Vice President, Sterile & Biotechnology Technology

Pfizer • Sanford, MA

4d • Hybrid

About The Position

Reporting to the SVP, Global Technology, Engineering & Launch, the Vice President, Sterile & Biotechnology Technology provides global scientific and technical leadership for Pfizer’s sterile injectable manufacturing, biotechnology, vaccine, and related manufacturing operations. The role defines and delivers the Sterile & Biotechnology Technology (SBT) strategy across Pfizer’s internal Global Biomanufacturing (GBM) and External Supply contract manufacturing organization (CMO) networks, with a focus on Science of Supply, manufacturing science and technology, technology transfer, process robustness, complex investigations, laboratory strategy, and digital and AI-enabled technical capabilities.

The Vice President leads SBT’s contribution to Science of Supply, including second-generation yield improvement programs, process optimization, and the use of modeling, analytics, and artificial intelligence to improve process understanding, yield, reliability, capacity, and supply performance. The position oversees product and process technology transfer, scale-up, validation, commercialization, and lifecycle support across the internal GBM and External Supply CMO networks. It also directs the resolution of significant technical and supply issues and shapes the future MSAT laboratory strategy, including in-silico modeling, predictive analytics, and digitally enabled experimentation.

As a member of the GTEL Leadership Team, the Vice President is a senior technical partner to manufacturing operations, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Quality, Regulatory, Global Supply Chain, Launch organizations, and other enterprise stakeholders. The role contributes to GTEL and PGS strategy, portfolio and network decisions, technical investments, business development diligence, and the development of scientific and technical leaders. It also carries responsibility for organizational strategy, budgets and resources, performance management, governance, regulatory and quality performance, and technical due diligence for commercial and late-stage business development opportunities.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in chemical or biochemical engineering, biotechnology, biochemistry, biological sciences, chemistry, pharmacy, or another relevant scientific or technical discipline.
• 15 or more years of pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry experience, including significant leadership in manufacturing science and technology, process development, technical operations, commercial manufacturing support, or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated leadership of large, global scientific or technical organizations across organizational, geographic, and cultural boundaries.
• Broad technical knowledge relevant to biotechnology and sterile manufacturing, with deep expertise in at least one area such as mammalian cell culture, microbial fermentation, protein purification, vaccine manufacturing, sterile injectable manufacturing, process development and scale-up, process validation, MSAT, analytical sciences, or technology transfer.
• Experience leading or overseeing internal and external technology transfers, including scale-up, validation, regulatory implementation, and commercial manufacturing readiness.
• Demonstrated ability to resolve complex technical, product, process, quality, and supply issues using scientific problem-solving, risk analysis, statistical methods, and sound technical judgment.
• Strong working knowledge of current Good Manufacturing Practices, pharmaceutical quality systems, and relevant regulatory requirements.
• Experience contributing to regulatory filings, agency interactions, inspection readiness, or technical responses to regulatory authorities.
• Proven ability to develop strategy, translate scientific opportunities into business value, and deliver significant outcomes through a global matrix organization.
• Demonstrated success building leadership teams, developing technical talent, strengthening succession, and creating a culture of accountability and ownership.
• Excellent written, verbal, and executive communication skills, including the ability to explain complex scientific matters clearly and influence senior stakeholders.
• Ability to make decisions in complex or ambiguous situations while balancing quality, patient, supply, financial, and organizational considerations.
• Demonstrated breadth of leadership capabilities, including influencing and collaborating with peers, developing and coaching others, and guiding colleagues’ work toward meaningful outcomes and business impact.
• Ability to perform complex scientific, technical, operational, and financial analysis and make decisions involving multiple business, quality, regulatory, and supply considerations.
• Ability to work effectively across a global matrix and engage with colleagues at manufacturing sites, laboratories, and corporate locations.
• Ability to access laboratory and manufacturing areas and comply with applicable site safety, security, gowning, and current Good Manufacturing Practice requirements.
• Periodic participation in meetings outside standard local working hours and domestic and international travel are required.
• Must be authorized to work in the United States by any employer; permanent U.S. work authorization is required. U.S. work visa sponsorship is not available.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree, PhD, PharmD, MBA, or another relevant advanced degree.
• Experience leading an enterprise-level MSAT, technical operations, process development, or manufacturing technology organization.
• Experience across more than one biotechnology, vaccine, or sterile injectable manufacturing platform.
• Experience applying advanced analytics, mechanistic modeling, in-silico experimentation, machine learning, or artificial intelligence in a scientific or manufacturing environment.
• Experience establishing a global laboratory or technical-center strategy.
• Experience supporting high-priority product launches, major network changes, sourcing decisions, or manufacturing transformations.
• Experience leading manufacturing-focused technical due diligence for commercial or late-stage business development opportunities, including evaluation of manufacturability, process robustness and scalability, technology-transfer requirements, manufacturing readiness, network fit, CMO capability, capital needs, and technical risk.
• Established external scientific network and experience collaborating with academic institutions, technology providers, industry consortia, or external manufacturing partners.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute the global SBT technical strategy, aligned with GTEL and PGS priorities, and ensure the organization has the capabilities, platforms, laboratories, talent, and partnerships needed for current operations and the future portfolio.
• Lead the SBT Science of Supply agenda and govern a technical portfolio focused on yield, throughput, process robustness, reliability, and cost competitiveness, including 2G yield programs across internal GBM and External Supply CMO networks.
• Lead global manufacturing science and technology organizations supporting biotechnology, vaccines, sterile injectables, and associated manufacturing platforms, translating product and process knowledge into sustained performance and reliable patient supply.
• Oversee technology transfer, scale-up, validation, commercialization, and lifecycle changes across internal and external manufacturing networks in partnership with Pharmaceutical Sciences, Launch, manufacturing sites, Quality, Regulatory, and Global Supply Chain.
• Direct timely, scientifically rigorous resolution of complex product, process, quality, and supply investigations, and ensure corrective actions and organizational learning are sustained.
• Define and execute SBT’s digital and AI strategy, applying process modeling, predictive analytics, machine learning, in-silico experimentation, and related capabilities to improve process understanding, technical decisions, yield, reliability, capacity, and supply performance.
• Shape the MSAT laboratory and Lab of the Future strategy, including laboratory mission and network roles, electronic laboratory notebooks, connected platforms, digitally enabled experimentation, knowledge reuse, and modern scientific workflows.
• Serve as senior SBT technical advisor across internal GBM and External Supply CMO networks; provide technical assessments and positions on sourcing, network choices and changes, supply strategies, CMO commitments, investments, lifecycle choices, and technical feasibility.
• Lead SBT technical due diligence for commercial and late-stage business development opportunities, assessing manufacturability, robustness, scalability, technology transfer, readiness, network fit, CMO capability, supply risks, capital, cost, resources, and schedule implications.
• Partner with relevant functions on broader CMC diligence, translate SBT findings into risks, assumptions, mitigations, and recommendations, support business development governance, and provide SBT input to relevant transaction, collaboration, and manufacturing agreement provisions.
• Ensure technical organizations and laboratories meet applicable quality, regulatory, compliance, and environmental health and safety requirements; partner on filings, agency interactions, inspection readiness, and technical commitments.
• Establish operating plans, budgets, workforce strategies, and investment priorities; allocate resources to high-value technical and supply priorities while maintaining foundational support.
• Attract, develop, and retain diverse scientific and technical talent; strengthen succession, technical career paths, and leadership capability while fostering ownership, inclusion, collaboration, disciplined experimentation, and continuous learning.
• Establish SBT’s operating rhythm, portfolio management, performance metrics, and continuous improvement framework, maintaining accountability and delivery across internal and external networks.
• Participate in GTEL leadership and represent SBT and GTEL in relevant enterprise governance forums; establish clear SBT positions, decision rights, and escalation pathways, and ensure decisions are scientifically supported and followed through.

Benefits

• 401(k) plan with Pfizer Matching Contributions and an additional Pfizer Retirement Savings Contribution.
• Paid vacation, holiday, and personal days.
• Paid caregiver, parental, and medical leave.
• Medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage.
• Eligibility to participate in Pfizer’s Global Performance Plan, with a 30% bonus target of base salary.
• Eligibility to participate in Pfizer’s share-based long-term incentive program.
• Relocation assistance may be available based on business needs and/or eligibility.
• Comprehensive benefits and programs intended to support colleagues’ health and life events.

What This Job Offers

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