Senior Specialist, Global Engineering Solutions - Packaging Engineer Capital Project Lead

Job Description

Job Summary:

As Process Engineer within the GES Tech Center, your purpose is to deliver capital projects successfully from business case/FEL1 through C&Q Complete. You will combine technical expertise, project leadership, vendor management and stakeholder input to ensure safe, compliant, and effective execution across manufacturing, laboratory, infrastructure, and packaging environments.

You will play a key role in feasibility assessments, business case support, project execution planning, procurement, cost control, construction oversight, commissioning, qualification, and handover readiness. You will work in a dynamic, international environment where collaboration across Operations, Quality, Technology, Maintenance, Safety, and external suppliers is essential to delivering reliable project outcomes.

Primary responsibilities:

Project leadership and execution:

• Lead large capital projects independently or manage a portfolio of smaller projects.
• Guide integrated project teams to deliver critical assets on time and within budget.
• Develop project execution plans and ensure project scope supports an effective business solution.
• Support feasibility studies and provide sound input for project and equipment design decisions.
• Alignment of vendor/equipment deliverables with the core mission of the project.
• Act as single point of ownership at a Tier 1 level to ensure all project sub-teams (DMO, PTO, CQV) are accountable to their cost and schedule deliverables.
• Ensure escalations to Tier 2 are made early and accurately to mitigate major project impact.
• Participate in GES Tier 3 process under the mentorship of the Wilson Tech Center Packaging Lead to highlight escalations and project needs.

Business cases, procurement, and financial control

• Support the development, review, submission, and approval of business cases.
• Contribute scope, schedule, budget, and capital justification inputs.
• Develop and implement procurement strategies suited to project needs.
• Manage cost budgeting, forecasting, and control with strong financial discipline.
• Champion use of least cost scope and TVD (Target Value Delivery) principles to deliver on or under project cost targets.

Schedule, construction, and change management:

• Collaborate with GES strategic scheduling team to stand up level 1 schedule using last planner principles in FEL stages.
• Develop and maintain project pull planning schedules and ensure effective schedule control during execution.
• Provide oversight during construction and execution.
• Implement change management and control (GES change management process) throughout the project lifecycle.
• Identify risks early and lead mitigation actions to protect project delivery.

Stakeholder communication and collaboration:

• Build strong working relationships with Operations, Quality, Technology (Packaging Tech Ops, Automation), Maintenance, QA and Safety.
• Ensure effective reporting and communication across stakeholders and project teams.
• Align internal and external parties to support timely decision-making and execution.

Commissioning, qualification, and close-out:

• Manage or support commissioning, qualification, contract administration, and project close-out.
• Ensure CQV readiness and support a smooth, compliant handover to operations.
• Facilitate GMP design reviews, support validation master plans, and contribute to quality risk assessments.
• Help deliver fit-for-purpose systems that are ready for reliable operational use.

CQV leadership and technical excellence:

• Develop sound C&Q strategies rooted in single test approach and vendor leveraged testing.
• Lead end-to-end CQV activities across a project portfolio when required.
• Coordinate CQV professionals and support system boundaries, criticality assessments, and traceability.
• Support standard work initiatives and contribute to digital or paperless CQV execution.
• Maintain and grow technical knowledge of equipment, utilities, components, and data integrity requirements.
• Challenge vendors and internal stakeholders to ensure robust, compliant, and maintainable solutions.

Qualifications:

Education:

• Bachelor of Science degree in Packaging, Process, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, and/or Automation.

Experience:

• Minimum 5 years of experience delivering capital and/or expense projects.
• Strong experience in integrated project teams, project scheduling, budget control, commissioning and qualification, change management, and stakeholder collaboration.
• Experience leading CQV on a significant large capital project is preferred.
• Some experience with project management, process and packaging technology, automation, or facility management is an advantage.
• Familiarity with packaging equipment, vendors and regulatory expectations.

Skills and competencies:

• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Strong decision-making, problem-solving, teamwork, and organizational skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, multicultural environment.
• Strong interpersonal and leadership capabilities.

• Travel expectations:  Vendor equipment facilities visits for design reviews, escalations  and FAT (Factory Acceptance Testing), collaboration with local AE partners

Required Skills:

Budget Estimating, Capital Projects, Contract Processing, Deviation Management, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Process Optimization, Project Contracts, Project Delivery, Project Implementations, Project Leadership, Project Life Cycle Management, Project Management Leadership, Project Team Management, Risk Avoidance

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 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.

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The primary location for this posting is:

USA - North Carolina - Wilson

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

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

$117,000.00 - $184,200.00

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:

Domestic

VISA Sponsorship:

No

Travel Requirements:

25%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Not Applicable

Shift:

Not Indicated

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

n/a

Job Posting End Date:

10/30/2026

*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.