Senior Specialist Quality Assurance

Job Description

Senior Specialist, Quality Assurance: Principal Quality Auditor

The mission of Quality Assurance is to: safeguard the rights and well-being of patients; the welfare of animals; comply with applicable global regulatory requirements through sound processes and procedures, and to provide independent assurance that delivers high quality data and clinical supplies.

This position reports to the Director, Global Clinical Supplies Quality and is critical to maintaining the global clinical supply chain via disposition activities for clinical finished goods provided by our Company for worldwide clinical trials. Specifically, this includes batch documentation review ensuring our clinical supplies are in compliance with current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs) regulations and relevant regulatory filing submissions. Areas of focus of this position revolve around the detailed workings of clinical packaging, labeling and distribution activities and associated regulatory submissions for Investigational New Drug applications and Clinical Trial Applications in relation to complex/niche supply chains and supply types for clinical protocols as well as Managed Access Programs, Joint Ventures/Collaborations, Independent Investigator-Initiated Studies, etc.

Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:

• Evaluation and disposition of clinical supply materials with the assurance that the materials were produced in conformance to all applicable policies/procedures of our Company and compliance with all governing regulations.

• Coordinate and/or support the preparation of procedures, processes and quality improvements.

• Leading projects to improve the performance of our processes, including continuous process improvements, investigation Corrective/Preventative Actions (CAPAs), and value capture projects that seek to improve outcomes, reduce cost, or lower our processing cycle times.

• Collaboration across cross-functional and business areas to ensure robust processing, continuous improvement and cross-functional team building.

• Assists in the coordination of significant quality events including fact finding, investigation, coordination of clinical quarantine and recovery actions.

• Providing on-the-floor coaching/guidance of operational and technical issues; providing immediate resolution on the shop floor to deviations and potential deviations.

• Managing investigations, change requests and project timelines to ensure key compliance and customer due dates are met; escalating any potential misses and develop remediation plans when possible.

Education:

Minimum of a Bachelor's degree with a technical emphasis in an appropriate scientific or engineering field.

Required Experience and Skills:

• Minimum of 5-years’ experience in the pharmaceutical or equivalent industry Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) related field including Technical, Regulatory, Quality or Operations.

• Familiarity with clinical supply batch disposition (release), clinical supply operations, or regulatory filing activities.

• Prior experience authoring, reviewing or approving investigations, deviation management support, and Corrective/Preventative Actions (CAPAs).

• Background in quality control, quality assurance, auditing or regulatory affairs.

• Attention to detail, flexibility and an awareness of production and quality control problems.

• Effectiveness and creativity in approaching and solving quality and supply chain challenges.

• In-depth working knowledge of cGMPs and of regulatory requirements as they apply to the pharmaceutical field or a related area.

• Experience utilizing AI Tools for routine tasks and project work.

• Evidence of leadership skills coupled with highly developed oral and written communication skills, i.e., effective presentation of concepts and ideas, as well as interpersonal and conflict resolution skills.

• Demonstrated teamwork skills including ownership and accountability.

• Ability to experiment, learn, and adapt; pilot new concepts; demonstrated change management.

Preferred Skills:

• Ability to independently manage multiple priorities and projects.

• Ability to lead and support teams of a cross-functional and multi-level nature, including senior management representatives.

• Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving skills.

• Knowledge of Lean Six Sigma and Project Management.

• Knowledge and competency in ERP/MES, Document management systems, SAP, PowerPoint, Excel, and Word.

Required Skills:

Adaptability, Adaptability, Animal Welfare, Audits Compliance, Clinical Trials, Continuous Process Improvement, Data Analysis, Detail-Oriented, Deviation Management, Employee Training Programs, GMP Auditing, International Regulatory Compliance, Interpersonal Relationships, Joint Ventures, Manufacturing Processes, Manufacturing Quality Control, Medical Supply Management, Preventive Action, Process Improvements, Quality Assurance (QA), Quality Assurance Systems, Quality Control Management, Quality Risk Management, Regulatory Affairs Compliance, Supply Chain Quality {+ 2 more}

Preferred Skills:

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:

Our company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities. Please click here if you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process.

As an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, we provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. As a federal contractor, we comply with all affirmative action requirements for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit:

EEOC Know Your Rights

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We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing together, talented, and committed people with diverse experiences, perspectives, skills and backgrounds. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when people with diverse ideas, broad experiences, backgrounds, and skills come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively.

Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State Acts

The salary range for this role is

$106,200.00 - $167,200.00

This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, government requirements, and business or organizational needs.

The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable.

We offer a comprehensive package of benefits. Available benefits include medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, including 401(k), paid holidays, vacation, and compassionate and sick days. More information about benefits is available at https://jobs.merck.com/us/en/compensation-and-benefits.

You can apply for this role through https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (or via the Workday Jobs Hub if you are a current employee). The application deadline for this position is stated on this posting.

San Francisco Residents Only: We will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment in compliance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Los Angeles Residents Only: We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance

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:

10%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Hybrid

Shift:

1st - Day

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

No

Job Posting End Date:

07/10/2026

*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.