Assoc. Director - Programmer (AI & Automation) (Hybrid)
Merck
June 27, 2026
Remote friendly (Rahway, NJ)
United States
IT
Responsibilities:
- Oversee and coordinate clinical database activities across multiple clinical programs (review eCRFs, edit check specifications, and database development).
- Ensure adherence to clinical database standards, SOPs, and process guidelines.
- Plan and manage timelines for database deliverables; identify and escalate risks.
- Interface with study teams and stakeholders to integrate requirements into deliverables.
- Align with CDS leadership on technical strategies and execution.
- Lead and participate in improvement initiatives (task forces, automations, emerging digital capabilities like advanced analytics and AI-enabled tools).
- Develop strategies to enhance processes and productivity using automation and data-driven approaches.
- Support testing and evaluation of new systems, tools, and capabilities.
- Serve as SME for clinical database and EDC activities (database development and data integration).
- Provide technical guidance, best practices, and knowledge sharing; oversee and guide Clinical Database Developers.
- Support recruitment, onboarding, mentoring, and technical development; contribute to performance/capability planning.
- Lead or contribute to functional and cross-functional meetings; communicate processes, requirements, and risks.
Qualifications:
- Required: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related (or equivalent); 5+ years in pharmaceutical clinical research/data management; experience with clinical database development/EDC and data management; strong understanding of clinical database design, eCRFs, edit checks, and data frameworks; knowledge of EDC/data management systems; familiarity with clinical data standards, regulatory requirements, and GxP/ICH/GCP; understanding of end-to-end clinical data lifecycle and data cleaning; strong stakeholder management; clear communication; strong organization/prioritization/multi-project management; able to work independently; high attention to detail and quality/compliance.
- Preferred: Technology implementation/system evaluation experience; exposure to automation tools and process optimization; awareness of emerging digital capabilities (automation/AI) and compliance-aware use of data-driven/automation improvements.
Required skills (high level): Adaptability; AI; automation; clinical database programming; clinical data management/standards; clinical development/trials ops; data analysis/engineering/reporting/validation; data quality assurance; escalation management; FDA regulations; GCDMP/GCP; integration architecture; mentoring; project management tools; release management.
Application instructions:
- Apply at https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (or via Workday Jobs Hub if a current employee). Application deadline is stated on the posting.
- Oversee and coordinate clinical database activities across multiple clinical programs (review eCRFs, edit check specifications, and database development).
- Ensure adherence to clinical database standards, SOPs, and process guidelines.
- Plan and manage timelines for database deliverables; identify and escalate risks.
- Interface with study teams and stakeholders to integrate requirements into deliverables.
- Align with CDS leadership on technical strategies and execution.
- Lead and participate in improvement initiatives (task forces, automations, emerging digital capabilities like advanced analytics and AI-enabled tools).
- Develop strategies to enhance processes and productivity using automation and data-driven approaches.
- Support testing and evaluation of new systems, tools, and capabilities.
- Serve as SME for clinical database and EDC activities (database development and data integration).
- Provide technical guidance, best practices, and knowledge sharing; oversee and guide Clinical Database Developers.
- Support recruitment, onboarding, mentoring, and technical development; contribute to performance/capability planning.
- Lead or contribute to functional and cross-functional meetings; communicate processes, requirements, and risks.
Qualifications:
- Required: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related (or equivalent); 5+ years in pharmaceutical clinical research/data management; experience with clinical database development/EDC and data management; strong understanding of clinical database design, eCRFs, edit checks, and data frameworks; knowledge of EDC/data management systems; familiarity with clinical data standards, regulatory requirements, and GxP/ICH/GCP; understanding of end-to-end clinical data lifecycle and data cleaning; strong stakeholder management; clear communication; strong organization/prioritization/multi-project management; able to work independently; high attention to detail and quality/compliance.
- Preferred: Technology implementation/system evaluation experience; exposure to automation tools and process optimization; awareness of emerging digital capabilities (automation/AI) and compliance-aware use of data-driven/automation improvements.
Required skills (high level): Adaptability; AI; automation; clinical database programming; clinical data management/standards; clinical development/trials ops; data analysis/engineering/reporting/validation; data quality assurance; escalation management; FDA regulations; GCDMP/GCP; integration architecture; mentoring; project management tools; release management.
Application instructions:
- Apply at https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (or via Workday Jobs Hub if a current employee). Application deadline is stated on the posting.