Associate Director, Business Development, Discovery Transactions
Merck
August 19, 2026
Remote friendly (West Point, PA)
United States
Corporate Functions
Brief Description of Position
- Transact globally to provide business support to Research Laboratories by drafting, negotiating, and executing agreement types.
- Advance discovery research through collaboration with universities, government, not-for-profits, biotech, and pharma; provide access to assets/reagents/technologies; access external innovation; protect IP.
- Work cross-functionally with Discovery Transaction teams and Legal, Procurement/Sourcing, Research Laboratories Finance, Clinical Global Agreements Management, Compliance, Privacy Office, and stakeholders to transact agreements supporting projects and ensuring freedom to operate and IP protection.
- Lead collaboratively by listening to differing perspectives, ensuring transparency, and making timely, disciplined decisions.
- Maintain trustworthy/ethical conduct, comply with laws/policies/regulations, and address ethical issues.
- Use SAP/COMET for funded agreements; add vendors and enter contracts into SAP as needed; capture SAP payment info in LKR records and Midas memos.
- Adhere to expense policies and reporting.
- Support transformation goals (decreasing cycle time, increasing productivity, employee engagement).
- Develop prioritized lists of early-space academic/biotech collaborations.
- Execute or enable licensing and research agreements (non-exclusive or patent licenses, study/evaluation agreements, MTAs, consulting, NDAs, research collaborations).
- Memorialize interactions in LKR per documentation guidelines; provide input on LKR re-platforming/RFA process improvements.
Qualifications, Skills & Experience
- Bachelor’s in science/law; advanced degree preferred.
- 5+ years contract negotiation experience; understanding of legal concepts and contract terminology.
- Understanding of basic/clinical science and academic/biotech/pharma business.
- Solid understanding of drug development and enterprise-wide strategic initiatives.
- Demonstrated experience working collegially with internal and external partners.
Required Skills
- Business Development, contract agreements/negotiations/drafting, developing proposals, drug discovery research, due diligence, licensing, pharmaceutical industry, transaction management.
Preferred Skills
- Intellectual property, IP licensing, patent licensing.
Application Instructions
- Apply via https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (or Workday Jobs Hub).
- Transact globally to provide business support to Research Laboratories by drafting, negotiating, and executing agreement types.
- Advance discovery research through collaboration with universities, government, not-for-profits, biotech, and pharma; provide access to assets/reagents/technologies; access external innovation; protect IP.
- Work cross-functionally with Discovery Transaction teams and Legal, Procurement/Sourcing, Research Laboratories Finance, Clinical Global Agreements Management, Compliance, Privacy Office, and stakeholders to transact agreements supporting projects and ensuring freedom to operate and IP protection.
- Lead collaboratively by listening to differing perspectives, ensuring transparency, and making timely, disciplined decisions.
- Maintain trustworthy/ethical conduct, comply with laws/policies/regulations, and address ethical issues.
- Use SAP/COMET for funded agreements; add vendors and enter contracts into SAP as needed; capture SAP payment info in LKR records and Midas memos.
- Adhere to expense policies and reporting.
- Support transformation goals (decreasing cycle time, increasing productivity, employee engagement).
- Develop prioritized lists of early-space academic/biotech collaborations.
- Execute or enable licensing and research agreements (non-exclusive or patent licenses, study/evaluation agreements, MTAs, consulting, NDAs, research collaborations).
- Memorialize interactions in LKR per documentation guidelines; provide input on LKR re-platforming/RFA process improvements.
Qualifications, Skills & Experience
- Bachelor’s in science/law; advanced degree preferred.
- 5+ years contract negotiation experience; understanding of legal concepts and contract terminology.
- Understanding of basic/clinical science and academic/biotech/pharma business.
- Solid understanding of drug development and enterprise-wide strategic initiatives.
- Demonstrated experience working collegially with internal and external partners.
Required Skills
- Business Development, contract agreements/negotiations/drafting, developing proposals, drug discovery research, due diligence, licensing, pharmaceutical industry, transaction management.
Preferred Skills
- Intellectual property, IP licensing, patent licensing.
Application Instructions
- Apply via https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (or Workday Jobs Hub).