Job Abstract

Job Description

Position Description:

Associate Director, Safety & Environment

An exciting opportunity is available for a talented Biosafety professional to join the Global Biosafety Center of Excellence (CoE) team as an Associate Director, Biosafety CoE.  This individual will be responsible for the management of corporate Biosafety. They will provide technical biosafety expertise to global manufacturing sites, research laboratories and project teams.  

Specific objectives include: 

• Provide technical guidance and advise on biosafety regulations to support a compliant workplace.

• Develop and manage company’s biosafety standards and technical guidelines to ensure compliance and reduction in workplace biosafety risks.

• Lead global continuous improvement initiatives to improve global biosafety programs. 

• Build biosafety capabilities by simplifying existing and creating new systems and tools that enables our customers to adapt biosafety requirements into daily operations.

• Act as a change agent to ensure changes to standards, guidelines, systems and tools achieve the desired outcome.

• Partner with regional and site EHS personnel to implement effective biosafety programs through communication tools, training, and project plans.

• Evaluate, monitor and communicate the effectiveness of biosafety programs and provide solutions to address gaps.

• Promote industry practices that can improve biosafety performance, strengthen compliance and further minimize Biosafety risks.

• Provide support and expert advice to divisions and sites to control biosafety hazards for manufacturing, research and support personnel.

• Provide support and expert advice to other organizations whose functions rely on biosafety regulations, guidelines and consensus standards, such as Employee Health and Global Trade Compliance.

• Conduct biosafety program reviews at company facilities across the globe.

• Identify, interpret and perform impact analysis on emerging global biosafety regulations, guidelines and consensus standards.

• Audit biosafety programs and prepare clear, concise documentation of findings.

• Supporting providing information for required government, industry and management reports required.

• Evaluate Biosafety trends and communicate biosafety related incidents across company divisions.

• Support biological facility decommissioning activities as required.

Location

Position may sit at any Company site.

Position Qualifications:

Education Minimum Requirement:

• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of ten (10) years of experience implementing and sustaining Biosafety programs.

• Master’s degree and a minimum of five (5) years of experience in implementing and sustaining Biosafety programs

Required Experience and Skills:

• Subject matter expertise in:

  • Biosafety concepts, practices, principles (biological risk assessment) and handling techniques and instrumentation.

  • Control and containment measures and methods to control and reduce biosafety risk (biological risk assessment).

  • Biosafety regulatory requirements, industry consensus standards, and recognized best practices.

• 7+ years of progressive leadership experience. 

• Team player capable of working collaboratively within a global, multi-functional team environment within and outside of the EHS organization.

• Ability to influence both horizontally and vertically within an organization.

• Strong analytical skills with demonstrated problem solving ability.

• Experience working with and implementing innovative solutions.

• Strong project management skills.

• Demonstrated strong written and verbal communication skills as well as interpersonal skills.

• Experience in both strategy development and tactical execution.

• Experience in organizational change management (transformation) and continuous improvement.

• Highly independent and able to foresee issues and needs of the organization.

Preferred Experience and Skills:

• Strong familiarity with EU regulatory requirements, industry consensus standards, and recognized best practices.

• Prior biotechnology and/or pharmaceutical industry experience

• Relevant biosafety certification (e.g., RBP, CSBP, IFBA)

NOTICE FOR INTERNAL APPLICANTS

In accordance with Managers' Policy - Job Posting and Employee Placement, all employees subject to this policy are required to have a minimum of twelve (12) months of service in current position prior to applying for open positions.

If you have been offered a separation benefits package, but have not yet reached your separation date and are offered a position within the salary and geographical parameters as set forth in the Summary Plan Description (SPD) of your separation package, then you are no longer eligible for your separation benefits package. To discuss in more detail, please contact your HRBP or Talent Acquisition Advisor.

Employees working in roles that the Company determines require routine collaboration with external stakeholders, such as customer-facing commercial, or research-based roles, will be expected to comply not only with Company policy but also with policies established by such external stakeholders (for example, a requirement to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to access a facility or meet with stakeholders).  Please understand that, as permitted by applicable law, if you have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 and an essential function of your job is to call on external stakeholders who require vaccination to enter their premises or engage in face-to-face meetings, then your employment may pose an undue burden to business operations, in which case you may not be offered employment, or your employment could be terminated. Please also note that, where permitted by applicable law, the Company reserves the right to require COVID-19 vaccinations for positions, such as in Global Employee Health, where the Company determines in its discretion that the nature of the role presents an increased risk of disease transmission.

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We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.  For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit:

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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, generally Tuesday, Wednesday and either Monday or 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 presence.  This 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”.

Under New York State, Colorado State, Washington State, and California State law, the Company is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the salary range for this job. Final determinations with respect to salary will take into account a number of factors, which may include, but not be limited to the primary work location and the chosen candidate’s relevant skills, experience, and education.

Expected salary range:

Available benefits include bonus eligibility, long term incentive if applicable, health care and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, paid holidays, vacation, and sick days. A summary of benefits is listed here.

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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. 

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Relocation:

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