • Model leadership behaviors aligned with company values and leadership expectations.

Operational Excellence

  • Drive improvements in safety quality delivery productivity and cost performance.
  • Utilize Lean Manufacturing MPS and problem-solving methodologies to eliminate waste and improve operational reliability.
  • Lead initiatives that improve throughput cycle times schedule attainment and labor productivity.
  • Establish operational performance dashboards and metrics.
  • Drive continuous improvement efforts focused on production execution.

Cross-Functional Partnership

  • Partner closely with:
  • Tech Ops Engineering Lead for technical support and continuous improvement initiatives.
  • Process Engineering for campaign execution support and process optimization.
  • Supply Chain and Scheduling teams for production planning and prioritization.
  • Quality and Compliance teams to maintain inspection readiness and GMP compliance.
  • Facilities and Maintenance teams to ensure operational asset readiness.

Compliance & Quality Responsibilities

  • Ensure manufacturing operations comply with GMP safety environmental and company requirements.
  • Maintain inspection-ready operations.
  • Support deviation investigations CAPAs change controls and risk assessments.
  • Drive quality culture and right-first-time execution.
  • Ensure production personnel maintain required training and qualification status.

Required Qualifications

  • Bachelors degree in Engineering Science Operations Management or related discipline or more than 15 years experience in pharmaceutical manufacturing or similar industry.
  • Minimum 8 years of pharmaceutical biotechnology or manufacturing operations experience.
  • Minimum 5 years of people leadership experience.
  • Demonstrated experience leading GMP manufacturing operations.
  • Strong understanding of production planning scheduling and manufacturing execution.
  • Proven track record of leading cross-functional teams and driving operational performance.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Advanced degree in Engineering Operations or related field.
  • Experience supporting clinical supply manufacturing operations.
  • Lean Six Sigma certification or equivalent operational excellence experience.
  • Experience managing multi-shift operations.
  • Knowledge of scheduling systems SAP digital manufacturing and manufacturing analytics.

Leadership Competencies (M2)

  • Leads through others and develops organizational capability.
  • Creates alignment across multiple functions and priorities.
  • Balances strategic thinking with operational execution.
  • Makes informed data-driven decisions under uncertainty.
  • Builds strong partnerships and fosters a culture of accountability.
  • Champions safety compliance operational excellence and employee engagement.

#eligibleforERP

MSJR

#PSCS
FLEx2026

Required Skills:

Change Management Decision Making Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) Lean Six Sigma Process Improvement Manufacturing Operations Management People Leadership Process Improvements Strategic Alliances Strategic Thinking

Preferred Skills:

Continuous Improvement Lean Six Sigma (LSS) Manufacturing Operations

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 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:

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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 anothers thinking and approach problems collectively.

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The salary range for this role is

$129000.00 - $203100.00

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 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

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:

No

Travel Requirements:

10%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Not Applicable

Shift:

1st - Day 2nd - Evening

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

n/a

Job Posting End Date:

08/31/2026

*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.


About Company

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Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey, USA is known as “Merck” in the United States, Canada & Puerto Rico. We are known as “MSD” in Europe, Middle East, Africa, Latin America & Asia Pacific. We are a global biopharmaceutical leader with a diverse portfolio of prescription medicine ... View more

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