Associate Director Engineering

EVONIK Vancouver Laboratories (VAN), the operating drug delivery service site of Evonik Canada Inc., is a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) that provides CMC services to biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies engaged in the development and manufacture of complex delivery-based drug formulations.

EVONIK has a successful track record of helping Customers move their programs forward. Evonik’s Vancouver business operations is a development partner to the world’s pharmaceutical companies for parenteral lipid nanoparticle drug products. As an enabling contract development manufacturing organization (CDMO) partner, we offer drug formulation design, process development, scale-up, and clinical production.

EVONIK’s range of services extends from initial formulation prototype identification, manufacturing process development & scale-up, analytical method development & validation to support raw material, in-process, release and stability testing, all the way through to sterile product manufacturing under GMP for Phase I-II clinical trials. Products include the LIPEX® line of Extruders, which are designed to enable small-scale to commercial scale manufacturing of liposomal drug products.

With over 25 years of experience and having transacted business in about 50 different countries, Evonik offers an excellent Total Rewards Program including:

• Competitive base compensation & bonus;
• Employer paid health & dental benefits complimented with wellness education sessions;
• Financial planning resources & savings plans including RRSP & Defined Contribution pension plans;
• Generous vacation and paid time off to support Community Volunteer activities;
• Financial assistance for fitness memberships.

And there is more... access to a Comprehensive Health Promotion program and Regional and Global resources for ongoing training and development. Best of all, you will work within a great team of professionals in an engaging workforce who value trust and openness.

Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for Facility, Design, and Process Engineering teams in a dynamic CDMO environment.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement to build a high-performing engineering team demonstrating Good Engineering Practices.
• Serve as a member of the site leadership team, contributing to business strategy and performance management.
• Establish clear goals, performance expectations, and succession plans for engineering personnel.
• Promote and strengthen a culture of Good Engineering Practices and ISPE requirements across the organization.
• Lead implementation of operational excellence methodologies to improve efficiency, reliability, and cost performance.
• Develop and execute strategic asset lifecycle management programs, including reliability and maintenance strategies.
• Manage capital investment planning and execution to support business growth, compliance, and operational sustainability.
• Ensure engineering and maintenance projects are delivered safely, on schedule, within budget, and in compliance with quality standards.
• Oversee custom equipment design and fabrication activities to support manufacturing and customer programs.
• Standardize and continuously improve engineering systems, processes, and documentation.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Process Technology, Chemistry, or a related technical discipline required.
• Master's degree or PhD preferred.
• Minimum 10 years of professional engineering experience; 15+ years preferred.
• Experience within the chemical, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or related manufacturing industries. Knowledge of sterile processing, clean room design, and/or risk-based maintenance an asset.
• Proven experience in engineering management, process safety, facility engineering, process engineering, capital projects, or related disciplines.
• Demonstrated success leading technical teams and managing complex engineering programs.
• Experience with budget planning, capital investment management, and resource allocation.
• Strong knowledge of GMP-regulated manufacturing environments and applicable industry regulations (GEP, ISPE, etc.).
• Experience developing technical reports and utilizing engineering tools.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English.
• Demonstrated initiative, accountability, flexibility, and ability to influence across functions.