Sr. Specialist, OT Research Infrastructure

Job Description

RaDS IT Research Infrastructure Product Line (RIPL) is seeking a Senior Specialist, Plant Automation, OT Infrastructure, Controls & Industrial Automation to support pilot plant automation, process automation, control systems, and IT/OT infrastructure in a regulated research and manufacturing environment. This role designs, builds, integrates, and supports OT automation solutions across current and future plant automation architectures. Key technologies include PLC, HMI, SCADA, DCS, DeltaV, MES, PI Historian, virtualization, industrial networking, OT cybersecurity, and system integration. The role partners with scientists, engineers, IT architects, infrastructure, quality, vendors, and site operations to improve reliability, efficiency, troubleshooting, and productivity.

The primary location is Rahway, NJ or West Point, PA and will provide support services to other sites. 

Job Description / Key Responsibilities

• Optimize IT/OT infrastructure for plant automation, process control, industrial automation, and manufacturing automation by identifying gaps, trends, efficiencies, and technology refresh opportunities.
• Build, maintain, and support OT infrastructure for GMP manufacturing and pilot plant operations, including secure industrial networks, control systems, and OT cybersecurity practices.
• Lead or support project scoping, technical requirements, IT infrastructure deliverables, commissioning readiness, estimates, and automation infrastructure solutions.
• Partner with stakeholders, scientists, automation engineers, process engineers, controls engineers, infrastructure teams, and vendors to translate needs into technical requirements.
• Contribute to solution architecture for plant automation, OT infrastructure, industrial networks, SCADA, MES, PI Historian, virtualization, on-premises systems, and cloud-connected components.
• Provide technical support for automation systems, control systems, and OT infrastructure, including troubleshooting, incident resolution, root cause analysis, and continuous service improvement.
• Map, design, and maintain IT/OT service architecture diagrams, including control networks, servers, virtualization, backups, archival, data flows, interfaces, and integrations.
• Collaborate with Research & Development scientists and engineers to identify plant automation, research automation, manufacturing automation, and data integration needs.
• Work with instrument vendors, automation suppliers, system integrators, and equipment manufacturers to evaluate and implement plant automation, process automation, and industrial control technologies.
• Provide timely IT support for investigations, diagnostics, troubleshooting, and resolution while partnering with infrastructure, engineering, security, risk, quality, and compliance teams.

Education Requirement: 

• Bachelor’s degree in automation, engineering, computer science, or computer engineering related degree.
• A Master’s degree is preferred.

Required Experience and Skills:

• 5 years of experience with upstream manufacturing systems, pilot plant automation, process automation, or manufacturing automation platforms such as DeltaV, Eppendorf, AMBR, DCS, PLC, HMI, SCADA, control systems, networking, virtualization, server management, capital projects, and PI Historian data integration.
• 4 years of hands-on experience with Rockwell / Allen-Bradley PLCs, HMI configuration, SCADA systems, OT cybersecurity, OT data architecture, MES, industrial networking, or IT/OT integration.
• 4 years of knowledge of VMware, virtualized OT environments, DeltaV, PI / PI Historian, MES, SCADA backup and archival, data retention, Windows servers, and regulated computer system support.
• 4 years of experience with industrial networking, switches, VLANs, subnets, firewalls, Windows Active Directory, virtual infrastructure, servers, and OT network segmentation.
• Experience supporting manufacturing software and hardware, including Ignition, MES, SAP, HMI, PLC, SCADA, DCS, industrial PCs, servers, switches, firewalls, and network equipment.
• Strong troubleshooting, root cause analysis, problem-solving, incident management, and operational support skills in plant automation or industrial control systems.
• Experience building support models for plant automation, OT infrastructure, and industrial control systems, including ownership, escalation, runbooks, monitoring, and improvement.
• Ability to lead multiple IT, OT infrastructure, controls, automation, and system integration projects.
• Able to work independently and cross-functionally with automation engineers, process engineers, manufacturing users, infrastructure, cybersecurity, quality, and vendors.
• Excellent collaboration, communication, technical documentation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Understanding of SDLC, validation, change control, computer system lifecycle, and regulated system support.

Required Skills:

Automation, Automation, Automation Solutions, Data Engineering, Data Visualization, Design Applications, Design of Experiments (DOE), Distributed Control System (DCS), Efficiency Improvements, Engineering Support, Equipment Engineering, Experimental Methods, HMI Development, Industrial Control System, Industrial Processes, Laboratory Protocols, Laboratory Research, Manufacturing Process Controls, Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), Process Control, Reliability Improvement, Root Cause Identification, Situation Management, Software Configurations, Software Development {+ 4 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:

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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

$117,000.00 - $184,200.00

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:

Not Indicated

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

n/a

Job Posting End Date:

10/7/2026

*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.