Sr. Spclst, Engineering at Merck in Wilmington, NC

Sr. Spclst, Engineering
Location: USA - Delaware - Wilmington (Biotech)
Job Description
Position Summary
The Senior Mechanical Engineer is a key technical leader responsible for the design, startup, commissioning, qualification, operation, reliability, and lifecycle management of the Wilmington site's Central Utility Building (CUB) and critical utility infrastructure. As part of a greenfield biologics manufacturing campus, this role bridges project execution into commercial operations while ensuring safe, reliable, compliant, and sustainable utility performance.
Key Responsibilities
Provide mechanical engineering leadership during design, construction, commissioning, qualification, startup, and commercial operations of the Central Utility Building (CUB).
Serve as the engineering owner for critical utility systems including boilers, chilled water, cooling towers, HVAC, compressed air, instrument air, condenser water, domestic water, plant water distribution, condensate recovery, and utility distribution networks.
Critical utilities Compressed Air, HVAC, purified water, WFI and Clean Steam.
Provide 24/7 technical support for utility and facility systems, leading troubleshooting of complex mechanical issues.
Review engineering packages, P&IDs, specifications, calculations, and construction documents for compliance with our Company's engineering standards and cGMP requirements.
Support FAT, SAT, CQV, operational readiness, and equipment turnover activities.
Develop preventive, predictive, and reliability-centered maintenance strategies to maximize equipment availability.
Lead Root Cause Analysis (RCA), failure investigations, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Own and maintain engineering documentation including P&IDs, equipment files, drawings, maintenance strategies, and asset hierarchies.
Coach technicians and junior engineers while serving as the site's mechanical utility subject matter expert.
Partner with Manufacturing, Maintenance, Reliability, Automation, Quality, EHSS, Validation, and Capital Projects to ensure operational excellence.
Drive energy optimization, sustainability, asset lifecycle planning, and long-term infrastructure reliability.
Maintain inspection readiness and compliance with cGMP, OSHA, environmental regulations, and corporate engineering standards.
Support future capital projects, infrastructure expansion, and lifecycle replacement planning.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline.
8+ years supporting pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or other regulated manufacturing environments.
Strong expertise with boilers, chillers, HVAC, compressed air, pumping systems, heat transfer systems, and mechanical utilities.
Experience with greenfield projects, commissioning, startup, and operational readiness.
Knowledge of CMMS systems, reliability engineering, and asset management.
Excellent communication, leadership, and mentoring skills.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience supporting biologics or sterile manufacturing facilities.
Knowledge of CQV, FAT, SAT, ISA, ASME, NFPA, OSHA, and cGMP standards.
Professional Engineer (PE) and/or CMRP certification preferred.
Experience with Building Automation Systems and sustainability initiatives.
Leadership Competencies
Technical excellence and sound engineering judgment.
Collaborative leadership and talent development.
Commitment to safety, quality, compliance, and operational excellence.
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced greenfield environment while building sustainable engineering systems.
Required Skills:
Biotechnology, Biotechnology, Capital Projects, Compressed Air, Coordination of Trades, Corporate Productions, Cost Effectiveness Analysis, Decision Making, Design for Manufacturing (DFM), Engineering Document Management, Engineering Standards, Equipment Installations, Estimation and Planning, Fabrication Management, HVAC Systems, Interpersonal Relationships, Maintenance Supervision, Manufacturing Environments, Manufacturing Quality Control, Manufacturing Scale-Up, Mass Production, Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Principles, Operational Excellence, Pump Systems {+ 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:
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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.
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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:
25%
Flexible Work Arrangements:
Not Applicable
Shift:
1st - Day
Valid Driving License:
No
Hazardous Material(s):
n/a
Job Posting End Date:
08/13/2026
*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.