Associate Specialist, Data Science

Job Description

Job Title: Associate Specialist - Data Science & AI

We are looking for an Associate Specialist, Data Science & AI to join our Data Science & AI team.

In this role, you will help solve complex business problems using Data Science, Machine Learning, Generative AI, and Agentic AI, with a strong focus on building reusable and scalable solutions that can create value across diverse international markets.

You will collaborate with Data Science, business, engineering, technology, and market teams across geographies to understand problems, develop solutions, and support their deployment and adoption.

We are looking for someone who combines strong technical foundations with curiosity, collaboration, ownership, and accountability. Experience in pharmaceutical or healthcare is a plus, but not mandatory.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate with business, market, Data Science, engineering, and technology teams to translate business challenges into practical Data Science and AI solutions.
• Design and develop reusable, configurable, and scalable AI/ML solutions that can be applied across markets with different business needs, data availability, and levels of maturity.
• Perform data exploration, feature engineering, statistical analysis, experimentation, and predictive modelling using structured and unstructured datasets.
• Develop and evaluate ML solutions for use cases such as segmentation, targeting, propensity modelling, recommendation, personalization, and optimization.
• Contribute to Generative AI and Agentic AI solutions, including LLM applications, RAG, AI assistants, AI agents, and agentic workflows.
• Build high-quality and reusable analytical and AI components using Python, SQL, and modern AI/ML frameworks.
• Apply appropriate evaluation approaches to assess model and AI solution performance, reliability, and business relevance.
• Take ownership of assigned solutions and workstreams, with accountability for quality, timelines, documentation, and outcomes.
• Collaborate with engineering and MLOps teams to support deployment, monitoring, maintenance, and continuous improvement of AI/ML solutions.
• Contribute to a collaborative Data Science & AI community by sharing knowledge, reusable assets, best practices, and learnings across teams and markets.

Required Experience, Skills and Qualifications:

• Bachelor or Master degree in computer science, Data Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Engineering, or another relevant quantitative discipline.
• 2+ years of relevant experience in Data Science, Machine Learning, Advanced Analytics, or AI.
• Strong hands-on experience with Python and SQL.
• Good understanding of machine learning, statistics, feature engineering, experimentation, model evaluation, and validation.
• Hands-on experience with common ML libraries and frameworks such as scikit-learn, XGBoost, TensorFlow, PyTorch, or equivalent.
• Ability to work with complex datasets and translate business questions into structured analytical approaches.
• Strong analytical thinking and critical thinking skills.
• Good communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively across technical and business teams.
• Demonstrated ownership, accountability, learning agility, and willingness to work in an evolving AI landscape.
• Exposure to Generative AI, LLMs, RAG, AI agents, agentic frameworks, or vector databases.
• Experience in pharmaceutical, life sciences, healthcare, or commercial analytics is a plus, but not mandatory.

Required Skills:

Preferred Skills:

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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.

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