Senior Operations Technician (SUBS)

Merck & Co. • De Soto, KS

120d • Onsite

About The Position

A 1st shift (7AM-3:30PM) Senior Technician position in the Single Use Bioprocessing Department is available at our Animal Health facility in De Soto, Kansas, located near Kansas City metropolitan area. The De Soto facility is part of the global our Manufacturing Division network and is a key contributor to the manufacturing of animal health products. Working in the SUB Processing Team you take ownership of the manufacturing processes associated with the large-scale manufacturing process of Mycoplasma Strain 11 Antigen as well as new products coming into the department. Contribution to the weekly completion and schedule adherence of other production activities within the team is expected. The antigen manufacturing operation is made up of teams that carry out the production activities for the preparation and sterilization of equipment, preparation and sterilization of media components, fermentation of bacterial antigens, downstream processing of bacterial antigens for serial batching and blending of the final vaccines prior to sterile filling. The Single Use Bioprocessing (SUB) Department is responsible for the end to end production of key antigens manufactured at the De Soto site in Single Use Bioreactors. Primary tasks for the team will include fermentation activities from seed scale up to large scale culture fermentations. As well as the set up and operation of stainless-steel vessels and concentration equipment and contribution to the site safety/continuous improvement activities. The position requires someone who can demonstrate excellent attention to detail and achieve a consistent error-free execution of daily job responsibilities, be able to complete documentation using Good Documentation Practices and be able to identify opportunities for process improvement and employ basic problem-solving skills. As a senior technician this position will be expected to deputize for the Departmental Coach ​and display daily leadership skills.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED required; Associates or Bachelor's in a Science or Engineering discipline preferred.
• One (1)+ years of experience working in biological or biomedical industry.
• Experience performing antigen scale up or processing of culture fluids.
• Experience performing aseptic procedures.
• Able to follow/comply with Manufacturing Directions, Standard Operating Procedures, Company/Corporate/Regulatory Policies.
• Demonstrates basic skills in effective time management to meet given deadlines.
• Demonstrate the ability to perform and train others on basic laboratory procedures.
• Demonstrate the ability to work effectively with team members and show initiative to support the team where needed.
• Proficient oral and written communication skills.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working in a leadership role in a manufacturing environment.
• Experience in large scale growth of antigens.
• Experience using large scale filtration and separation techniques.
• Experience using SAP.
• Experience with Single Use Bioreactors, Aseptic Sterile Connectors and Equipment.

Responsibilities

• Take ownership of the manufacturing processes associated with large-scale manufacturing of Mycoplasma Strain 11 Antigen.
• Contribute to the weekly completion and schedule adherence of production activities.
• Carry out production activities for preparation and sterilization of equipment and media components.
• Perform fermentation of bacterial antigens and downstream processing for serial batching and blending of vaccines.
• Set up and operate stainless-steel vessels and concentration equipment.
• Contribute to site safety and continuous improvement activities.
• Complete documentation using Good Documentation Practices.
• Identify opportunities for process improvement and employ basic problem-solving skills.
• Deputize for the Departmental Coach and display daily leadership skills.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Industry: Chemical Manufacturing
• Education Level: High school or GED