Associate Director Facilities and Engineering

Bend Bioscience • Gainesville, GA

3d

About The Position

The Associate Director Facilities and Engineering provides strategic and day-to-day leadership for the Facilities and Engineering department at Bend Bioscience. The role leads team engagement, hiring, retention, professional development, performance management, and communication while fostering an inclusive culture aligned with the company’s values.

The position oversees maintenance and reliability of manufacturing equipment, facility infrastructure, and utility systems to support safe, efficient, uninterrupted operations. It ensures engineering and facility activities comply with cGMPs, regulatory standards, and internal quality systems; applies engineering principles to design, install, and optimize systems; and maintains procedures, preventive maintenance programs, and documentation. The role also collaborates on capital projects, commissioning, and facility upgrades, manages facility-related risks, and uses performance data to drive continuous improvement and inform decisions.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical, chemical, industrial, mechanical, or pharmaceutical engineering, or a related discipline.
• 10 or more years of experience in pharmaceutical validation within a GLP/GMP environment or a related industry, with increasing responsibility.
• At least 5 years of people management experience.
• Ability to apply engineering and scientific principles to analyze and resolve complex technical problems and develop procedures, specifications, and standards for new systems and equipment.
• Knowledge of reliability engineering principles, including asset lifecycle management, predictive maintenance tools, and condition monitoring techniques.
• Experience managing operational and capital budgets and aligning financial planning with strategic engineering and facility goals.
• Understanding of commissioning and qualification processes and engineering aspects of pharmaceutical manufacturing environments.
• Working knowledge of aseptic filling, lyophilization, solid oral dose manufacturing, packaging equipment, HVAC systems, utility systems, and building automation technologies.
• Familiarity with computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS).
• Experience supporting EHS programs and participating in site, division, or regulatory audits.
• Ability to apply mathematical formulas and engineering principles to perform technical calculations and support task execution.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and role-related software for documentation, data analysis, reporting, project planning, and communication.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree.
• Project management certification such as PMP.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and day-to-day leadership for the Facilities and Engineering department.
• Foster team engagement through coaching, development, and collaboration.
• Identify, recruit, and retain skilled professionals while promoting a diverse and inclusive team culture.
• Set performance standards and support professional growth through delegation, goal setting, continuous feedback, and performance management.
• Champion organizational values and empower employees to take ownership of their learning and development.
• Maintain transparent communication through regular meetings, one-on-one discussions, and written updates.
• Oversee maintenance and reliability of manufacturing equipment, facility infrastructure, and utility systems.
• Ensure compliance with cGMPs, regulatory standards, and internal quality systems in engineering and facility activities.
• Apply engineering principles to support the design, installation, and optimization of equipment and systems.
• Develop, implement, and maintain facility and equipment procedures, preventive maintenance programs, and documentation.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams on capital projects, equipment commissioning, and facility upgrades.
• Monitor facility-related environmental, safety, and regulatory risks and implement mitigation strategies.
• Use data and performance metrics to identify trends, drive continuous improvement, and support operational decisions.
• Maintain full-time attendance, behave professionally with business associates, and align daily actions with organizational values.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director