Advanced Manufacturing Technology Lead

Lonza; Switzerland; On-site; Confidential; Full time

Job summary

Lonza is seeking a Senior Director, Advanced Manufacturing Technology Lead to drive the cross-platform manufacturing technology agenda across Integrated Biologics, Advanced Synthesis and Specialized Modalities. You will identify opportunities in robotics, automation, sensing, PAT, digital twins and advanced process control, translate them into prioritized use cases, and scale solutions across sites.

The role partners with Manufacturing, Lab and Data teams to deliver reusable, scalable deployment

Qualifications

• Bachelor or Master in Engineering, Automation, Robotics, Computer Science, or a related discipline.
• Highly Experienced in Advanced Manufacturing Technology, Automation & Operations Transformation.
• Experience in Development & Industrial Scale-Up.
• Ability to define cross-platform roadmaps across robotics, automation, material movement, sensing, PAT, prediction, advanced control, digital twins and operator‑support technologies.
• Strong understanding of biopharmaceutical manufacturing, automation architectures, process monitoring and control, equipment interfaces and GMP requirements.

Responsibilities

• Define the cross-platform advanced manufacturing technology roadmap.
• Identify opportunities in robotics, automation, material movement, sensing, PAT, prediction and advanced process control.
• Assess technology maturity, applicability and scalability.
• Translate emerging technologies into prioritized manufacturing use cases.
• Identify and prioritize cross-platform lighthouse opportunities.
• Drive technology assessment, partner selection and solution concept development.
• Ensure lighthouse solutions address clear operational or quality needs.
• Define success criteria and replication potential.
• Translate manufacturing requirements into relevant technology solutions.
• Align sensing, monitoring and quality-related technologies with Lab of the Future.
• Align data and analytics requirements with Data Strategy & Products.
• Ensure solutions are integrated into coherent manufacturing concepts.
• Convert proven solutions into reusable deployment requirements.
• Identify replication opportunities across platforms, sites and future builds.
• Support standardization of successful technologies and interfaces.
• Feed technology learnings into future manufacturing concepts and investment decisions.

Skills

Automation

Robotics

Digital twins

Process monitoring

GMP knowledge

Education

Engineering degree

Tools

PLC systems

Job description

Today, Lonza is a global leader in life sciences operating across five continents. While we work in science, there's no magic formula to how we do it. Our greatest scientific solution is talented people working together, devising ideas that help businesses to help people. In exchange, we let our people own their careers. Their ideas, big and small, genuinely improve the world. And that's the kind of work we want to be part of.

We are looking for Senior Director, Advanced Manufacturing Technology Lead to join our team! The Advanced Manufacturing Technology Lead defines and advances the cross-platform manufacturing technology agenda across Integrated Biologics, Advanced Synthesis and Specialized Modalities. The role identifies, evaluates and matures technologies that can materially improve productivity, autonomy, process control, quality assurance, flexibility and unit cost across manufacturing operations.

The role focuses on reusable manufacturing technologies such as robotics, automation, automated material movement, smart sensing, PAT, process monitoring, process prediction, advanced control, digital twins and operator support technologies.

The Advanced Manufacturing Technology Lead works closely with the Factory of the Future, Lab of the Future and Data Strategy & Products Leads to ensure technology solutions support the required manufacturing concepts, analytical capabilities and data needs, and can be scaled across platforms, sites and future builds.

Key responsibilities:

Technology Strategy & Roadmap

• Define the cross-platform advanced manufacturing technology roadmap
• Identify opportunities in robotics, automation, material movement, sensing, PAT, prediction and advanced process control
• Assess technology maturity, applicability and scalability
• Translate emerging technologies into prioritized manufacturing use cases

Lighthouse & Solution Development

• Identify and prioritize cross-platform lighthouse opportunities
• Drive technology assessment, partner selection and solution concept development
• Ensure lighthouse solutions address clear operational or quality needs
• Define success criteria and replication potential

Integration with Manufacturing, Lab & Data

• Translate manufacturing requirements into relevant technology solutions
• Align sensing, monitoring and quality-related technologies with Lab of the Future
• Align data and analytics requirements with Data Strategy & Products
• Ensure solutions are integrated into coherent manufacturing concepts

Scale-up & Replication

• Convert proven solutions into reusable deployment requirements
• Identify replication opportunities across platforms, sites and future builds
• Support standardization of successful technologies and interfaces
• Feed technology learnings into future manufacturing concepts and investment decisions

Key requirements:

• Bachelor or Master in Engineering, Automation, Robotics, Computer Science, or a related discipline
• Highly Experienced in Advanced Manufacturing Technology, Automation & Operations Transformation
• Highly Experienced in Development & Industrial Scale‑Up
• Ability to define cross‑platform roadmaps across robotics, automation, material movement, sensing, PAT, prediction, advanced control, digital twins and operator‑support technologies
• Strong understanding of biopharmaceutical manufacturing, automation architectures, process monitoring and control, equipment interfaces and GMP requirements
• Ability to quantify productivity, autonomy, quality, flexibility and unit‑cost potential and translate it into prioritized use cases and investment cases
• Ability to integrate equipment, automation, sensing, data, analytics and operator workflows into maintainable solutions with reusable interfaces
• Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary solution teams, assess suppliers and research partners, and drive concept development without relying on direct authority
• Ability to communicate technology maturity, risks, architecture choices, evidence and recommendations clearly to technical, operational and executive stakeholders
• Experience assessing readiness, technical and compliance risks, success criteria and dependencies and using evidence to support go, adapt or stop decisions
• Ability to convert proven lighthouse solutions into reusable technical requirements, standards, interfaces and deployment recommendations across platforms, sites and future builds

Every day, Lonza's products and services have a positive impact on millions of people. For us, this is not only a great privilege, but also a great responsibility. How we achieve our business results is just as important as the achievements themselves. At Lonza, we respect and protect our people and our environment. Any success we achieve is no success at all if not achieved ethically.

People come to Lonza for the challenge and creativity of solving complex problems and developing new ideas in life sciences. In return, we offer the satisfaction that comes w