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

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:

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.