This role pays less than
55%
of similar roles. Most pay
$140,000–$180,500
— the shaded band above.
At the midpoint, this role pays about
$151k
versus about
$160k
for comparable roles.
Based on 240 similar postings.
Employer
About MSD
MSD (Merck Sharp & Dohme) is the international name for Merck & Co., a major U.S.-based pharmaceutical company.
MSD currently has
47 open roles
on FindRole.
Listed pay typically runs
$117,000–$184,200
across 47 roles with salary data.
Senior Process Engineer, Technical Operations – Small Molecule Drug Product (Oral Solid Dose) joins the technical operations team to provide leadership and process ownership for oral solid dose manufacturing. This role involves managing facility design, commissioning, qualification, and startup while overseeing technology transfer, validation, and ongoing commercial production of products like tablets and coatings. The candidate will perform blending, granulation, roller compaction, tablet compression, and film coating operations while troubleshooting issues such as weight variability or capping. Key responsibilities include analyzing process data for blend uniformity, managing master batch records, and leading scale-up strategies from development to commercial manufacturing. Required expertise includes chemical engineering or pharmaceutical sciences, with experience in cGMP environments, root cause analysis, and process optimization. The role solves technical challenges in small molecule production by ensuring robust formulation transfer and operational excellence across the manufacturing lifecycle.
What does a Process Engineer earn?
Median $150600 from 37 postings across 7 companies.
Provide technical leadership for oral solid dose manufacturing processes including blending, granulation, roller compaction, tablet compression, and film coating.
Act as the subject matter expert for assigned unit operations, equipment, and product processes.
Support capital projects by providing input on equipment selection, design reviews, commissioning, qualification, and startup readiness.
Lead and coordinate process scale-up, technology transfer from R&D sites, and validation activities like PPQ.
Analyze and interpret process data to drive data-driven decisions for manufacturing improvements.
Provide advanced troubleshooting for common production issues such as weight variability, hardness, sticking, and coating defects.
Develop and optimize master batch records, process descriptions, and control strategies.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance yield, throughput, cycle time, and overall process robustness.
What we're looking for
Degree in Chemical Engineering, Pharmaceutics, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or a related discipline.
Typically 5+ years of experience in oral solid dose manufacturing, formulation, or process development (PhD may offset experience).
Experience in roller compaction, tablet compression, and film coating processes.
Experience in process scale-up, technology transfer, and manufacturing process validation (PPQ) for solid oral dosage forms.
Strong understanding of cGMP manufacturing, regulatory expectations, and technical documentation.
Proven ability to troubleshoot tableting and coating processes in a commercial environment.
Ability to interpret process data and use structured problem-solving approaches like RCA or DOE.
Experience with equipment selection, design reviews, and commissioning/qualification (CQV).
cGMP
Chemical Engineering
API Manufacturing
Process Optimization
Technology Transfer
Root Cause Analysis (RCA)
Manufacturing Process Validation
Chemical Synthesis
Purification
Crystallization
Drying Operations
Scale-up
Data Integrity
Change Control
Deviation Management
Commissioning
Qualification
Spray Drying
Particle Engineering
Chemical Engineering
Pharmaceutics
Technology Transfer
Process Validation
cGMP
Root Cause Analysis
DoE
Data Integrity
Downstream Processing
Scale-up
Commissioning
Qualification
ATEX
Material Science
Solid-state Characterization
Chemical Engineering
Chemistry
cGMP
API Manufacturing
Process Development
Technology Transfer
Commissioning
Qualification
Validation
Root Cause Analysis
CAPA
Data Analysis
Lean Manufacturing
Project Management
Technical Writing
Scale-up
Process Optimization
Equipment Troubleshooting
cGMP
API Manufacturing
Process Engineering
Technology Transfer
Commissioning
Qualification
Validation
PPQ
Root Cause Analysis
CAPA
Data Analysis
Chemical Engineering
Scale-up
Manufacturing Operations
Process Optimization
safety, and environmental standards
cGMP
DeltaV
Process Engineering
Scale-up
Technology Transfer
Validation
Root Cause Analysis
CAPA
OOS
Data Integrity
Chemical Engineering
Pharmaceutics
Pharmaceutical Sciences
Lean Manufacturing
Capital Project Management
Commissioning
Qualification
Verification
Drug Product Manufacturing
API Manufacturing
Chemical Synthesis
Purification
Crystallization
Drying Operations
Process Chemistry
Scale-up
Technology Transfer
Validation
cGMP
DeltaV
Root Cause Analysis
CAPA
OOS
Data Integrity
Commissioning
Qualification
Verification
Process Optimization
Lean Manufacturing