Engineering Technician

Socket.dev; Charlottesville (VA); On-site; USD 43,000 - 53,000; Full time

Job summary

Afton Scientific is seeking an Engineering Technician to join our Engineering team. This role supports engineering, validation, and manufacturing activities through hands-on work with sterile pharmaceutical operations in a regulated environment.

The successful candidate will assist in protocol execution, equipment installation and qualification, and contribute to process improvements while maintaining compliance with cGMP standards. On-site collaboration with cross-functional teams is essential.

Qualifications

• Technical degree or associate degree or equivalent experience.
• Basic computer proficiency with Word and Excel; learn additional software.
• Professional communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to maintain positive working relationships with coworkers, supervisors and vendors.
• Ability to work on-site on a regular basis.

Responsibilities

• Assist in execution and reporting of engineering protocols and studies.
• Support evaluation, installation, and qualification of new instrumentation and equipment.
• Evaluate, select, and order parts and components for engineering batches.
• Perform hands-on setup and preparation of sterile pharmaceutical products and components.
• Support validation activities, including equipment setup and validation studies.
• Perform Pharmaceutical Operator II duties as needed to support operations.
• Participate in product and process development initiatives.
• Maintain validation activities in compliance with cGMP requirements.
• Review deviations, change controls, validation protocols, and formal studies as applicable.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Operations, Quality and other departments to support manufacturing objectives.

Skills

Communication skills

Teamwork

Attention to detail

On-site work

Education

Technical degree

Associate degree

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Afton Scientific is seeking a motivated and detail-oriented Engineering Technician to join our Engineering team. This position supports engineering, validation, and manufacturing activities through the execution of engineering studies, equipment implementation, process improvement, and hands‑on support of sterile pharmaceutical manufacturing operations.

This is an excellent opportunity for an individual who enjoys combining technical expertise with hands‑on problem solving in a regulated pharmaceutical manufacturing environment.

Compensation

$31.35 to $38.46 per hour, depending on experience and qualifications

Placement within the range will be based on qualifications, experience, internal equity, and demonstrated competencies.

Primary Responsibilities

• Assist in the execution and reporting of engineering protocols and formal studies.
• Support the evaluation, installation, and qualification of new instrumentation and equipment.
• Evaluate, select, and order parts and components for engineering batches.
• Perform hands‑on setup and preparation of sterile pharmaceutical products and components.
• Support validation activities, including equipment setup and execution of validation studies.
• Perform Pharmaceutical Operator II duties as needed to support operations.
• Participate in product and process development initiatives.
• Maintain validation activities in compliance with cGMP requirements.
• Review operational deviations, change controls, validation protocols, and formal studies, as applicable.
• Collaborate effectively with Engineering, Operations, Quality, and other departments to support manufacturing objectives.

Minimum Qualifications

• Technical degree, two-year associate degree, or equivalent industry‑related experience.
• Basic computer proficiency, including Microsoft Word and Excel, with the ability to learn additional software applications.
• Professional communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to maintain positive working relationships with coworkers, supervisors, and vendors.
• Ability to work on‑site on a regular basis.

Preferred Knowledge and Experience

• Experience in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, or other regulated manufacturing environments.
• Working knowledge of cGMP requirements and validation principles.
• Experience supporting manufacturing equipment, engineering projects, or validation activities.
• Familiarity with aseptic processing and sterile manufacturing operations.
• Strong mechanical aptitude and troubleshooting skills.
• Ability to work independently while contributing effectively within a cross‑functional team.