Director, Legal – U.S. Commercial and Compliance Legal

Job Description

We partner with the business to ensure we maintain our company’s values and high ethical standards, comply with the law, protect our people, and enhance our reputation.  We strive to foster an environment that is inspiring, supportive, and diverse.

Position Responsibilities:

The position provides legal support to the Human Health Division, with a focus on counseling clients in the areas of commercial contracting and fraud and abuse risks.  The position also provides legal support to the Compliance department on various matters.  The role provides legal counseling services that are consistent with law and Company policies, furthering business objectives while appropriately balancing legal requirements and risks. 

Specific areas of responsibility include, but are not limited to:

• Fraud and abuse and antitrust compliance

• Pricing, access, and reimbursement policies and practices

• Policy initiatives in support of business activities

• Commercial contracting

• Related liability and regulatory issues

• Supervising activities and managing relationships with outside counsel

Required Minimum Qualifications:

• Graduate of an accredited U.S. law school; admission to the Bar of Pennsylvania or another state

• Member in good standing of a Bar of at least one state or the District of Columbia

• At least 4 years of legal experience in a law firm or corporate setting

Preferred Experience and Skills

• The candidate should have excellent teamwork, communication, writing, and analytical skills.

• Experience in product liability or enforcement litigation and business counseling is a plus.

• Knowledge of the laws applicable to the pharmaceutical industry, including pharmaceutical company patient support programs, is preferred.

• Experience in managing a significant workload, with the ability to juggle multiple projects simultaneously.

• Ability to be proactive, take initiative, and manage a portfolio of issues.

Our Support Functions deliver services and make recommendations about ways to enhance our workplace and the experience of working at our organization.  Our Support Functions include HR, Finance, Information Technology, Legal, Procurement, Administration, Facilities and Security.

#OGC2026

Required Skills:

Biopharmaceutical Industry, Confidentiality, Data Security Management, Ethical Standards, Ethics, Exercises Judgment, Legal Experience, Legal Practices, Legal Research, Legal Strategies, Negotiation, Pharmaceutical Guidelines, Pharmaceutical Law, Procurement, Products Liability Litigation, Regulatory Compliance, Regulatory Issues, Taking Initiative, Trial Preparation

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

EEOC GINA Supplement​

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

$190,800.00 - $300,300.00

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):

N/A

Job Posting End Date:

08/7/2026

*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.