Merck
Executive Director, Laboratory Operations and Platforms
Merck, West Point, Nebraska, United States, 68788
Overview
Job Description Research & Development Sciences IT (RaDS IT) delivers digital solutions powering the research side of the company, spanning drug discovery, CMC development, preclinical research and translational medicine. RaDS IT Laboratory Operations & Platforms provides products and services enabling research operations across laboratories and pilot plants, with a mission to deliver and operate digital solutions and platforms for safe, efficient and compliant lab and pilot plant operations. RaDS IT Digital Solutions and RaDS IT Data & Analytics are partners: Digital Solutions builds domain-specific end-to-end scientific solutions; Data & Analytics constructs data foundations, integrations and analytics capabilities that make platform data discoverable, reusable and fit for insight and regulatory needs. The Executive Director, Laboratory Operations & Platforms will be accountable for the full suite of digital capabilities that enable laboratory management and execution, including overseeing digital platforms, services, and practices needed to run research labs — spanning sample inventory, registration, materials management, laboratory notebooks, workflow orchestration, digital instrument enablement, lab automation, data capture and data archiving. This key leader will partner closely with RaDS IT - Digital Solutions to enable reusable platform components for agile and sustainable end-to-end digital solutions, delivering services to enable commercial informatics platforms and custom solutions as components of end-to-end digital solutions. The role will also partner with the RaDS IT Data & Analytics team to align data standards and metadata requirements with the organization’s data strategy. The Executive Director leads product management and engineering/architecture across the lab management product lines, ensuring capabilities are delivered in a scalable, integrated, and sustainable way. The role will shape the strategy for research operations, ensuring laboratories have the digital and technical foundation to accelerate discovery and development.
Key Activities
Own accountability for all lab management capabilities, covering sample and inventory workflows, lab execution and planning, and data and device management. Manage & lead both product management and engineering/architecture functions for the lab management product lines. Define the long-term strategy and roadmap for research operations, ensuring platforms and services enable modern, automated laboratories. Partner with research, development, and data teams to align lab management capabilities with enterprise strategy and emerging scientific needs. Ensure architectural integrity, scalability, and interoperability across systems supporting laboratory operations. Drive adoption, usability, and continuous improvement of lab management tools and services. Build, mentor, and lead cross-functional teams of product managers, engineers, and architects. Establish standards, best practices, and governance models to ensure reliability, compliance, and quality across the lab management ecosystem.
Education Requirements
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Life Sciences, or related discipline.
Required Skills and Experience
Technical Expertise Deep knowledge of laboratory operations and associated informatics systems (e.g., LIMS, ELN, sample/inventory management, lab execution systems), or other biopharmaceutical R&D systems, including regulated implementations. Experience overseeing both product management and engineering/architecture teams, driving modern architectural and engineering best practices, as well as agile product discovery and effective product management. Strong understanding of data management, system interoperability, and compliance in research environments.
Leadership and Management
12+ years of progressive experience in research IT, laboratory informatics, or related fields, with significant leadership exposure. Proven track record of leading cross-functional teams and delivering enterprise-scale capabilities. Experience managing large portfolios with complex interdependencies. Proven experience in coaching and developing teams, with ability to rapidly recognize friction points, diagnose root causes and take corrective action.
Strategic Thinking
Ability to define and execute a long-term vision for research operations, balancing innovation with operational excellence. Skilled at aligning lab management capabilities with broader enterprise strategies in discovery, development, and data/analytics. Adept at identifying opportunities for automation, efficiency, and reuse across research operations.
Communication and Collaboration
Strong communication skills, able to convey technical and operational strategies to scientific, technical, and executive stakeholders. Collaborative leader who builds partnerships across product, data, and research functions. Effective at influencing decisions at the executive level.
Program Management
Experienced in overseeing multi-product portfolios and managing delivery across engineering, product management, and architecture teams. Skilled at setting and tracking KPIs for adoption, usability, compliance, and operational performance, driving a culture of continuous improvement. Strong governance skills, ensuring standards and regulatory requirements are met across lab management systems.
Current Employees apply HERE Current Contingent Workers apply HERE
Compliance and Benefits
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. We comply with 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 and EEOC GINA Supplement. We are proud to be a company that embraces diversity and inclusion and encourage respectful collaboration. Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State Acts. U.S. Hybrid Work Model:
Effective September 5, 2023, employees in office-based positions in the U.S. will be on a Hybrid schedule (three days on-site, typically Monday-Thursday, with Friday remote). Some roles may have different arrangements. This guidance does not apply to remote roles or positions that require daily on-site presence. Salary:
The salary range for this role is $206,200.00 - $324,600.00. Salary within the range depends on factors including education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, location, and business needs. The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentives, if applicable. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, retirement benefits (401(k)), holidays, vacation, and sick days. Details 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 posting has an application deadline stated in this posting. San Francisco Residents Only:
We will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in compliance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. Los Angeles Residents Only:
We will consider all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in accordance with applicable state and local laws. Search Firm Representatives:
Merck & Co., Inc. does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms. No fees will be paid unless a pre-existing agreement is in place. Employee Status:
Regular Relocation:
Domestic VISA Sponsorship:
No Travel Requirements:
10% Flexible Work Arrangements:
Hybrid Shift:
1st - Day Valid Driving License:
No Hazardous Material(s):
N/A Required Skills:
Career Development, Communication, Computer Science, Data Science, Drug Discovery Process, Emerging Technologies, Information Systems Management, IT Executive Management, IT Governance, Leadership, Management Process, Methods and Tools, Product Lifecycle, Product Management, Product Strategies, Requirements Management, Software Development, Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), Solution Architecture, Strategic Planning, System Designs, Team Building Training, Technical Advice, Trend Knowledge Preferred Skills: Job Posting End Date:
10/1/2025 *A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply no later than the day BEFORE the posting end date.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Job Description Research & Development Sciences IT (RaDS IT) delivers digital solutions powering the research side of the company, spanning drug discovery, CMC development, preclinical research and translational medicine. RaDS IT Laboratory Operations & Platforms provides products and services enabling research operations across laboratories and pilot plants, with a mission to deliver and operate digital solutions and platforms for safe, efficient and compliant lab and pilot plant operations. RaDS IT Digital Solutions and RaDS IT Data & Analytics are partners: Digital Solutions builds domain-specific end-to-end scientific solutions; Data & Analytics constructs data foundations, integrations and analytics capabilities that make platform data discoverable, reusable and fit for insight and regulatory needs. The Executive Director, Laboratory Operations & Platforms will be accountable for the full suite of digital capabilities that enable laboratory management and execution, including overseeing digital platforms, services, and practices needed to run research labs — spanning sample inventory, registration, materials management, laboratory notebooks, workflow orchestration, digital instrument enablement, lab automation, data capture and data archiving. This key leader will partner closely with RaDS IT - Digital Solutions to enable reusable platform components for agile and sustainable end-to-end digital solutions, delivering services to enable commercial informatics platforms and custom solutions as components of end-to-end digital solutions. The role will also partner with the RaDS IT Data & Analytics team to align data standards and metadata requirements with the organization’s data strategy. The Executive Director leads product management and engineering/architecture across the lab management product lines, ensuring capabilities are delivered in a scalable, integrated, and sustainable way. The role will shape the strategy for research operations, ensuring laboratories have the digital and technical foundation to accelerate discovery and development.
Key Activities
Own accountability for all lab management capabilities, covering sample and inventory workflows, lab execution and planning, and data and device management. Manage & lead both product management and engineering/architecture functions for the lab management product lines. Define the long-term strategy and roadmap for research operations, ensuring platforms and services enable modern, automated laboratories. Partner with research, development, and data teams to align lab management capabilities with enterprise strategy and emerging scientific needs. Ensure architectural integrity, scalability, and interoperability across systems supporting laboratory operations. Drive adoption, usability, and continuous improvement of lab management tools and services. Build, mentor, and lead cross-functional teams of product managers, engineers, and architects. Establish standards, best practices, and governance models to ensure reliability, compliance, and quality across the lab management ecosystem.
Education Requirements
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Life Sciences, or related discipline.
Required Skills and Experience
Technical Expertise Deep knowledge of laboratory operations and associated informatics systems (e.g., LIMS, ELN, sample/inventory management, lab execution systems), or other biopharmaceutical R&D systems, including regulated implementations. Experience overseeing both product management and engineering/architecture teams, driving modern architectural and engineering best practices, as well as agile product discovery and effective product management. Strong understanding of data management, system interoperability, and compliance in research environments.
Leadership and Management
12+ years of progressive experience in research IT, laboratory informatics, or related fields, with significant leadership exposure. Proven track record of leading cross-functional teams and delivering enterprise-scale capabilities. Experience managing large portfolios with complex interdependencies. Proven experience in coaching and developing teams, with ability to rapidly recognize friction points, diagnose root causes and take corrective action.
Strategic Thinking
Ability to define and execute a long-term vision for research operations, balancing innovation with operational excellence. Skilled at aligning lab management capabilities with broader enterprise strategies in discovery, development, and data/analytics. Adept at identifying opportunities for automation, efficiency, and reuse across research operations.
Communication and Collaboration
Strong communication skills, able to convey technical and operational strategies to scientific, technical, and executive stakeholders. Collaborative leader who builds partnerships across product, data, and research functions. Effective at influencing decisions at the executive level.
Program Management
Experienced in overseeing multi-product portfolios and managing delivery across engineering, product management, and architecture teams. Skilled at setting and tracking KPIs for adoption, usability, compliance, and operational performance, driving a culture of continuous improvement. Strong governance skills, ensuring standards and regulatory requirements are met across lab management systems.
Current Employees apply HERE Current Contingent Workers apply HERE
Compliance and Benefits
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. We comply with 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 and EEOC GINA Supplement. We are proud to be a company that embraces diversity and inclusion and encourage respectful collaboration. Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State Acts. U.S. Hybrid Work Model:
Effective September 5, 2023, employees in office-based positions in the U.S. will be on a Hybrid schedule (three days on-site, typically Monday-Thursday, with Friday remote). Some roles may have different arrangements. This guidance does not apply to remote roles or positions that require daily on-site presence. Salary:
The salary range for this role is $206,200.00 - $324,600.00. Salary within the range depends on factors including education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, location, and business needs. The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentives, if applicable. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, retirement benefits (401(k)), holidays, vacation, and sick days. Details 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 posting has an application deadline stated in this posting. San Francisco Residents Only:
We will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in compliance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. Los Angeles Residents Only:
We will consider all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in accordance with applicable state and local laws. Search Firm Representatives:
Merck & Co., Inc. does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms. No fees will be paid unless a pre-existing agreement is in place. Employee Status:
Regular Relocation:
Domestic VISA Sponsorship:
No Travel Requirements:
10% Flexible Work Arrangements:
Hybrid Shift:
1st - Day Valid Driving License:
No Hazardous Material(s):
N/A Required Skills:
Career Development, Communication, Computer Science, Data Science, Drug Discovery Process, Emerging Technologies, Information Systems Management, IT Executive Management, IT Governance, Leadership, Management Process, Methods and Tools, Product Lifecycle, Product Management, Product Strategies, Requirements Management, Software Development, Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), Solution Architecture, Strategic Planning, System Designs, Team Building Training, Technical Advice, Trend Knowledge Preferred Skills: Job Posting End Date:
10/1/2025 *A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply no later than the day BEFORE the posting end date.
#J-18808-Ljbffr