Merck & Co. is expected to eliminate 54 positions at its Rahway, New Jersey, headquarters, according to separate reports by ROI-NJ and NJBIZ that cited a filing with the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
The reductions are scheduled in two phases, on Dec. 11, 2026, and Jan. 4, 2027, the publications reported. Neither report identified the affected job functions, departments or employee groups.
The information appeared in reporting by ROI-NJ, published Sept. 9, and NJBIZ, published Sept. 8, rather than in an official Merck announcement. Merck had not issued a public announcement of the 54-job reduction at the time of those reports.
NJBIZ reported that a Merck spokesperson said the personnel actions are connected to the company’s “multiyear optimization” program. The company said it remains committed to New Jersey, where it employs more than 8,000 people and has invested nearly $3 billion in operations since 2018, according to the publication.
Both outlets linked the proposed Rahway reductions to a broader restructuring initiative Merck announced in July 2025. ROI-NJ reported that the company has reduced its New Jersey workforce by 350 employees since then, while NJBIZ described the Rahway action as the fourth reduction affecting the company’s New Jersey operations since last summer.
NJBIZ reported that Merck’s broader plan seeks to reduce costs by $3 billion by the end of 2027, with an expected 6,000 job reductions across its U.S. footprint. The program also includes manufacturing optimization and real-estate consolidation, the publication said.
ROI-NJ and NJBIZ reported that the company is pursuing the cost-reduction effort as it prepares for patent losses in 2028 for cancer drug Keytruda and vaccine Gardasil.
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