Manager – Operations

Job Description

The Formulation, Laboratory, and Experimentation (FLEx) Center is a new multi-modality (small molecule, biologics, vaccine) Drug Product development and clinical manufacturing facility in Rahway, New Jersey. This team works with non-sterile formulations, typically oral solid dosage though also including spray dried intermediates, liquid suspension/bottle fills, and autoinjector assembly. This team produces clinical and development drug product batches in a GMP piloting facility supporting our research division and on-site project development teams.

The Oral Solids Dosage (Non-Sterile) team at the FLEx Center in Rahway is looking for an evening shift supervisor to focus on spray drying production runs as well as cleaning and turnaround activities. This will be a new shift. The successful candidate would stand-up and manage a team of 3 or more operations staff. This includes daily assignments, helping troubleshoot issues, improving the facility through process improvement, learning the equipment, and participating in production activities.

We are looking for a candidate with previous spray drying experience who is willing to work alongside operations staff to execute on activities each evening. The evening shift will be mostly cleaning and turnaround (assembly/disassembly) so a good mechanical understanding of process equipment will be required. While most batch production will occur on days, on occasion spray drying runs may require continuing into the evening, and the 2nd shift team would all be trained for execution on this production activity.

Strong experience in working with Good Documentation Practices (GDP) is required, as the successful candidate will be a reviewer and approver.  Regular feedback and coaching is a part of this position as it will be based on the shop-floor. Experience with electronic batch records and documentation is a plus.

Key Responsibilities:

• Learns equipment well enough to become a trainer.
• Develops daily plan and assignments.
• Facility alarm first responder and early troubleshooting.
• Coordinates with Mechanical team for area/equipment availability.
• Post-reviews batch records and cleaning records for GDP completion.
• Reviews logs.
• Manages cleaning planning, documentation, turnaround, samples, ARL/VRL.
• Coordinates water sampling, cleaning, PPE requests.
• Coordinates equipment moving.
• Direct manager of operating staff including development of team.
• People management, issue resolution, and coaching.
• Facilitates area access requests.
• Functional focused management.
• Manages process locks.
• Hot work/declassification permit management with mechanical team.
• Follows the daily operations.

Requirements:

• At least 3 years of experience managing a team in a pharmaceutical or regulated (e.g. food) GMP production area,
• High school diploma + At least 7 years of experience in pharmaceutical production,

OR

• Bachelors Degree in a relevant field, or equivalent + 4 years of experience in pharmaceutical production.

Preferred requirements:

• Oral solid dosage experience.
• Spray drying experience.
• Experience managing documentation.
• Assignments of team.
• Development and training of team.
• Issue resolution and coaching.
• Partnership with safety and mechanical team members.
  
  

#eligebleforerp
Flex2026

Required Skills:

Batch Production Records, Leadership, Operational Activities, People Leadership, Pharmaceutical Manufacturing, Process Equipment, Production Scheduling, Shop Floor Management, Solid Dosage Forms, Spray Drying

Preferred Skills:

Clinical Manufacturing, Oral Solid Dosage, People Management

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:

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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 another’s thinking and approach problems collectively.

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

The primary location for this posting is:

USA - New Jersey - Rahway

Where required by law, the compensation range for this role is provided below.

The salary range for the primary location of this role is:

$96,200.00 - $151,400.00

This range reflects the Company's reasonable expectation of the base salary applicable to this role at the time of 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.

Additional location(s): Please note the salary range above applies to the Primary Location of the position. Where a role has other listed locations, different compensation guidelines may apply. You may find the salary ranges for additional locations below. If the salary range is not listed for the location you are applying to, our Talent Acquisition team will provide further information to you relevant to your location.

Additional location(s) Compensation Information:

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:

No relocation

VISA Sponsorship:

No

Travel Requirements:

No Travel Required

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Not Applicable

Shift:

1st - Day

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

N/A

Job Posting End Date:

11/17/2026

*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.