Associate Director, Engineering
Location: Houston, Texas – On-site
Lonza Houston is seeking an experienced Associate Director, Engineering to lead site-wide engineering strategy, capital projects, and infrastructure development. This is a highly visible leadership role with responsibility for shaping the Site Master Plan, delivering complex projects, and ensuring engineering excellence in a regulated, GMP environment.
What you will get
A competitive compensation. In addition, below you will find a comprehensive summary of the benefits package we offer:
Performance-related bonus.
Medical, dental and vision insurance.
401(k) matching plan.
Life insurance, as well as short-term and long-term disability insurance.
Employee assistance programs.
Paid time off (PTO).
Compensation for this role will be determined by the candidate’s qualifications, skills, experience, and relevant knowledge.
What you will do
Develop and execute the Site Master Plan and Site Projects strategy, ensuring alignment with business goals, capacity needs, and long-term growth.
Lead and deliver site engineering and capital projects, ensuring timely execution, budget adherence, and sound technical solutions.
Provide leadership and direction to the Engineering team, setting clear objectives, prioritizing work, coaching talent, and supporting career development.
Oversee local capital expenditure (CapEx), including Engineering Study Requests (ESRs) and Capital Authorization Requests (CARs), with a focus on value, compliance, and risk management.
Ensure all engineering and facilities activities comply with Lonza policies, cGMP requirements, and Good Engineering Practice, and are inspection- and audit-ready at all times.
Drive Operational Excellence by embedding continuous improvement, waste elimination, and sustainable engineering practices across site operations.
Partner with site leadership and corporate teams to implement global initiatives, develop capacity projects, and deliver the Site Sustainability Program.
What we are looking for
Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related technical field, or equivalent experience delivering engineering solutions in regulated industries.
Extensive experience (10+ years) in engineering leadership roles within pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or similarly regulated manufacturing environments.
Proven ability to lead complex capital projects, manage significant CapEx budgets, and deliver results in a GMP context.
Strong leadership and people management skills, with experience developing high-performing, multidisciplinary engineering teams.
Demonstrated expertise in facilities, utilities, and engineering systems supporting manufacturing operations.
Strong business acumen and results focus, with the ability to adapt to change, take accountability, influence strategy execution, and consistently deliver on KPIs.
Experience with 6S and Lean Manufacturing, Lean Six Sigma Green belt or black belt preferred.
About Lonza
At Lonza, our people are our greatest strength. With 30+ sites across five continents, our globally connected teams work together every day to manufacture the medicines of tomorrow. Our core values of Collaboration, Accountability, Excellence, Passion and Integrity reflect who we are and how we work together. Everyone’s ideas, big or small, have the potential to improve millions of lives, and that’s the kind of work we want you to be part of.
Innovation thrives when people from all backgrounds bring their unique perspectives to the table. At Lonza, we offer equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. If you’re ready to help turn our customers’ breakthrough ideas into viable therapies, we look forward to welcoming you on board.
Ready to shape the future of life sciences? Apply now.