Director, Manufacturing Technology Lead - Cell Therapy

AstraZeneca; California (MD); On-site; USD 161,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Retirement programs

Paid time off

Health/Dental/Vision coverage

Job summary

AstraZeneca is seeking a Director, Manufacturing Technology Lead to provide the manufacturing operational perspective on new technology evaluation within the Cell Therapy Manufacturing network. You will drive scale-up of platforms and automation, ensuring site readiness and GMP alignment.

Reporting to the Head of Cell Therapy Manufacturing, you will bridge development and operations, lead cross-functional deployments, and shape the execution pathway from PoC to validated deployment across supply

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering; Master’s preferred.
• 10+ years in manufacturing technology deployment or engineering with 5+ years leading deployments.
• Experience in regulated manufacturing environments; PoC to validated operations.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary manufacturing representative in technology evaluation activities; assess constraints and GMP considerations.
• Evaluate new technologies against manufacturing realities including cleanrooms, interfaces, material flows and scheduling.
• Support PoC evaluations with manufacturing scalability and integration requirements.
• Develop detailed implementation plans for adoption at manufacturing sites, including validation strategies and go-live criteria.
• Coordinate deployments across the supply network with standard playbooks and site-specific adaptations.
• Support the Cell Therapy Technical Operations digital/AI transformation roadmap and training programs.

Skills

Execution-oriented leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Digital and tech savvy

Matrix leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, robotics, or related field

Master’s degree preferred

Job description

About the position, the Director, Manufacturing Technology Lead reports to the Head of Cell Therapy Manufacturing and is responsible for providing manufacturing operational perspective on new technology evaluation. The role supports full-scale implementation of new technology platforms and advanced automation solutions across the Cell Therapy Manufacturing supply network. This role serves as the critical interface between technology development functions and the manufacturing supply sites, ensuring that operational constraints are understood early and that robust implementation plans enable successful adoption at scale. Additionally, this role supports development of the execution pathway from proof-of-concept completion through validated, GMP-compliant deployment at supply sites.

You Will

• Serve as the primary manufacturing representative in technology evaluation activities led by Process Sciences and Analytical Technology; provide input on operational constraints including facility limitations, operator capability requirements, maintenance complexity, scheduling impacts, and GMP compliance considerations that influence technology feasibility and adoption timelines
• Evaluate proposed new technologies and platforms against the realities of the manufacturing and quality control environment at supply sites including cleanroom classifications, existing equipment interfaces, material flows, resource models, batch scheduling, and regulatory filing implications
• Support proof-of-concept evaluations by providing manufacturing perspective on scalability, operability, integration requirements and implementation risk; ensure PoC success criteria include manufacturing site-relevant parameters
• Develop detailed implementation plans for adoption of new technology and platforms at manufacturing supply sites, including resource requirements, training needs, validation strategies, execution pathways, site sequencing, and go-live criteria
• Coordinate technology deployments across the supply network, defining standard implementation playbooks while accommodating site-specific constraints; establish lessons-learned feedback loops to accelerate sequential site deployments
• Support the development and implementation of the Cell Therapy Technical Operations digital and AI transformation roadmap in collaboration with the Digital and Business Systems teams for new technology
• Support development of training and competency-building plans that enable operators and engineers to effectively utilize new technologies post-implementation

You Have

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in engineering (Mechanical or Robotics), or related discipline, Master’s degree preferred
• Experience: Minimum 10 years in manufacturing technology implementation, tech transfer, or engineering with at least 5 years leading full-scale technology deployments in regulated environments
• Technical Knowledge: Strong expertise in at least two of: manufacturing, automation/robotics, AI applications, advanced analytical platforms; practical understanding of moving technology from PoC into validated manufacturing operations
• Implementation Experience: Demonstrated track record of leading complex, multi-stakeholder technology implementations from planning through qualification and operational handover in regulated manufacturing environments; experience managing new technology introduction alongside existing operations
• Skills: Execution-oriented leadership, cross-functional collaboration, structured planning, digital and tech savvy. The ability to bridge the gap between development innovation and manufacturing operational reality; comfortable operating in a matrixed environment, where, influence and partnership drive outcomes

The annual base pay for this position ranges from $161,000 to $240,000. Our positions offer eligibility for multiple incentives an opportunity to receive short-term incentive bonuses, equity-based awards for salaried roles and commissions for sales roles. Benefits offered include qualified retirement programs, paid time off (i.e., vacation, holiday, and leaves), as well as health, dental, and vision coverage in accordance with the terms of the applicable plans.

#Onsite #CellTherapy #RoboticsManufacturing

Date Posted

13-Aug-2026

Closing Date

Our mission is to build an inclusive environment where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and employees. In furtherance of that mission, we welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of their protected characteristics. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please complete the corresponding section in the application form.