Sr. Engineer - Process (Small Molecules)

Lilly • Houston, TX

6d • $67,500 - $173,800 • Onsite

About The Position

Lilly is constructing an advanced manufacturing facility in Houston, TX, for the production of API molecules, supporting current and future products, including new modalities. The Senior Process Engineer provides technical support and engineering expertise for small molecule API manufacturing operations. The role may serve as the front-line process engineer for a process team or support front-line process engineers, sustaining process knowledge and contributing to process optimization, equipment qualification, and continuous improvement. During the project delivery and startup phase, the role will be fluid and dynamic, requiring significant collaboration and creativity as the site scales to full GMP manufacturing operations.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical, Biochemical, or Mechanical Engineering, or a related applicable STEM discipline.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience in GMP manufacturing unit operations.
• Qualified applicants must be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. Lilly will not provide support for or sponsor work authorization or visas for this role, including but not limited to F-1 CPT, F-1 OPT, F-1 STEM OPT, J-1, H-1B, TN, O-1, E-3, H-1B1, or L-1.

Nice To Haves

• Previous experience in small molecule API manufacturing, or in comparable API unit operations such as multi-step organic synthesis, reaction work-up and extraction, distillation, crystallization, filtration, and drying; peptide or oligonucleotide manufacturing and biotech unit operations including chromatography are also applicable.
• Proven ability to work independently and as part of a cross-functional process team comprising management, production, science, and engineering professionals.
• Proven ability to identify improvement opportunities and drive them through to implementation with creativity and initiative.
• Prior work with statistical analysis methods and process simulation or mechanistic modelling tools applicable to chemical or biochemical manufacturing.
• Willingness to adapt to a fluid, dynamic role during facility startup and scale-up to full GMP manufacturing operations.
• Project Management & Process Design.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the front-line process engineer and equipment asset steward for a process team, or support front-line process engineers, in fundamental engineering activities for small molecule API supply — including root cause analysis, process documentation, and technical decision-making — with a regular, active presence on the shop floor where the work occurs.
• Capture and maintain process knowledge artifacts — including the Operational Control Strategy, material and energy balances, reaction kinetics, chemistry, and equipment design basis — and understand how equipment impacts related process parameters to support process capability and informed engineering decisions.
• Support the qualification of equipment and process systems, including contributing to User Requirements, Design Review documentation, and Verification test plans, and support return-to-service requirements following maintenance or other interventions so that qualification state is preserved.
• Ensure the correct application of Engineering Design Standards, Engineering Functional Standards, and Engineering Specifications, in partnership with the Engineering Tech Center.
• Provide engineering support for Process Safety Management (PSM) and Process Hazard Reviews (PHRs), including maintaining the basis of safety for process equipment.
• Apply statistical thinking and data-driven analysis to monitor process performance, cycle time, throughput, and equipment reliability, identifying bottlenecks and causes of downtime, and contribute to mechanistic modelling and process simulation for current and future processes.
• Support the tech transfer of new processes and unit operations, helping identify process knowledge gaps and implementing continuous improvement opportunities as a core member of the cross-functional process team.

Benefits

• company bonus (depending, in part, on company and individual performance)
• company-sponsored 401(k)
• pension
• vacation benefits
• medical, dental, vision and prescription drug benefits
• flexible benefits (e.g., healthcare and/or dependent day care flexible spending accounts)
• life insurance and death benefits
• certain time off and leave of absence benefits
• well-being benefits (e.g., employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs and activities)

What This Job Offers

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