Assoc. Dir, Engineering

Merck•Upper Gwynedd Township, PA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

At our Company, we are committed to fostering an inspiring workplace that empowers our employees to innovate and excel. Our Global Workplace and Enterprise Services (GWES) team provides essential solutions that ensure a safe and productive environment, while prioritizing the well-being of our colleagues, communities and the environment, making a positive impact beyond our organization. The Associate Director, Compliance is a leadership role responsible for driving Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) compliance and governance across the GWES operating areas in the SE Pennsylvania region. This role ensures reliable, compliant, and cost-effective operations by integrating regulatory requirements into GWES processes, enabling proactive safety culture, and advancing solutions that simplify compliance for operating teams. The incumbent will lead cross-functional compliance initiatives and serve as a liaison among GWES, GSE/GSE-WP, site councils, IFM partners, and operating areas, aligning regulatory permits, standards, site procedures, audits, inspections, and CAPA management with operational objectives. The Associate Director will influence site compliance strategy and administer key compliance programs, ensuring commitments arising from permits, standards, audits, incident investigations, and process safety reviews are met. The role will also champion EHS capability building in chemical management, process safety management, loss prevention, and project management.

Requirements

Minimum seven (7) years of experience in EHS compliance, facilities/utility operations, engineering, or related technical management in an industrial, research, or biopharmaceutical environment.
Minimum three (3) years of line experience with people management responsibility.
Demonstrated leadership in EHS governance, regulatory compliance, permits administration, standards sustainment, audits/inspections readiness, CAPA management, and incident investigation.
Strong knowledge of relevant regulations and standards: air, waste, water, OSHA; familiarity with site permit types (Title V, RCRA, consent decree), High Risk Work programs, and MOC processes.
Proven ability to collaborate across teams and third-party partners with an enterprise mindset; excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills, including work in union and non-union environments.
Experience executing digital compliance strategies and using EHS systems (e.g., Enablon, SMIS) for inspections, CAPA tracking, MOC, and data analytics; ability to establish KPIs and drive continuous improvement.
Technical problem-solving ability and program management skills with attention to detail; capacity to prioritize multiple assignments and adapt to changing business priorities.
Experience supporting compliant capital investments and integrating EHS requirements through project lifecycles; familiarity with engineering and site procedures.
Commitment to building proactive EHS culture and capabilities in biosafety, industrial hygiene, and process safety management.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree in engineering, EHS, or related field.
Experience engaging regulatory agencies and participating in industry/regulatory rulemaking discussions.
Experience with Integrated Facilities Management models and collaboration with external professionals and service providers.
Understanding of our Company's budget, projects and facilities.
Capacity to swiftly address issues and develop solutions that minimize compliance risks, enhance efficiencies, and optimize business resources.
Working knowledge of fire and life safety programs, pressure vessel compliance, refrigerant programs, and legionella compliance.
Certifications such as CSP, CIH, CHMM, or Lean/Six Sigma Green/Black Belt.

Responsibilities

Leadership and Oversight: Leads the GWES EHS Compliance governance model across site/region councils and IFM partners, serving as the compliance point-of-contact and driving two-way communication and “run-the-business” EHS routines (tiers, inspections, Axonify, audit/CAPA) for aligned, floor-level accountability.
Program Management and Accountability: Oversees and manages the site Chemical Inventory Management and GWES Process Safety Management programs. Ensures GWES alignment and effectiveness of Loss Prevention programs. Establishes performance measurements, monitoring tools, and analytics to drive accountability and consistent execution.
Strategy, Standards, and Permits Integration: Shapes compliance strategy, ensures sustainment of permits and programs (e.g., Title V, RCRA, etc.) while maintaining EHS/engineering standards, site procedures (including High Risk Work), Loss Prevention Carrier recommendations, and industrial hygiene plans.
Digital Strategy and Process Simplification: Leads and executes the EHS digital strategy to optimize compliant operations by implementing agile processes; leveraging EHS systems (e.g., Enablon), related platforms, and KPI dashboards to integrate requirements and ensure data integrity; streamlining inspections, Management of Change (MOC), corrective and preventative actions (CAPA), and sewer approvals; and championing innovative EHS technologies and practices to enhance processes and drive continuous improvement across GWES operations.
Operational and Project Support: Integrates compliance across MOC and project lifecycles—supporting permitting and EHS impact assessments—while conducting inspections and closing commitments from incidents, audits, PHAs, and initiatives to reduce risk. Supports Fire & Life Safety standards and corrective actions to reduce risk (e.g., storage racks, local exhaust ventilation, life safety systems).
EHS Culture and Capability Development: Builds capabilities through training and SME support, strengthening proactive hazard identification, High Risk Work, contractor management, fall protection, legionella, life safety, good-catch, and visual management behaviors.
Regulatory and External Interfaces: Liaises with GSE, GSE‑WP, and regulators to ensure inspection readiness, coordinate remediations, and lead dialogues that influence rulemaking aligned with our Company and regulatory goals across air, waste, water, and energy.
Environmental Sustainability: Drives site environmental sustainability performance by embedding waste, water, and energy reduction objectives into compliance operations, capital/project delivery, and routine workflows, enabling measurable progress toward corporate sustainability commitments.