Director Engineering

Becton Dickinson NA; Milpitas (CA); On-site; USD 190,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Waters Corporation in Milpitas, CA seeks a senior Site Engineering Leader to direct manufacturing, sustaining, and technical support functions. You will drive priorities, objectives, and high technical standards across the site while building capability and succession plans.

You will lead manufacturing process improvements, cost-reduction initiatives, and factory readiness for new products, ensuring compliance with FDA/ISO and design control requirements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related technical discipline.
• 10+ years of progressive engineering experience in manufacturing, sustaining engineering, or product development.
• 4+ years of people management experience leading engineering teams in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong experience supporting electro-mechanical instrumentation or complex manufacturing systems.
• Experience with regulated environments (FDA, ISO) and design control.

Responsibilities

• Lead the site engineering organization across manufacturing, sustaining engineering, and technical support.
• Drive safety, quality, delivery, and cost targets in partnership with Operations.
• Own sustaining engineering portfolio and cost-reduction initiatives.
• Support New Product Introduction and technology transfer to manufacturing.
• Ensure compliance with quality systems and regulatory requirements.

Skills

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Project management

Regulatory understanding

Lean Six Sigma

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field

MBA or advanced technical degree (preferred)

Tools

PMP

Six Sigma

Job description

As a result of the combination of the BD Biosciences and Diagnostic Solutions business with Waters Corporation (NYSE: WAT), by applying to this role, you will be applying for a position with Waters. Waters is a global leader in life sciences, dedicated to accelerating the benefits of pioneering science through analytical technologies, informatics, and service. With a focus on regulated, high-volume testing environments, Waters' innovative portfolio harnesses deep scientific expertise across biology, chemistry, and physics. Waters collaborates with analytical laboratories around the world to advance the release of effective, high-quality medicines, assure the safety of food and water, and drive better patient outcomes by detecting diseases earlier, managing routine infections, and combatting growing antibiotic resistance. Through a shared culture of relentless innovation, Waters' passionate team of approximately 16,000 colleagues partner with customers to turn scientific challenges into breakthroughs that improve lives worldwide. We are the people who give possibilities purposeBD is one of the largest global medical technology companies in the world. Advancing the world of health™ is our Purpose, and it's no small feat. It takes the imagination and passion of all of us-from design and engineering to the manufacturing and marketing of our billions of MedTech products per year-to look at the impossible and find transformative solutions that turn dreams into possibilities.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities

Site Engineering Leadership

• Lead, manage, and develop the site engineering organization, including manufacturing engineering, sustaining engineering, and technical support functions.
• Establish clear priorities, goals, and performance expectations aligned with site and business objectives.
• Build engineering capability, talent depth, and succession plans to support current and future business needs.
• Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, collaboration, and high technical standards.

Manufacturing & Operations Support

• Provide overall technical leadership for manufacturing processes supporting Waters Biosciences instruments.
• Partner with Operations leadership to achieve safety, quality, delivery, and cost targets.
• Support manufacturing throughput, yield improvement, cycle time reduction, and product reliability initiatives.
• Ensure engineering support for day-to-day production, system and sub-assembly testing, and issue resolution.
• Lead or support capital equipment justification, selection, and implementation to improve productivity or replace obsolete assets.

Sustaining Engineering & Cost Reduction

• Own and execute the site's sustaining engineering portfolio, ensuring work is prioritized and aligned with business needs.
• Lead value engineering, redesign, PPV improvement, and cost-reduction initiatives for existing instrument platforms.
• Drive disciplined problem-solving using root cause analysis, CI, and Lean/Six Sigma methodologies.
• Ensure effective execution of ECOs, MRBs, and CAPAs in collaboration with Quality, Manufacturing, and R&D.

New Product Introduction & Technology Transfer

• Partner with R&D to support successful transfer of new Biosciences instruments into manufacturing.
• Ensure manufacturing readiness, including processes, tooling, documentation, test strategies, and training.
• Provide site representation in cross-functional NPI and platform governance forums.
• Support integration of acquisitions or new technologies into site manufacturing operations as required.

Product Lifecycle Governance Support

• Support product lifecycle management activities, including sustainment, transitions, and end-of-life execution.
• Participate in project proposal reviews, portfolio prioritization, and lifecycle decision-making forums.
• Ensure site engineering alignment with global lifecycle strategies for Waters instruments.

Supplier & Supply Chain Engineering Support

• Provide engineering support for supplier selection, qualification, and ongoing performance management.
• Partner with Supply Chain and Quality to address supplier quality issues and implement corrective actions.
• Ensure critical features, inspection points, and test requirements are defined and embedded in manufacturing and QC processes.

Technical Standards, Systems & Documentation

• Maintain ownership of engineering drawings, technical documentation, and drawing control systems at the site.
• Ensure compliance with engineering standards, design control requirements, and documentation practices.
• Develop and apply site-specific engineering frameworks and best practices aligned with global standards.

Quality, Regulatory & Safety Compliance

• Ensure engineering activities comply with applicable quality systems and regulatory requirements (e.g., FDA, ISO).
• Provide technical support for audits, inspections, and regulatory inquiries.
• Ensure adherence to EH&S requirements and promote a strong safety culture across all engineering areas.
• Support GMP, design control, change management, and risk management processes.

Financial & Operational Management

• Develop and manage site engineering budgets, forecasts, and operating plans.
• Provide cost estimates, run-rate analysis, and input to annual operating and strategic planning processes.
• Track and report engineering performance metrics to Operations and senior leadership.

Qualifications

• Required Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related technical discipline.
• 10-12+ years of progressive engineering experience in manufacturing, sustaining engineering, or product development.
• 4+ years of people management experience leading engineering teams in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong experience supporting electro-mechanical instrumentation or complex manufacturing systems.
• Demonstrated success managing multiple engineering projects in a regulated, matrixed environment.
• Experience working cross-functionally with Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and R&D.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills.
• Preferred Master's degree, MBA, or advanced technical degree.
• PMP and/or Six Sigma (Black Belt or DFSS) certification.
• Experience in life sciences, biotechnology, diagnostics, or analytical instrumentation industries.
• Strong working knowledge of FDA, ISO 13485, GMP, and design control environments.
• Experience supporting global manufacturing or contract manufacturing partners.

Why Join Us?

To find purpose in the possibilities, we need people who can see the bigger picture, who understand the human story that underpins everything we do. We welcome people with the imagination and drive to help us reinvent the future of healthcare. At BD, you'll discover a culture in which you can learn, grow and thrive. We believe that when people connect in person, we learn faster, collaborate more deeply, and build a stronger culture. Join us and enjoy a culture where face-to-face collaboration supports your learning, your progress, and your success. To learn more about BD visit https://bd.com/careers .

Becton, Dickinson, and Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We evaluate applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, marital or domestic or civil union status, familial status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetics, disability, military eligibility or veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics.

Primary Work LocationUSA CA - Milpitas 155Additional LocationsWork Shift

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