Sr. Product Manager, Automation

Merck•Burlington, MA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

As Sr. Product Manager for Automation, you will lead the technical definition and applied R&D direction of automated workflows, instrument integration, and liquid handling capabilities across the Protein Sciences Solutions portfolio. This is a hands-on role with product ownership over the deck configurations, robotic scripts, instrument control software, and end-to-end automation architectures that turn manual immunoassay workflows into reproducible, walk-away, deck-ready protocols. This role requires technical fluency in automation systems and the ability to work across complex global teams to deliver high-impact product and platform innovation.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in biology, bioengineering, automation engineering, or related field.
5+ years of experience working with laboratory automation, robotics, or automated scientific instrumentation.

Nice To Haves

M.Sc., Ph.D., or MBA.
2+ years of product management, applications, field engineering, or equivalent commercial/technical experience.
Strong understanding of automation workflows used in protein analysis, detection, or high‑throughput biology.
Experience working cross‑functionally with engineering, software, and commercial teams.
Ability to translate complex automation concepts into customer value propositions.
Strong organizational skills and comfort working in evolving, fast‑paced environments.

Responsibilities

Define and drive the automation product roadmap across the Protein Sciences portfolio, prioritizing workflows, platforms, and levels of walk-away execution to deliver differentiated capabilities.
Serve as the technical and innovation lead in laboratory automation, bridging assay chemistry, liquid handling, robotics, and system-level workflow design to transform manual processes into robust automated solutions.
Identify and translate customer, market, and workflow needs into automation product requirements, including workflow architectures, performance criteria, and user experiences that improve scalability, reproducibility, and throughput.
Lead the integration of automation systems with software, AI, and assay technologies, defining data capture, control logic, and interoperability to deliver cohesive, end-to-end solutions.
Drive cross-functional product development and delivery, partnering with R&D, Engineering, Software/AI, and BD from concept through launch.
Evaluate and develop strategic external partnerships, including automation vendors, OEMs, and integrators, to expand platform capabilities and accelerate innovation.
Support go-to-market strategy and commercial enablement, including positioning, messaging, and training for automation-enabled solutions.