Project Engineer, API Pilot Plant

This position is an individual contributor function, working with a team of engineers and technicians to provide technical support to the Process R&D API Pilot Plant and Laboratories within the Research and Development organization of AbbVie. The API Pilot Plant supports the pharmaceutical pipeline through process development and manufacturing of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) for pre-clinical toxicology studies, clinical trials, formulation development, and registration runs.

The primary function of this role is to lead the planning, design and execution of small to medium size capital projects for the API Pilot Plant and Process R&D laboratory facilities. In addition to project engineering, other responsibilities may include collaboration with process engineers, chemists and operations on the introduction of new processes and technologies into the pilot plant. Additionally, this role may also provide day-to-day plant engineering support as needed including troubleshooting of equipment, coordination of maintenance activities, etc.

Responsibilities

• Plans and conducts small- to medium-size assigned projects within engineering specialty requiring conventional types of plans, investigations, and/or equipment. Coordinates and monitors activities/projects. Reviews plans and monitors status of implementation for those assigned to project; makes judgments regarding quality of implementation within discipline; employs contingency plans to recover from schedule slippage and financial overruns when appropriate.
• Estimates and coordinates resources needed (materials, budget, time and people) to accomplish assigned individual tasks. Anticipates future directions. Benchmarks internally and externally. Recognizes changes in the environment and present resources as indicators of future problems and opportunities; prepares for such eventualities.
• Independently executes the design of processes/equipment/systems/facilities by applying standard engineering theories, concepts, and techniques within the discipline. Independently investigates, conducts tests or experiments.
• Creates/modified designs for intermediate problems. Designs/modifies more complex components/processes; writes detailed design specifications. Predicts patterns/trends. Grasps complexities and sees relationships among data; determines consequences and alternatives; makes recommendations.
• Improves methods/designs/processes. Recognizes and implements good ideas/innovations/costs reductions; consistently generates/adopts original solutions to problems and reduces them to practices.
• Mentors others by sharing technical expertise and providing feedback and guidance. Resolves underlying problems. Identifies full range of customer/client needs and proposes solutions to address them; makes alterations in products or services to better meet (recognized or unrecognized) customer need.
• Directs the efforts of others such as technicians and outside resources. Performs tasks such as writing Requests for Capital Expenditures (RCEs), safety/quality checklists, scope documents, etc. Develops and executes validation protocols.
• Troubleshoots equipment problems, performs root cause analysis and identifies corrective actions.
• Recommends and establishes spare parts and maintenance schedules.

• A Bachelor's Degree in Engineering (Chemical or Mechanical preferred) is required with a desired 2+ years of significant engineering and/or operational experience. Additional post-graduate education may contribute towards the desired years of experience.
• Possesses a working technical knowledge and application of concepts, practices, and procedures. Ability to work on problems of moderate scope where analysis of situations or data requires a review of identifiable factors. Demonstrates judgment within defined procedures and practices to determine appropriate action.
• Interacts well with diverse groups within engineering and maintains strong working relationships with internal and external collaborators.
• Listens to and understands others' points of view and articulates tactfully and respectfully one's own perspective orally, in writing, and in presentations.
• Works well with other engineers in a collaborative, fast-paced goal-driven environment.
• Possesses interpersonal skills to negotiate and reconcile differences.
• Has a technical background in health care, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, biologics, or similar industries (preferred).