Assoc. Dir , Product Manager, Disease Biology & PharmTox

Job Description The Research and Development Sciences (RaDS) value team in our company's Research & Development (R&D) Information Technology (IT) brings together product management, engineering, and data science expertise. We enable data, technology, and services that accelerate our scientists' ability to discover and develop innovative medicines that change the course of human health. In the RaDS value team, the Product organization is responsible for implementing capabilities and associated services to advance the drug discovery and development pipeline. Our IT team operates as a business partner, proposing ideas and innovative solutions that enable new organizational capabilities. We collaborate internationally to deliver the services and solutions that help everyone to be more productive and enable innovation. We are seeking a Product Manager to join the RaDS Product organization, reporting to the Lead of the Disease Biology & PharmTox Product Line. The ideal candidate will partner closely with key business stakeholders, the product, engineering, data science, and other IT teams, to define and deliver high-impact digital solutions for preclinical research. The successful candidate will drive product strategy and execution across applications supporting in vitro screening and bioassays, as well as in vivo study data management, from animal management through safety assessment, ensuring integrated, scalable, and high-quality data & technology capabilities that accelerate drug discovery and development. Primary Responsibilities Partner closely with R&D scientists and Business Technology Partners to own, set, and communicate the product vision, strategy, and outcome roadmap, aligned with strategic priorities Deeply understand user needs (scientists, data scientists, lab operations) through interviews, shadowing, and usage analytics Map processes and information architecture to identify pain points and automation opportunities Define clear problem statements, requirements, and success metrics and utilize these artifacts author Product Requirements Document Drive solution discovery and rapid prototyping with cross-functional teams to evaluate value, usability, feasibility, and business viability Prioritize features and trade-offs using impact, effort, and risk frameworks; manage backlog and release planning Manage scientific applications and lead squads to build user-friendly scientific data and technology products; handle risk assessment and vendor engagement as needed Evaluate internal and external tools; manage vendor relationships to influence roadmaps and integrate with internal systems and the data lake Partner with Product Tech leads/Engineering leads to ensure seamless integration across the ecosystem and upstream/downstream systems Apply industry standards and ontologies to develop FAIR applications, advancing in silico models and AI/ML approaches for drug discovery Create and maintain documentation including SDLC deliverables (GxP and non-GxP), guidelines, SOPs, training materials, and user communications Support regulatory audits and inspections by collaborating with stakeholders and Quality to provide documentation and respond to inquiries Coach teams to adopt a customer-centered product mindset; proactively remove roadblocks and elevate issues to maintain momentum Drive adoption using metrics and user feedback; analyze engagement, create reports/visualizations, and run user groups to inform continuous improvement Promote available capabilities to stakeholders, fostering collaboration and integration across teams to avoid silos Develop a cohesive strategy to manage an orthogonal suite of products and applications, maximizing impact while reducing costs and redundancy Diligently manage total cost of ownership Monitor the competitive landscape, standards, and emerging technologies in scientific software and data platforms Use data-driven insights (synthesized from research, observations, and usage) to inform decisions and refine strategy Skill sets 5+ years of experience in scientific software development, pharmaceutical sciences, target discovery, or scientific data management Strong understanding of preclinical development domain and processes Proven experience leading multidisciplinary squads to launch and manage software products; translate business needs into user stories and product requirements Experience with scientific workflows (COTS, in-house, open source); ability to assess, integrate, and scale them Solid grasp of SDLC and Agile practices; comfortable operating in GxP-regulated environments Exceptional communicator who bridges science, engineering, and business; customer-centric and effective in a matrixed organization Proficient with product and UX tooling (e.g., Jira, Confluence, Mural, Figma, Balsamiq); capable of producing clear documentation and visuals Working knowledge of data models, ontologies, and information architecture in drug discovery Proven ability to work independently and asynchronously across time zones, with excellent cross-cultural and organizational communication skills Highly organized, with strong project and stakeholder management capabilities Demonstrated ability to operate at both strategic and execution levels, balancing long-term product vision with near-term delivery Education Minimum Requirement M.A./M.S. with 3+ years, or B.A./B.S. with 5+ years of experience in a scientific or technical discipline such as biology, pharmaceutical sciences, bioinformatics, computer science, biostatistics, biomedical engineering, or chemistry Preferred Experience and Skills Experience as a scientist, Informatics Analyst or IT analyst in a drug discovery or development environment, specifically pre-clinical development area Experience using AI-powered product tools (e.g., for backlog refinement, requirements generation, user insights synthesis, prototyping) Familiarity with integrating AI-enabled tools into scientific workflows (e.g., data annotation, AI driven data entry) Ability to define and measure value for AI-driven features (e.g., accuracy, explainability, user trust, adoption) Experience supervising and mentoring team members Proficiency with data analytics/mining tools (e.g., R, Python) Familiarity with structured, relational databases and data integration. Skill in data visualization and dashboards with the ability to craft compelling data narratives (e.g. PowerBI) Experience working in Agile development environments Required Skills Asset Management Benefits Management Business Translations Client-Centric Data Insights Data Science Drug Discovery Process Emerging Technologies Information Architectures Job Descriptions Management System Development Product Management Requirements Management Scientific Data Management Scientific Software Scientific Software Development Stakeholder Relationship Management Strategic Planning System Designs Vendor Management Eligibility 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. 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. Equal Employment Opportunity Statement 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. Salary Salary range for this role: $142,400.00 - $224,100.00. The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable. Benefits 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 Application Information You can apply for this role through (or via the Workday Jobs Hub if you are a current employee). The application deadline for this position is stated on this posting. #J-18808-Ljbffr Merck & Co.