Associate Director Data Architect

Job Description The Associate Director, Data Architect (M-track) leads and develops a programming and reporting team - set goals, assign work, coach performance, and manage recruiting/onboarding - while communicating status and risks to leadership and partners. Provide hands-on technical review, solutioning support, enforce SOPs/standards, manage workload and prioritization, track quality and timelines, and drive best practices (code review, reusable components, test automation) and continuous improvement.  **Responsibilities:** Programming and reporting  * Lead design and deployment of clinical technology system solutions (e.g., for EDC \[Electronic Data Capture\], RTSM \[Randomization and Trial Supply Management\], and eCOA/ePRO \[electronic Clinical Outcomes Assessment/ electronic Patient-Reported Outcomes\]) using programming frameworks and automation tools.  * Provide technical oversight for clinical programming, reporting, and data integration across portfolios.  * Recommend and implement tools to streamline design, build, and validation processes.  * Apply data literacy to design transformation strategies for actionable insights.  * Develop advanced reporting solutions (dashboards, listings, visual analytics) with reusable components and role-based access.  Data Engineering  * Define and govern integration architecture, including data sources and transformation workflows.  * Ensure consistent implementation of enterprise standards and reusable assets.  * Monitor and troubleshoot data ingestion and consumption for reliability.  * Automate and strengthen data engineering processes to reduce risk and improve efficiency.  * Develop robust data models, semantic layers, and curated datasets; enforce quality checks.  Process  * Drive process optimization by identifying gaps and implementing improvements.  * Translate strategy into clear priorities, roadmaps, and ways of working for assigned domains.  * Lead testing strategies for solutions; automate validation and ensure traceability.  * Contribute to resource planning and workload distribution across global teams.  * Set documentation and audit standards; ensure compliance through rigorous change management.  * Lead cross-functional collaboration, meetings, and enterprise-level improvement programs.  * Influence adoption of data standards, tools, and automation for better delivery and decision-making.  * Provide leadership, coaching, and mentoring to build capabilities and foster a culture of quality and collaboration.  * Support release management across environments; align stakeholders, lead UAT (User Acceptance Training), and improve reporting standards. * Partner across teams to turn data and technical findings into clear, actionable recommendations  * Act as a reliable partner to GDMS and other cross-functional teams, actively seeking input, aligning on priorities, and closing feedback loops to drive high-quality, coordinated delivery.  People management * Align teams around a clear direction; set clear objectives aligned to organizational goals; assign work and set priorities accounting for work-life balance sustainability.  * Conduct regular check-ins and annual reviews; coach for performance; provide recognition.  * Develop career plans; create growth opportunities and promotion cases; ensure appropriate training and mentoring.  * Lead recruiting and hiring and oversee performance management activities, including management of sensitive employee-relations matters in partnership with HR.  * Coordinate on-shore/off-shore and contingent resources; ensure role clarity and effective handoffs.  * Manage an operating budget and optimize spend against priorities.  * Inspires and ensures that team leaders are effectively supporting and empowering their individual leaders.  **Technical skills:** * Expert-level proficiency in different technology languages (e.g., SQL, Python, SAS, and R) for implementing clinical data collectors, integrations, transformations, visualizations  * Evidence of experience in architecting and interoperability of EDC platforms, data integration environments, clinical operations systems, and cloud computing platforms   * Proficiency with key data-management and/or clinical operations tools and platforms (e.g., systems for data capture, review, visualization, reconciliation, and reporting), with the ability to help select, configure, or optimize solutions.  * Broad understanding of the data-management technology ecosystem (e.g., data capture, review, reconciliation, reporting, analytics, and enabling tools) and how components fit together across the end-to-end process.  * Experience leveraging automation, scripting, or digital solutions to streamline data-management activities and reduce manual effort.  * Ability to interpret operational and quality metrics, use analytical/forecasting tools for capacity and scenario planning, and translate insights into clear decisions and actions.  * Strong understanding of common clinical and regulatory data standards, clinical operational data models, metadata management, and controlled terminologies (e.g., MedDRA, WHODrug) to ensure consistency and submission readiness.  * Strong understanding of validation, system lifecycle, data-privacy, and System Development Lifecycle Management activities  * Strong understanding of drug discovery process, FDA regulations, GxP / ICH guidelines  * Ability to connect business outcomes to technical deliverables  **Non-technical skills:** * Strong ability to lead teams in a matrixed, global organization while ensuring delivery excellence through effective problem-solving techniques  * Demonstrated success in coaching, developing, and performance-managing high-performing individuals  * Builds strong partnerships across technical, business, and quality functions to enhance collaboration and deliver integrated outcomes  * Balances business needs, resource capacity, and compliance requirements to make sound operational decisions  * Capable of leading teams through process and organizational transformation with empathy and clarity  **Enterprise Leadership Skills:** * **Execution Excellence |** Is results-focused per compliance standards; sets ambitious expectations for accomplishment and ensures others contribute to org strategies by focusing them on the most critical priorities; translates departmental goals into clear expectations  * **Coaching and Development |** Manages individual contributors and/or supervisors, provides technical guidance, and develops others through coaching, feedback, and guidance  * **Entrepreneurship |** Embraces patient customer focus, ensuring that internal or external customer perspective is the driving force behind strategic priorities, business decisions, org processes, and individual activities; crafts and implements service practices that meet customers' and own organization needs  **Qualifications & experience:** * **Bachelor's Degree** with a minimum of 8 years experience working in clinical data programming, data engineering, or related data-management/clinical operations function, as well as:  * 2 years people management experience.   * Demonstrated deep subject matter expertise in clinical development.   **OR**  * **Advanced Degree (Masters or Doctorate)** with a minimum of 4 years experience working in clinical data programming, data engineering, or related data-management/clinical operations functions, as well as:  * 2 years people management experience.   * Demonstrated deep subject matter expertise in clinical development.  **Headcount responsibility: 6-8** **Required Skills:** Data Analysis, Data Engineering, Data Validation, Electronic Data Capture (EDC), Good Clinical Practice (GCP), Integration Architecture, Metadata Management **Preferred Skills:** Current Employees apply [HERE](https://wd5.myworkday.com/msd/d/task/1422$6687.htmld) Current Contingent Workers apply [HERE](https://wd5.myworkday.com/msd/d/task/1422$4020.htmld) **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:** No Travel Required **Flexible Work Arrangements:** Hybrid **Shift:** Not Indicated **Valid Driving License:** No **Hazardous Material(s):** n/a **Job Posting End Date:** 08/10/2026 **\*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.**