Full-Time

Associate Director, Legal and Compliance

Deadline 8/25/26
Merck

Merck

10,001+ employees

Pharmaceutical company developing medicines and vaccines

No salary listed

Kirkland, QC, Canada

Hybrid

Hybrid work arrangement; relocation is not provided.

Bachelor's

Category
Legal & Compliance (2)
,
Required Skills
Data Analysis

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Requirements
  • A Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from a recognized university is required.
  • A license to practice law in Canada is required; membership in the Barreau du Québec is preferred.
  • At least 5 years of relevant experience in law and compliance is required, preferably in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical-device, or consumer-healthcare industries, either in-house or at a law firm advising those sectors.
  • Strong knowledge of the Canadian legal and regulatory framework related to the pharmaceutical industry is required, including sales promotion and marketing, health compliance, patient-support programs, collaboration models, interactions with healthcare professionals, competition law, commercial and contract law, privacy, and litigation management.
  • Familiarity with compliance principles and implementation of corporate compliance programs is required.
  • Fluency in French and English is required; English is needed for communication with stakeholders outside Quebec and global senior management.
  • The role requires integrity, professionalism, rigorous business ethics, confidentiality, and the ability to translate corporate compliance policies into clear, actionable local guidance.
  • Strong business acumen and the ability to align legal and compliance requirements with business objectives are required.
  • The role requires pragmatic problem-solving, sound judgment, organizational ability, and the capacity to prioritize multiple time-sensitive projects in a fast-paced, highly matrixed, regulated environment.
  • Exceptional drafting, negotiation, interpersonal, communication, relationship-management, and stakeholder-influence skills are required.
  • The role requires the ability to work largely independently under general supervision and adapt quickly to new challenges.
  • Interest in or experience with identifying, evaluating, and integrating digital tools and artificial-intelligence technologies for legal operations is required.
Responsibilities
  • Provide proactive, strategic, and pragmatic legal guidance to Human Health, Animal Health, and cross-functional teams throughout the product lifecycle, including clinical research, product launches, commercialization, sales, marketing, and distribution.
  • Draft, review, and negotiate commercial contracts, including procurement, distribution, marketing, and licensing agreements.
  • Advise on legal risks and opportunities associated with patient-support programs, digital-health initiatives, data analytics, and other innovative business models.
  • Provide legal guidance on formulary listing, government interactions, health-policy initiatives, and market-access strategies, including agreement review and engagement with public- and private-sector stakeholders.
  • Guide local interpretation and implementation of corporate compliance policies and local industry standards, including the Innovative Medicines Canada Code, PAAB, ASC, and local regulations.
  • Partner with Business Practices and Compliance teams to monitor risks, develop local compliance strategies, conduct internal training, and support audits, investigations, and remediation efforts.
  • Provide legal expertise during medical-legal review of promotional materials and external communications, and collaborate on competitor or regulatory challenges.
  • Advise on competition law, privacy and data protection, and anti-corruption legislation, including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
  • Assist with managing, negotiating, and settling litigation, commercial disputes, and regulatory challenges with regional and global legal colleagues.
  • Support global intellectual-property attorneys by coordinating local external counsel on trademark and patent filings, monitoring infringement risks, and helping design local enforcement strategies.
  • Direct and oversee external counsel, ensuring quality and cost-effective deliverables such as court filings, legal opinions, and complex contracts, while tracking and managing the allocated legal budget.
  • Support the Executive Director in optimizing legal operations, including identifying and integrating digital and artificial-intelligence tools to streamline processes.
  • Participate in regional and global projects, share best practices, and collaborate with international legal colleagues.
  • Demonstrate commitment to the company's diversity and inclusion principles, corporate values, and compliance standards.
Desired Qualifications
  • Membership in the Barreau du Québec is preferred.
  • Experience in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical-device, or consumer-healthcare industries is preferred.

Merck is a global healthcare company that develops medicines, vaccines, and animal health products. It advances long-term health by conducting research and development to create new treatments for diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer, then brings these medicines to patients, healthcare professionals, and institutions worldwide. The company’s products work by undergoing scientific discovery, clinical testing, and regulatory approval before being manufactured and sold or distributed through patient assistance programs. What sets Merck apart is its large, diversified portfolio across human medicines, vaccines, and animal health, along with a strong emphasis on R&D, global reach, and support services like Merck Connect and Merck Manuals that provide professional resources. Merck’s goal is to tackle major health threats by applying science to discover and deliver therapies that improve patient outcomes and public health across the globe.

Company Size

10,001+

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

Kenilworth, Illinois

Founded

1891

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Q2 2026 revenue reached $16.6 billion, up 5% year over year.
  • INTerpath-001 met RFS and DMFS endpoints on August 19, 2026.
  • Merck will present data and pursue filings, expanding intismeran into more tumors.

What critics are saying

  • Keytruda patents start expiring in 2028, exposing Merck to biosimilar erosion.
  • Gardasil layoffs in North Carolina began May 2026, signaling demand weakness and cost pressure.
  • If intismeran disappoints beyond melanoma, Merck loses its clearest post-Keytruda replacement.

What makes Merck unique

  • Keytruda generated $8.37 billion in Q2 2026, powering Merck’s oncology scale.
  • Merck’s August 19, 2026 intismeran win validates individualized mRNA oncology manufacturing.
  • Merck split Human Health on February 23, 2026, sharpening oncology focus.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

401(k) Retirement Plan

401(k) Company Match

Paid Vacation

Paid Sick Leave

Hybrid Work Options

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

-20%

1 year growth

-20%

2 year growth

-20%
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Merck & Company disclosed holding 1,214,126 shares of AI immunology firm Evaxion A/S in a regulatory filing on 10 August. Evaxion shares rose 2% to $3.17 following the announcement. The position follows Merck's September 2025 decision to in-license EVX-B3, Evaxion's discovery-stage vaccine candidate targeting an undisclosed bacterial pathogen. Argus raised its price target on Merck from $130 to $145 on 11 August, citing regulatory approvals and pipeline depth. Merck reported Q2 2026 revenue of $16.6 billion, up 5% year-over-year, driven by $8.4 billion from KEYTRUDA. Evaxion reported zero revenue in Q1 2026 with a net loss of $3.6 million. Hedge fund holdings in Merck fell from 100 funds in Q4 2025 to 98 in Q1 2026.

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Merck dips 0.5% after 12.6% surge on positive cancer-vaccine trial results

Merck shares dipped approximately 0.5% to $151.39 on Thursday following a 12.6% surge the previous day, reaching a record close. The pharmaceutical company's stock jumped after positive results from a Phase 3 trial testing a personalized melanoma vaccine developed with Moderna. The 1,137-patient study met its primary endpoints for recurrence-free survival and distant-metastasis-free survival. The trial compared Keytruda alone against Keytruda plus intismeran in patients with surgically removed high-risk melanoma, with no new safety concerns identified. Merck and Moderna are also testing the vaccine platform in lung, bladder, kidney, pancreatic and stomach cancers. Keytruda generated approximately $8.4 billion in second-quarter sales, representing roughly half of Merck's revenue. The stock now trades 26.28% above its estimated fair value of $119.88.

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Merck announced its personalised cancer vaccine combined with immunotherapy Keytruda significantly improved outcomes for melanoma patients in a Phase 3 trial. The 135-year-old drugmaker's stock jumped 12.6% on 19 August following the news. The trial tested intismeran autogene, developed with Moderna, alongside Keytruda in patients with surgically removed stage IIB through IV melanoma. Patients receiving the combination stayed cancer-free longer and experienced delayed cancer spread compared to those on Keytruda alone. The treatment uses mRNA technology tailored to each patient's tumour mutations, training the immune system to target up to 34 specific genetic changes. It marks the first time an individualised cancer vaccine has shown positive results in late-stage testing. Keytruda generated $8.4 billion in second-quarter sales, representing over 50% of Merck's quarterly revenue.

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