Principal Production Technician - Nights

AstraZeneca; Frederick (MD); On-site; USD 67,000 - 101,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Incentives

Equity-based awards

Paid time off

Health, dental, and vision coverage

Retirement programs

Job summary

AstraZeneca Frederick Manufacturing Center is seeking a Principal Production Technician to serve as SME for complex production issues, drive cross-functional continuous improvement, and support capability development across the manufacturing organization.

The role emphasizes advanced troubleshooting, thorough documentation, quality and safety leadership, and close collaboration with Engineering, Quality and Operations.

Qualifications

• HS Diploma or GED required.
• 5–7 years of GMP manufacturing experience.
• Extensive end-to-end bioprocessing experience required.

Responsibilities

• Cross-functional CI projects and capability development.
• Lead complex root cause investigations and advanced troubleshooting.
• Author, review and approve SOPs, MPRs and technical documents; support CAPAs.
• Support inspection readiness and provide technical responses during audits.
• Mentor technicians and lead capability building across functions.
• Lead cross-functional activities and drive standardized work.

Skills

Cross-functional leadership

Advanced troubleshooting

Documentation & governance

Quality & SHE

Data insights

Digital process optimization

Planning & execution

Communication

Coaching & capability building

Resilience & ownership

Education

HS Diploma or GED

BS/BA

Job description

Our Frederick Manufacturing Center (FMC) creates life-changing medicines for people around the world and has been recognized by our local community as being a Top 50’ Business in Frederick and awarded Frederick County’s ‘Best Place to Work’. This distinctive biologic manufacturing facility, with over 800 employees, makes a direct contribution to treating people with cancer, respiratory and autoimmune conditions across the globe. We work hard to deliver life-changing medicines to patients, and we take time to have fun and celebrate our accomplishments. From catered site festivities to competitive events, community outreach activities, environmental and wellness showcases and team-building functions, we take time to recognize our achievements and celebrate our diversity. We are dedicated to creating a culture of inclusion and collaboration and are committed to continuous learning by offering ongoing skill building and training for our staff. Fueled by our aspiration to deliver accelerated growth for our company and to make people’s lives better, there’s never been a more exciting time to join the team and shape the future of AstraZeneca Operations.

The Principal Production Technician acts as the SME for complex production issues, drives cross‑area continuous improvement, leads advanced troubleshooting and investigations, authors technical documentation, and supports capability development across the manufacturing organization.

Accountabilities

Technical Skills — Production Knowledge, Process Execution, Quality, and Safety Health & Environment

• Cross‑Functional Technical Leadership: Demonstrates advanced planning and process knowledge to coordinate equipment and material logistics across functions; qualified across multiple production areas.
• Advanced Troubleshooting & SME Support: Lead complex root cause investigations and advanced first‑line troubleshooting; provide subject matter guidance during incidents and deviations.
• Documentation & Governance: Author, review and approve SOPs, MPRs and technical documents; provide input to CAPAs and ensure consistency across functions.
• Operational Agility & DAO: Execute critical cross‑functional activities and drive standardized work; lead DAO practices site‑wide and promote “see something, do something” mindset.
• Quality & SHE Leadership: Identify systemic trends and safety risks; lead investigations and recommend sustainable corrective actions to maintain compliance.

Business Skills — Data Base Thinking, Digital Fluency and Work Planning Execution

• Data Insight & Value Creation: Analyse complex datasets to identify non‑obvious trends and drive impactful improvements.
• Digital & Process Optimization: Advocate for and support digital solutions, coach teams in adoption, and identify opportunities to automate or streamline processes.
• Planning & Execution: Plan complex activities with awareness of dependencies and resource needs and ensure timely, quality delivery.

People Skills — Communication, Adaptability, And Leading Self

• Influencing & Stakeholder Engagement: Build relationships with Process Leads, Engineering, Quality and other stakeholders to enable cross‑functional solutions.
• Coaching & Capability Building: Mentor technicians and leads, design and deliver technical training, and support leadership development.
• Resilience & Ownership: Lead by example under pressure, maintain focus and clarity, and foster a collaborative, inclusive environment.

Additional Responsibilities And Accountabilities

• No formal direct reports but significant cross functional leadership, mentoring, and coaching responsibilities.
• Lead cross‑functional CI projects and contribute to strategic improvement initiatives.
• Support inspection readiness and provide technical responses during audits.
• Other duties as assigned.

Essential Skills/Experience

• HS Diploma or GED
• 5-7yrs of relevant hands on experience in GMP Manufacturing Environment.
• Substantial end to end bioprocessing experience required.

Desired Skills/Experience

• BS/BA

The annual base pay for this position ranges from $67,139 to $100,708. Our positions offer eligibility for various 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.

Date Posted

16‑Sep‑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.