Associate Director, Technical Lead

Overview

• Based in Hyderabad, join a global healthcare biopharma company and be part of a 130- year legacy of success backed by ethical integrity, forward momentum, and an inspiring mission to achieve new milestones in global healthcare.
• Be part of an organisation driven by digital technology and data-backed approaches that support a diversified portfolio of prescription medicines, vaccines, and animal health products.
• Drive innovation and execution excellence. Be a part of a team with passion for using data, analytics, and insights to drive decision-making, and which creates custom software, allowing us to tackle some of the world's greatest health threats.
  
  

Our Technology Centers focus on creating a space where teams can come together to deliver business solutions that save and improve lives. An integral part of our company’s IT operating model, Tech Centers are globally distributed locations where each IT division has employees to enable our digital transformation journey and drive business outcomes. These locations, in addition to the other sites, are essential to supporting our business and strategy.

A focused group of leaders in each Tech Center helps to ensure we can manage and improve each location, from investing in growth, success, and well-being of our people, to making sure colleagues from each IT division feel a sense of belonging to managing critical emergencies. And together, we must leverage the strength of our team to collaborate globally to optimize connections and share best practices across the Tech Centers.

Role Overview

Associate Director where you will lead design and deliver AI-driven solutions across ITSM, HRSD, and custom applications, leveraging Now Assist, Employee Portal, Virtual Agent, Predictive Intelligence, and NLU to optimize workflows, improve incident/case outcomes, and enhance user experience. This role covers key business functions, including IT, HR, Finance and Manufacturing Operations. By overseeing these areas, the Associate Director ensures alignment of AI initiatives with organizational objectives and regulatory requirements, fostering operational efficiency.

What Will You Do In This Role

• Architect and implement AI capabilities on the Now Platform for ITSM/HRSD/custom apps.
• Deliver hands-on solutions using Now Assist, NLU, Portal, Virtual Agent, and Predictive Intelligence (classification, routing, deflection, recommendations).
• Apply AI to improve incident management, service request fulfilment, HR case triage, and self-service experiences.
• Integrate third-party AI/LLM platforms and tools with ServiceNow (APIs/Integration Hub) to enhance automation and decision-making.
• Define guardrails, governance, and success metrics (e.g., deflection, MTTR, routing accuracy) and drive continuous improvement.
• Partner with IT and business stakeholders to standardize and optimize service delivery
• Ensure AI and ITSM solutions comply with data privacy, and security requirements.
  
  

• 10+ years of Strong ServiceNow delivery experience in ITSM, HRSD, and custom app development.
• Hands-on implementation of AI-driven solutions within ServiceNow.
• Expertise with Now Assist, NLU, Portal, Virtual Agent, and Predictive Intelligence.
• Solid understanding of AI/ML fundamentals supervised/unsupervised learning, NLP, and LLMs.
• Experience integrating external AI platforms/tools to ServiceNow securely and at scale.
• Experience working in pharmaceutical, life sciences, or regulated industries
• ITIL Foundation v4 or newer.
• Agile Development.
  
  

• B.Sc. Degree or equivalent in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Systems, or equivalent experience.
• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in computer science, Engineering, Data Science, or related field.
  
  

• Experience with Generative AI and AI governance frameworks
• ServiceNow certifications (CSA, CIS, or AI-related modules)
• Cloud platform experience (AWS, Azure, or GCP)
• Experience driving cost optimization and automation ROI
  
  

We are known as Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey, USA in the United States and Canada and MSD everywhere else. For more than a century, we have been, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world's most challenging diseases. Today, our company continues to be at the forefront of research to deliver innovative health solutions and advance the prevention and treatment of diseases that threaten people and animals around the world.

What We Look For

Imagine getting up in the morning for a job as important as helping to save and improve lives around the world. Here, you have that opportunity. You can put your empathy, creativity, digital mastery, or scientific genius to work in collaboration with a diverse group of colleagues who pursue and bring hope to countless people who are battling some of the most challenging diseases of our time. Our team is constantly evolving, so if you are among the intellectually curious, join us—and start making your impact today.

#HYDIT2026.

Required Skills

Data Engineering, Data Visualization, Design Applications, Software Configurations, Software Development, Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), Solution Architecture, System Designs, System Integration, Testing

Preferred Skills

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

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

Hybrid

Shift

Valid Driving License

Hazardous Material(s)

Job Posting End Date

03/9/2026

• 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.
  
  

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