Associate Director of Engineering

AstraZeneca•Philadelphia, PA

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

This role anchors a high-performing group at our Philadelphia site, resolving complex process issues in real time and driving strategic improvements across automation, aseptic manufacturing, packaging, and project execution. Your work will help ensure reliable supply, faster scale-up, and the quality our patients depend on. You will guide the selection and implementation of new and replacement systems, steward asset lifecycles, and bring data-driven, Lean thinking to a 24x7 GMP environment. Partnering closely with manufacturing, facilities, maintenance, IT, and quality functions, you will shape how we evolve our smart, sustainable production capabilities. How will you apply your automation and systems expertise to elevate performance and accelerate impact to patients?

Requirements

BA/BS in Engineering or Life Sciences.
10+ years of applicable experience.
Experience in a manufacturing or packaging environment.
Ability to communicate, manage people and projects, and lead and coach in a regulated environment.
Project management skills and knowledge of change management processes.
Knowledge of Good Manufacturing Practice, Safety, Health and Environment.
Strong technical background in either Automation (OT), Mechanical Design, Electrical Design, or Process Development.
Understanding of risk assessment and mitigation.
Understanding of data analytics.
Understanding of validation principles.
Proficiency in investigation and problem solving.
Proven experience leading a technical or engineering team.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree in Engineering or a related field.
Experience in aseptic manufacturing operations and packaging line integration, including FAT/SAT, commissioning, and qualification.
Demonstrated success leading technology transfers and asset lifecycle programs.
Certification in Lean, Six Sigma, and/or PMP.
Experience with OT cybersecurity and data integrity for GxP systems.
Proficiency with MES/SCADA and data historians.
Experience preparing for and supporting regulatory inspections.
Vendor management experience across automation, mechanical, and electrical contractors.

Responsibilities

Lead a team of engineers with clear goals, coaching, and performance development. Build capability, foster accountability, and create a culture of openness where issues are raised early and solved at speed.
Own the selection, design, and implementation of new and replacement systems for existing and tech transfer processes. Manage asset lifecycle decisions to improve reliability, throughput, and total cost of ownership.
Resolve complex technical issues with equipment and automated systems by identifying root causes, defining corrective and preventive actions, and verifying effectiveness to sustain improvements.
Lead change controls for equipment and automated systems, ensuring alignment with GMP, validation, data integrity, and SHE expectations. Positively reinforce standards, ensure training completion, and support audit readiness.
Serve as System Administrator for production and facilities equipment, overseeing user access, audit trail reviews, data integrity checks, and preventive maintenance to ensure safe, secure, and compliant operations.
Create and maintain operating procedures, maintenance instructions, and training materials that enable consistent, high-quality execution and rapid onboarding.
Plan and deliver projects on time and within budget, managing internal and external resources. Lead site-level coordination with IT and key stakeholders to integrate technology, reduce risk, and de-risk delivery.
Apply Lean concepts and waste reduction to enhance flow, availability, and quality. Use data analytics to identify bottlenecks, prioritize improvements, and measure impact.
Partner with manufacturing, facilities, maintenance, quality, and IT. Guide procurement decisions and manage vendor and contractor performance to achieve outcomes and value.
Ensure the right coverage and on-call support to sustain 24x7 operations, balancing responsiveness with preventive actions that reduce unplanned downtime over time.
Uphold the Code of Conduct, ensure team compliance with policies and standards, and provide the resources needed to maintain and continuously improve the Quality System.