Categories: Pharmaceutical, Manufacturing, Engineering, Animal Health

Job Description

Mechanical Engineer

• Permanent, full-time role with competitive remuneration and benefits
• Location: Onsite at Upper Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand
• Career growth: Expand your expertise in a growing, successful industry
• Professional development: Gain valuable experience in a dynamic, evolving role

As a Mechanical Engineer, you will support the Engineering Centre of Excellence to meet site KPIs by proactively delivering projects across the site. You will lead complex problem solving and improvement initiatives and perform advanced process and technical activities.

You will play a key role in ensuring compliant, unconstrained product supply for our Animal Health site at a cost that meets customer needs.

Using your deep process and mechanical engineering expertise, and strong knowledge of equipment and process improvement, you will at times present data to the Site Leadership Team to secure sponsorship for priority projects and initiatives.

You will apply proven project management skills to influence, partner and collaborate across all functions, identifying and managing complex projects and system improvements.

You will use your technical knowledge to design and execute site and global processes and systems that enable a consistent make-test-release rhythm and drive equipment and system improvements at the right cost. You will proactively involve stakeholders, consider different perspectives, and optimise approaches to gain acceptance and commitment to action.

What You Will Do

Responsibilities include, however not limited to:

Leadership and Collaboration

• Act as the Mechanical Engineering leader for your area, partnering with stakeholders to deliver COE (Centre of Excellence) targets
• Anticipate and solve complex process and equipment issues, generate multiple CAPA (Corrective and Preventive Action) options, and select based on business need and practicality
• Challenge site processes and procedures to identify improvements in process, quality, safety and cost, taking a lead role in remediation (e.g. process flow, equipment options, utility analysis)
• Present to SLT (Site Leadership Team) with clear arguments for projects, processes and change, using historical data effectively (e.g. time series of utilities demand, Pareto of breakdowns with time/cost and mitigations)
• Lead and participate in meetings at multiple levels, using project management and process improvement tools
• Network with SMEs (Subject Matter Experts) and colleagues across the site and within and outside of our company
• Communicate to align and collaborate with cross-functional teams
• Reflect with stakeholders to improve collaboration and ways of working

Projects and Improvement Activities

• Lead local, site and global projects of any size with cross-functional stakeholders, using proven project management tools in your technical area (e.g. new equipment installation)
• Represent your area on larger site initiatives (e.g. sustainability improvements, new product launches)
• Own complex system enablers relevant to your technical area across the site (e.g. IQV (Installation Qualification Verification), engineering standards, safety and Quality SSO (Sub-System Owner))
• Improve and communicate system visibility for status of projects, products and materials to ensure alignment with cross-functional teams (e.g. spare parts by project, team capability charts, site energy demand charts)
• Assess and analyse data proactively to uncover opportunities and recommend actions (e.g. reduce cycle time, improve yield, reduce rework, control charts for yields, schedule adherence, release times, equipment uptime, MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure))

Coaching and Technical Execution

• Promote safety, GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) and compliance through coaching and routine tasks, including pre-startup safety checks and process hazard checks (LOTO (Lock Out Tag Out), safety interlocks, alarms, pressure relief devices), especially on projects
• Verify readiness of utilities, raw materials and instrument calibration
• Confirm equipment configuration and sanitary connections (valves, seals, filters)
• Teach systematic pre-start checklists and verification sign-offs
• Use data-trending to detect parameter drift early
• Role-play abnormal scenarios (e.g. pump failure, filter fouling) and corrective actions
• Perform walkdowns and apply RCA (Root Cause Analysis) methods (5 Whys, fishbone) to reach data-based conclusions
• Track and act on MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure), MTTR (Mean Time To Repair) and spares usage
• Teach FMEA (Failure Modes and Effects Analysis) mindset for critical equipment
• Conduct process capability studies (Cp, Cpk) and root-cause analysis for variability
• Prepare for audits and inspections and support audit responses
• Manage and improve SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures), own deviations, CAPAs (Corrective and Preventive Actions), changes and Enablon entries related to your area
• Train and coach area and COE staff in your technical domain and on systems and tools

What You Must have

• Degree in Engineering or an equivalent field
• Knowledge and experience in Process Engineering or Mechanical Engineering, preferably in a GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) controlled business
• Skills in data analytics and presenting complex problems, proficiency with Microsoft Office, and strong numerical ability
• Proven track record in problem solving, continuous improvement, and project management
• Solid experience in individual leadership, including influencing stakeholders and coaching staff in a manufacturing or engineering environment
• A strong team player with excellent communication, organisational and interpersonal skills, able to operate in a controlled environment

What You Can Expect

• Autonomy with strong support in a trusted, global, leading Animal Health organisation
• Ongoing development and upskilling with exposure to different projects and technologies
• Flexibility with pathways to broaden your skill set and access new opportunities
• A collaborative team of like-minded professionals who share knowledge and drive improvement

We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing varied, talented, and committed people together. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when varied ideas come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively. We are an equal opportunity employer, committed to fostering an inclusive and multicultural workplace.

Required Skills:

Animal Biotechnology, Data Analysis, Driving Continuous Improvement, Engineering Standards, Equipment Installations, Estimation and Planning, Maintenance Supervision, Manufacturing Scale-Up, Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF), Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Principles, Process Capability Analysis, Process Engineering, Process Improvements, Project Management Engineering, Technical Problem-Solving, Veterinary Medicine

Preferred Skills:

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Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

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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:

VISA Sponsorship:

Travel Requirements:

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Not Applicable

Shift:

Valid Driving License:

Hazardous Material(s):

Job Posting End Date:

02/6/2026

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