Associate Specialist, Bio Technology Solutions

Merck • De Soto, KS

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

Our Animal Health Manufacturing teams are the people that make our products. We work in the manufacturing plants with a “Safety First, Quality Always” mindset striving for continuous improvement. We work in the local/regional plants connected to our global manufacturing network to ensure the highest quality of raw materials, intermediates, and finished products. The focus of an Associate Specialist within the Site Support (SS) team in the Bio Technology Solutions (BTS) department is on Vaccine and Biopharmaceutical process improvement/troubleshooting in support of commercial antigen/antibody manufacturing and sterile biopharmaceutical product fill-finish. The BTS-SS team is also responsible for supporting the BTS Process Development (PD) team during new process/product introductions. Within a multidisciplinary environment you will cooperate with your colleagues from BTS-SS, BTS-PD, BTS-Analytical, Operations, Engineering, Quality Control/Assurance, Supply Chain or Planning, Regulatory Affairs, Safety, and Research. Your main field of attention is to provide all-round technical support to Vaccine and Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing for commercial Animal Health products. Position Description: Our Company is a global health care leader with a diversified portfolio of prescription medicines, vaccines and consumer health products, as well as animal health products. Today, we are building a new kind of healthcare company – one that is ready to help create a healthier future for all of us. Our ability to excel depends on the integrity, knowledge, imagination, skill, diversity and teamwork of people like you. To this end, we strive to create an environment of mutual respect, encouragement and teamwork. As part of our global team, you’ll have the opportunity to collaborate with talented and dedicated colleagues while developing and expanding your career. At the campus in De Soto, Kansas, we have an Associate Specialist, Engineering position available on our Bio Technology Solutions Team. The manufacturing facility is located in the Kansas City area a short distance from the University of Kansas. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to apply their enthusiasm and technical skills as a member of a multidisciplinary team supporting the operation of pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, vaccine product manufacturing facilities.

Requirements

• B.S. or M.S. degree in biochemistry, biochemical engineering, biological systems engineering, biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, or related disciplines
• Relevant pharmaceutical industry experience
• Excellent academic record
• Effective verbal and written communication skills, team skills, personal character, and ethics
• Strong problem solving skills and a hands-on approach to problem solving, with a bias towards going to see problems for oneself in the field
• Ability to examine an issue from diverse perspectives (safety, compliance, maintenance, automation, equipment, process, and people) in order to best understand and resolve it
• Enthusiasm, confidence, and initiative-taking ability needed for continuous learning and its applications
• Strategic and motivational ambition to succeed and to help others to do the same

Nice To Haves

• cGMP environment
• Work, co-op, or internship experience in industry

Responsibilities

• Leads and/or works independently to optimize and/or troubleshoot manufacturing processes for microbial, virus or cell cultures followed by purification/concentration and blending/fill of veterinary vaccines and biopharmaceuticals (antibody therapeutics).
• Leads and/or works independently and/or supports a team member with focus on technology transfer within or between manufacturing sites.
• Works at the speed of business to resolve manufacturing challenges while always ensuring timelines meet the requirements of the customer regarding safety, quality, cost-efficiency, practical applicability, and consistency.
• Leads and/or works independently as a team member on technical investigations, validation and/or process improvement projects.
• Examines issues from diverse perspectives (safety, compliance, automation, equipment, process and people) in order to best understand and resolve the root cause.
• Whether working independently or in collaboration with other departments (e.g. Quality, Research, Production, BTS – Analytical and /or Process Development), must ensure sound scientific data/literature/evaluation and integrity drives every decision/recommendation.
• Collaborates and interfaces with Research, Process/Analytical Development, Manufacturing and other departments to ensure commercial products are produced to keep up with commercial needs.
• Develops project charters and project plans and align with all sponsors and stakeholders.
• Key capabilities include project management skills: development of timelines, use of project tracking tools, definition of deliverables, definition of roles and responsibilities, risk identification/tracking/mitigation and business acumen.
• Coordinates and tracks team activities by leading or participating in core team meetings, communicates project risks and status to appropriate stakeholders, and escalates challenges as well as opportunities to sponsors at the speed of the business need.
• Assures consistent application of standardized work, engineering controls, and process analytical technology.
• Authors experimental protocols and reports in support of laboratory or production scale evaluations.
• Creates and updates technical and manufacturing documents necessary for investigations, process design/definition, engineering studies, process demonstrations, change control and validation.
• Displays our company's leadership behaviors and demonstrates high emotional intelligence.

Benefits

• medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family)
• retirement benefits, including 401(k)
• paid holidays
• vacation
• compassionate and sick days

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees