Improvement Engineer

Job Description

Improvement Engineer

• Permanent, full-time role with competitive remuneration and benefits

• Location: Onsite at Upper Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand

• Career growth: Expand your expertise in a growing, successful industry

• Professional development: Gain valuable experience in a dynamic, evolving role

Join our Animal Health manufacturing site as an Improvement Engineer, where you’ll play a critical role in enabling safe, compliant, and cost‑effective product supply. You’ll support your assigned Production Team in achieving targets by leading complex problem-solving initiatives, driving improvements, and executing advanced technical activities.

What You Will Do

Responsibilities include, however not limited to:

 Lead & Collaborate

• Act as a technical expert for your team, anticipating and supporting resolution of complex operational issues.

• Identify and champion process, quality, safety, and cost improvements.

• Use project management and improvement tools to support improvements in your area.

• Build strong cross‑functional relationships and continuously improve ways of working.

Deliver Projects & Improvements

• Lead local, site, or global projects—technical, operational, or system‑based.

• Represent your team in wider site initiatives.

• Analyse data to uncover improvement opportunities and provide actionable insights.

Coach & Execute Technical Activities

• Create protocols, procedures, and technical reports.

• Own investigation, CAPAs, changes, and safety/quality events for your technical area.

• Train and coach colleagues in technical skills and system use.

• Provide occasional frontline support where required.

What You Must have

• Experience with sterile/aseptic manufacturing operations, including working within controlled environments, following aseptic technique, or supporting sterile production processes, is strongly preferred.

• Technical background in (Bio)Technology, Microbiology, Chemistry, or related discipline.

• Strong communication, teamwork, and organizational skills with the ability to thrive in a GMP manufacturing environment.

• Demonstrated experience in Clostridial Antigen Production; experience in vaccine formulation, filling, and packaging is an advantage.

• Proven capability in Quality and EHS systems, problem solving, continuous improvement, and project management.

• Prior leadership experience influencing and coaching in a GMP‑regulated biological or pharmaceutical setting.

What You Can Expect

• Autonomy with strong support in a trusted, global, leading Animal Health organisation

• Ongoing development and upskilling with exposure to different projects and technologies

• Flexibility with pathways to broaden your skill set and access new opportunities

• A collaborative team of like-minded professionals who share knowledge and drive improvement

We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing varied, talented, and committed people together. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when varied ideas come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively. We are an equal opportunity employer, committed to fostering an inclusive and multicultural workplace.

Required Skills:

Business Administration, Business Process Analysis, Business Process Improvements, Data Analysis, GMP Compliance, Improvement Projects, Information Technology Applications, Interpersonal Relationships, Manufacturing Automation, Manufacturing Environments, Microbiology, Molecular Microbiology, Operational Quality, Pharmaceutical Manufacturing, Pharmaceutical Systems, Policy Development, Problem Solving, Project Management, Quality Control Management, Stakeholder Engagement

Preferred Skills:

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

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:

Not Indicated

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

N/A

Job Posting End Date:

07/24/2026

*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.