Senior Specialist, Market Research

Job Description

Position Title:  Senior Specialist, Primary Market Research

Focus Area:  Gastrointestinal (GI) Cancers & Oncology Early Commercial Assets

As a strategic partner to the business, the Senior Specialist, Primary Market Research is responsible for understanding business challenges and delivering customer, market, and competitive insights that inform commercial decision-making. This role supports

Gastrointestinal (GI) Cancers and certain Oncology Early Commercial assets across U.S. and Global markets through the design, execution, and application of primary market research and integration of secondary data sources.

Working closely with the Team Leader and cross-functional stakeholders, the Senior Specialist identifies key business questions, develops research approaches, and translates insights into actionable recommendations that support business strategy and execution. This individual is expected to demonstrate curiosity, collaboration, and a learning mindset while leveraging innovative research methodologies, data sources, and emerging technologies to enhance insight generation and business impact.

A successful Senior Specialist will demonstrate the ability to work independently in a fast-paced and evolving environment, manage competing priorities, adapt to changing business needs, and contribute to the ongoing transformation of market research capabilities.

Primary Responsibilities

In partnership with the Team Leader, the Senior Specialist will contribute to the planning, execution, and application of market research by:

• Framing business questions and identifying information needs that support commercial strategy and decision-making

• Developing research and analysis plans aligned with business objectives

• Drafting research briefs, requests for proposals, and hypotheses to be tested

• Supporting the identification and selection of external research partners

• Managing market research projects from design through execution and insight delivery

• Applying appropriate qualitative and quantitative research methodologies and leveraging innovative research approaches when appropriate

• Utilizing primary market research, syndicated data, secondary data, and analytics to develop integrated insights and recommendations

• Exploring and applying AI-enabled market research tools, advanced analytics, and emerging technologies—including synthetic respondents, digital personas, or other approved methodologies—to enhance insight generation, improve efficiency, and support decision-making

• Synthesizing data and research findings into clear, compelling, and actionable business recommendations

• Communicating insights effectively and influencing stakeholders to drive business action

• Ensuring adherence to all compliance, privacy, and ethical standards associated with market research activities.

• Managing project budgets and timelines and adjusting plans as business needs evolve.

Education

• Minimum Required: BA/BS in Business, Marketing, Healthcare or related field

• Preferred:  MBA, MS, MPH, or other advanced degree in a relevant discipline

Required Experience and Skills

• Minimum of 3 years of relevant experience in market research, analytics, marketing, sales, finance, forecasting, business analytics, or related commercial functions

• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills

• Foundational knowledge of quantitative and qualitative market research methodologies and research design

• Ability to translate business questions into research objectives and actionable insights

• Ability to synthesize multiple sources of information into concise, business-focused recommendations

• Working knowledge of the pharmaceutical and healthcare environment

• Strong collaboration, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills

• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities in a dynamic environment

• Demonstrated curiosity and commitment to continuous learning and capability development

• Ability to work independently while contributing effectively within a team environment

Preferred Experience and Skills

• Prior pharmaceutical market research experience

• Experience supporting multiple brands, products, or therapeutic areas

• Knowledge of U.S. and Global healthcare markets

• Experience working within a large, matrixed, multinational organization

• Familiarity with AI-enabled research tools, advanced analytics, or emerging insight-generation methodologies

• Experience integrating primary market research with secondary, syndicated, epidemiology, claims, digital, or other commercial data sources

• Demonstrated use of generative AI tools and applications in a responsible and compliant manner to improve productivity, insight generation, and business decision support

Required Skills:

Business Analysis, Business Data Analytics, Communication, Emerging Technologies, Ethical Standards, Financial Forecasting, Insight Generation, Marketing, Market Research, Multi-Management, Productivity Improvements, Project Budgeting, Researching, Stakeholder Engagement, Stakeholder Relationship Management, Supplier Management, User Research, Waterfall Model, Working Independently

Preferred Skills:

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:

Our company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities. Please click here if you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process.

As an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, we provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.  As a federal contractor, we comply with all affirmative action requirements for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.  For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit:

EEOC Know Your Rights

EEOC GINA Supplement​

We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing together, talented, and committed people with diverse experiences, perspectives, skills and backgrounds. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when people with diverse ideas, broad experiences, backgrounds, and skills come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively.

Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State Acts

The salary range for this role is

$117,000.00 - $184,200.00

This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, government requirements, and business or organizational needs.

The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable.

We offer a comprehensive package of benefits.  Available benefits include medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, including 401(k), paid holidays, vacation, and compassionate and sick days. More information about benefits is available at https://jobs.merck.com/us/en/compensation-and-benefits.

You can apply for this role through https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (or via the Workday Jobs Hub if you are a current employee). The application deadline for this position is stated on this posting.

San Francisco Residents Only: We will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment in compliance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Los Angeles Residents Only: We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance

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:

10%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Hybrid

Shift:

Not Indicated

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

n/a

Job Posting End Date:

08/19/2026

*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.