Manufacturing Engineer II - Front Line Engineering

Lonza is hiring a Manufacturing Engineer II - Front Line Engineering. It pays $93k-$155k a year and Level rates it ; you can apply on Lonza.

Level's read on this job

On Level's scale, this role is Little AI ●○○○: aI is not part of the work.
Level classifies it as a mid-level role.
Level lists 567 other open roles at Lonza.
The role was posted in the last few days.

AI in this role

Location: Vacaville, California

This is a fully site‑based role. Working together in person supports close, real‑time collaboration and the technical precision needed to manufacture medicines to the highest quality and safety standards.

As a Manufacturing Engineer II - Front Line Engineering, you serve as the direct floor-level technical owner and subject matter expert (SME) for the Upstream manufacturing and support systems, including Media Prep and Hold, Clean-in-Place skids, Washers and Autoclaves, Seed Train Operations (Thaw through N-4 stage bioreactors), Large Scale Bioreactors, Process Analytical Technology (PAT), and Harvest / Centrifuge. In this role you will ensure production equipment and systems remain fit-for-purpose, compliant, and ready for use across all make, assess, and release (MAR) operations. Operating with moderate supervision, you bridge engineering, maintenance, and plant operations to maximize uptime, resolve urgent equipment excursions, and maintain strict GMP compliance.

What you will get:

The full-time base annual salary for this position is expected to range between $93,000 to $155,000. 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

What you will do:

Rapidly triage, troubleshoot, and resolve routine mechanical, electrical, and automation equipment failures independently, collaborating with senior engineering for complex or recurring breakdowns.
Lead formal root cause analysis investigations for complex operational events using structured methodologies such as 5 Whys, Ishikawa fishbone diagrams, Kepner-Tregoe, and FMEA.
Monitor equipment performance metrics, analyze operational data, and identify trends to drive reliability, decrease downtime, and improve throughput.
Formulate and implement equipment upgrades, modifications, and process improvements through formal engineering change control procedures.
Evaluate the operational and quality impacts of unplanned equipment disruptions against validated process requirements and engineering drawings.
Support capital projects and new technology transfers by developing User Requirements Specifications (URS), participating in design reviews, and executing commissioning and qualification (IQ/OQ).
Provide on-call 24/7 technical support to resolve urgent plant-floor manufacturing and equipment issues as scheduled.

What we look for:

Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering or related field.
Sound knowledge of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) as they relate to biopharmaceutical manufacturing facilities and operations.
Strong technical understanding of common biopharmaceutical drug substance manufacturing unit operations; operational experience preferred.
Formal root cause analysis training and significant experience leading RCAs.
Excellent interpersonal, communication, writing, problem solving and teamwork skills.
Proficiency with MS Office, SAP, P&IDs; data trending, analysis, reporting and visualization skills.
Proven small to medium project management and execution experience.

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.

Ready to shape the future of life sciences? Apply now.

How we rate this

Manufacturing Engineer II - Front Line Engineering at Lonza rates 36 out of 100 for how much of the daily work is AI. That makes it Little AI (AI Level 1 of 4). The level is about AI in the job, not seniority.

Classification

Little AI. AI is not part of the work.

●●●● Builds AI80 to 100
●●●○ Works on AI60 to 79
●●○○ Uses AI40 to 59
●○○○ Little AI0 to 39

Levels come from how often the tools, models and workflows of the role are named in the posting itself. Read the description and count the AI tools, models and workflows it names.