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Merck Group seeks a Head of Materials AI to lead a deployed portfolio of AI products and shape the operating model for AI-driven R&D across global sites. You will manage a multidisciplinary team, own a multi-year budget, and drive lab digitization from ELN integration to interatomic modeling, linking 100+ instruments and migrating millions of historical experiments. Ideal candidates hold a PhD or equivalent and have 10+ years leading tech teams and digital transformations in R&D with hands-on AI deployment and a proven product delivery track record. Location options: San Jose, USA; Germany; Taiwan; Korea; Japan; onsite. Apply via the careers portal with a concise cover note and strategy-to-delivery examples.

Work Your Magic with us!  

Ready to explore, break barriers, and discover more? We know you’ve got big plans – so do we! Our colleagues across the globe love innovating with science and technology to enrich people’s lives with our solutions in Healthcare, Life Science, and Electronics. Together, we dream big and are passionate about caring for our rich mix of people, customers, patients, and planet. That's why we are always looking for curious minds that see themselves imagining the unimaginable with us.

Everything we do in Electronics is to help us deliver on our purpose of being the company behind the companies, advancing digital living. We are dedicated to being the trusted supplier of high-tech materials, services and specialty chemicals for the electronics, automotive and cosmetics industries. We foster a global collaborative organization made up of individuals who have the passion to win, obsess about the customer, are relentlessly curious and act with urgency. Together, we push the boundaries of science to make more possible for our customers.

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  Your Role: Head of Materials AI 

   

  EMD Electronics is in the middle of a fundamental shift in how R&D gets done, and you will be at the helm of this transformation. You will lead a deployed portfolio of AI products with real users, a multidisciplinary team of scientists and engineers, and a substantial strategic investment behind you. Your mandate is to scale what works, sharpen what doesn’t, and define the operating model for AI-amplified R&D before the industry converges around one. You will shape the Materials AI roadmap across AI co-scientists, Bayesian optimization, ML-based simulation, lab digitization, and ELN infrastructure across global sites. You’ll have an annual program budget and multi-year commitment from technology leadership to drive multi-site impact. You will influence how R&D scientists design experiments, capture data, and analyze results to close the gap between AI capability and daily research practice. You will represent the company’s AI leadership externally at conferences and partnerships. You will own and prioritize a portfolio of concurrent AI and digital programs, managing budget, vendors, and milestone delivery. You will architect and scale a deployed multi-agent AI co-scientist platform into the primary R&D workflow tool. You will extend MLIP and interatomic potential modeling to new material systems and use cases. You will complete global lab digitization, connecting 100+ instruments to ELN and migrating millions of historical experiments. You will lead a global team across Germany, the US, and Asia, driving cross-functional collaboration with CTO, R&D sites, and business functions.

  Who You Are:

   

  • Advanced degree (PhD or equivalent) in computer science, data science, chemistry, materials science, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
  • 10+ years leading technical teams and large-scale digital transformation programs, including experience in R&D or science-driven organizations.
  • Hands-on AI/ML experience (LLMs, Bayesian optimization, or data-driven modeling) in a real deployment context.
  • Proven track record delivering digital products in complex, multi-stakeholder environments, bridging data/AI strategy and operational delivery.
  • Experience with new product development and scale-up commercialization.
  • Proficiency in agentic AI architectures and large language model–based systems, plus modern data infrastructure.
  • Demonstrated ability to drive technological adoption and embed tools into how people work.
  • Experience leading international, multi-site teams of scientists and engineers across disciplines.

Location:  San Jose, United States; Germany; Taiwan; Korea; Japan

What we offer: We are curious minds that come from a broad range of backgrounds, perspectives, and life experiences. We believe that this variety drives excellence and innovation, strengthening our ability to lead in science and technology. We are committed to creating access and opportunities for all to develop and grow at your own pace. Join us in building a culture of inclusion and belonging that impacts millions and empowers everyone to work their magic and champion human progress!

Apply now and become a part of a team that is dedicated to Sparking Discovery and Elevating Humanity!