Safety & Environment Lead, Associate Director - Dundalk

Job Description

We are seeking an experienced Associate Director, Safety & Environment to join the Site Leadership Team at our Dundalk facility.

This cutting-edge vaccines site plays a key role in supporting global supply through advanced drug substance and drug product manufacturing and quality control operations.

In this role, you will lead the site’s Safety & Environment function, ensuring full compliance with regulatory and company standards while driving continuous improvement, strengthening systems, and shaping a long-term strategy. You will play a critical role in elevating site performance and embedding a strong safety and environmental culture.

Your Key Responsibilities

• Lead and deliver the site Safety & Environment programs, ensuring regulatory compliance with legislation, permits, company standards, and industry best practices

• Implement the company’s EHS strategy at the site through clear objectives, metrics, and action plans.

• Implement and continuously improve EHS systems, processes, and governance

• Lead risk management, incident investigations, and corrective actions

• Partner with site leadership and engineering to embed EHS into operations

• Manage regulatory engagement and represent the site with external stakeholders

• Develop and lead a high-performing Safety & Environment team

• Support site upgrades and expansion, including high-risk and biosafety environments

W hat You Bring to the Team

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Science, Engineering, or related discipline

• Significant experience within EHS in pharma or a highly regulated environment

• Proven track record in implementing management systems and ensuring compliance

• Proven track record with compliance, audits, and site improvement initiatives

• Strong understanding of manufacturing operations and regulatory requirements

• Excellent leadership, communication, collaboration and stakeholder management skills

• Strong problem-solving, analytical skills, and decision-making capability

• Experience in managing teams, attracting talent, and fostering a strong team culture.

Preferred

• Experience leading site programs in Manufacturing, Research, Tech Ops, Quality, or EHS within the pharmaceutical or chemical industry

• Strong systems and IT knowledge is a plus

• Master’s degree, MBA, or relevant certifications such as CSP, PE, CIH, or CQA preferred

Required Skills:

Cross-Functional Collaboration, EHS Compliance, EHS Management Systems, EHS Program Management, Leadership, People Management, Safety Audits, Strategic Thinking

Preferred Skills:

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

SecondaryLanguage(s) Job Description:

We keep the patient at the very heart of all that we do and strive to find solutions and treatments for some of the world's most challenging healthcare needs.

As an equal opportunity employer, we are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing diverse, talented, and committed people together.

Please don't hesitate to contact the Talent Acquisition Advisor assigned to this role should you need any support during our recruitment process.

We are committed to flexible working where possible, and this is why our Company has introduced a new hybrid working model for office-based colleagues around the world.

Please feel free to speak to us about what flexibility means to you during your application.

So, if you are ready to:

Invent solutions to meet unmet healthcare needs, please apply today.

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:

VISA Sponsorship:

Travel Requirements:

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Not Applicable

Shift:

Valid Driving License:

Hazardous Material(s):

Job Posting End Date:

05/28/2026

***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. **