Manager, Plant Engineering Services

Sharp Services; Allentown (Lehigh County); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Sharp Services is seeking a Manager, Plant Engineering Services to drive the smooth operation of a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility. You will lead a team of engineers, oversee process improvements, and coordinate capital projects from concept to completion.

You will manage cross-functional efforts to ensure production efficiency, quality, and regulatory compliance, while developing strategies for equipment optimization and safe operations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Chemical or Electrical Engineering with 3–5 years of related experience.
• Experience troubleshooting manufacturing lines and coordinating projects.
• Strong written/verbal communication and presentation skills.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects concurrently.
• Experience leading a manufacturing engineering team is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of manufacturing engineers, providing direction and career development.
• Coordinate with operations, quality, design, and supply chain to optimize processes.
• Identify and implement process improvements to reduce waste and increase efficiency.
• Manage capital improvement projects, equipment installations, and NPIs.
• Ensure proper maintenance, calibration, and optimization of equipment and tooling.
• Drive CAPA investigations and quality/compliance initiatives.

Skills

Team leadership

Project management

Lean manufacturing

Kaizen / Six Sigma

Quality & CAPA

Troubleshooting

Cross-functional collaboration

Process optimization

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Chemical or Electrical Engineering

Job description

We’re part of a team where ideas spark change. At Sharp we embrace innovation; we are open to new technology and new thinking. Each day we volunteer ideas, ask questions, and encourage others to do the same - always trying to make things better. Our culture celebrates learning and we expand our skills and gain new knowledge with every project and initiative.

We're seeking a Manager, Plant Engineering Services to ensure the smooth and efficient operation of our pharmaceutical manufacturing facility. This role requires innovation and ingenuity to contribute to maintaining and optimizing the plant's equipment, systems, and processes to ensure compliance with industry standards and regulations. This role will support, manage, coordinate, and implement engineering projects at the designated Sharp facility from concept stages through completion. This position will also lead a team of engineers to support packaging operations, implement manufacturing process improvements, and ensuring production efficiency, quality, and cost-effectiveness. The individual in this role will be responsible for overseeing the design, implementation, and optimization of manufacturing systems and processes, as well as troubleshooting complex issues and supporting root cause investigations for quality issues. They will also collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify opportunities, drive continuous improvement, meet production goals, and ensure compliance with safety and quality standards. This function includes interdepartmental communications with Central Engineering, Operations, Finance, QC, Project Managers and Sales.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Team Leadership & Management

• Lead and mentor a team of manufacturing engineers, providing direction, coaching, and career development.
• Coordinate with other departments (operations, quality, design, and supply chain) to optimize manufacturing processes and achieve organizational goals.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and collaboration within the team.

Process Optimization & Improvement

• Identify and implement process improvements to reduce waste, increase production efficiency, and enhance product quality.
• Develop and apply lean manufacturing principles (5S, Kaizen, Six Sigma) to continuously optimize workflows and processes.
• Oversee the development and implementation of standardized work procedures, process documentation, and troubleshooting guides.

Project Management

• Manage capital improvement projects, equipment installation, and process upgrades to support production capacity and capability.
• Lead cross-functional teams in the implementation of new product introductions (NPI), ensuring manufacturability and efficient ramp-up to full-scale production.
• Coordinate resource planning, budgeting, and timeline management for manufacturing-related projects.

Manufacturing Systems & Equipment

• Ensure proper maintenance, calibration, and optimization of manufacturing equipment and tooling.
• Troubleshoot and resolve equipment and process-related issues to minimize downtime and improve production uptime.
• Evaluate new technologies and equipment to ensure the facility is equipped to meet future production needs.

Quality & Compliance

• Work closely with the Quality Assurance team to ensure products meet regulatory and customer specifications.
• Drive the implementation of quality control systems and testing processes to improve product quality and reduce defects.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant safety, health, and environmental regulations.
• Support and author investigations for quality and compliance root cause identification.
• Drive CAPA completions for corrective actions and compliance initiatives.

This job will lead a team of up to 10 Manufacturing Engineers. The position requires a Bachelor's degree in mechanical, Chemical, or Electrical Engineering (or related field) with a minimum of 3 to 5 years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience. Also essential are direct experience in troubleshooting manufacturing lines; ability to plan and coordinate projects; strong written, verbal communication and presentation skills. Proven experience in project management and ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously.