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Senior Specialist, Manufacturing Automation

MSD


Job Location:

Wilson, NC - USA

Monthly Salary: $ 117000 - 184200
Posted: 21 August 2026 (15 days ago)
Application Deadline: 18 November 2026
Vacancies: 1 Vacancy

Job Summary

Job Description

At our company we aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company. Were at the forefront of research to deliver innovative health solutions that advance the prevention and treatment of diseases in people and animals. We use the power of leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world. Join our manufacturing division and be part of a team that is dedicated to maintaining reliable compliant and secure automation solutions while driving continuous improvement and digital manufacturing initiatives.

Working within the Site DMO team the Senior Specialist Manufacturing Automation serves as the site technical lead for manufacturing automation systems supporting production operations. The role provides automation expertise across PLC HMI machine vision serialization MES IT and OEM manufacturing systems. The position is responsible for maintaining reliable compliant and secure automation solutions while driving continuous improvement equipment reliability and digital manufacturing initiatives. Emphasis is placed on packaging automation vision inspection systems and serialization technologies including Systech Cognex and Optel platforms.

Responsibilities

  • Provide technical leadership and shop floor support for PLC HMI Vision Systems Serialization MES IT Inspection and OEM equipment within Manufacturing Operations.
  • Serve as the site subject matter expert for machine vision and serialization technologies with strong preference for Systech experience and knowledge of Cognex and Optel platforms.
  • Act as the primary interface between Operations and digital support organizations to resolve issues impacting production performance and equipment reliability.
  • Lead troubleshooting root cause investigations and implementation of corrective and preventive actions for complex automation-related issues.
  • Support packaging and inspection systems including barcode verification reject verification processes track-and-trace and serialization solutions.
  • Develop and execute strategies to optimize automation system performance reliability scalability and lifecycle management.
  • Identify and implement continuous improvement opportunities that improve throughput reduce downtime and enhance product quality.
  • Lead or support automation modernization projects equipment upgrades startup activities and new technology deployments.
  • Ensure systems remain compliant with GMP validation data integrity cybersecurity and change management requirements.
  • Maintain automation documentation backups inventories SOPs and system lifecycle records.
  • Provide mentoring coaching and technical knowledge sharing across engineering maintenance and operations teams.
  • Participate in on-call and limited off-shift support as required to maintain manufacturing operations.

Qualifications

Required

  • Bachelors degree in Information Technology ScienceEngineering or related technical field.
  • Eight or more (8) years of automation controls engineering manufacturing systems or related experience.
  • Strong working knowledge of PLCs HMIs servo drives and industrial control systems.
  • Experience supporting automation systems in regulated manufacturing environments.
  • Demonstrated project leadership problem-solving and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Preferred

  • Experience with packaging technology and automated inspection equipment.
  • Knowledge of vision systems including Systech Cognex and Optel.
  • Familiarity with serialization and track-and-trace technologies.
  • Guardian platform experience preferred.
  • MES IT/OT integration data integrity and cybersecurity knowledge.
  • Lean Manufacturing Continuous Improvement and Right First-Time methodologies.

Required Skills:

Audit Management Automation Engineering Business Process Improvements Contract Management Data Management Digital Manufacturing GMP Compliance Industrial Control System Lean Manufacturing Operations Automation Packaging Optimization Packaging Processes Problem Management Project Leadership Quality Management Real-Time Programming Security Compliance Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

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 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 anothers thinking and approach problems collectively.

Learn more about your rights including under California Colorado and other US State Acts

The salary range for this role is

$117000.00 - $184200.00

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

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

n/a

Job Posting End Date:

09/2/2026

*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.


Required Experience:

Senior IC


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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