Senior Manager, Utilities - Durham, NC

VetJobs; Durham (NC); On-site; USD 125,000 - 237,000; Full time

Job summary

AbbVie in Durham, North Carolina is seeking a Sr. Manager Utilities to lead design, installation and startup of critical utility systems including Water for Injection (WFI), clean steam and process gases.

You will guide cross-functional teams, establish technical standards, and ensure safe, compliant operation across the new manufacturing campus. The role emphasizes project execution, qualification activities, and transition from project to site operations, with travel up to 50%.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to partner cross functionally in a GMP manufacturing environment.
• Experience supporting start-up facilities in manufacturing.
• Knowledge of process validation, commissioning and qualification activities.

Responsibilities

• Leads technical workstreams and integrates solutions across lifecycle.
• Designs site-level utility processes and acceptance criteria.
• Drives process improvement and optimization with production coordination.

Skills

Cross-functional collaboration

GMP manufacturing

Startup facility experience

Process validation

Technical leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related discipline

Job description

Job Description

Our organization works with partner companies to source qualified talent for their open roles. The following position is available to Veterans, Transitioning Military, National Guard and Reserve Members, Military Spouses, Wounded Warriors, and their Caregivers.

New to North Carolina. Known for pursuing breakthroughs in medicine.

At AbbVie, we bring together talented people and innovative science to develop medicines that help patients. Now, we’re bringing that commitment to Durham, North Carolina, with a new manufacturing campus that will expand our ability to produce medicines and create opportunities in the Research Triangle.

The campus will integrate advanced manufacturing, laboratory technologies and AI to support the production of immunology, oncology and neuroscience medicines. The first phase will include manufacturing facilities, next-generation laboratories, a warehouse, administrative offices and employee wellness facilities.

To learn more about this investment, please visit https://www.abbvie.com/abbvie-north-carolina-manufacturing.html

We are now recruiting our Sr. Manager Utilities.

Key Responsibilities

• The job leads technical workstreams and contributes to program outcomes by developing actionable methods and analyses, collaborating with cross‑functional partners to integrate technical solutions throughout the lifecycle, and advising on complex technical decisions and risks.
• Designs site‑level processes and improvements by defining operating ranges, critical parameters, and acceptance criteria that support efficient, high‑quality production.
• Leads process improvement and optimization workstreams, defining the technical approach, coordinating trial execution with production, and documenting results.
• Conducts process validation and troubleshooting for manufacturing processes manufacturing processes by analyzing performance data, investigating deviations, and drafting corrective actions and supporting documentation for review and approval
• Establishes technical standards for process documentation and change execution, ensuring methods, assumptions, and evidence are complete.
• Guides engineers through technical decisions by running working sessions, documenting decision logic, and tracking actions to closure.
• Delivers high‑quality technical outputs for complex projects and programs; defines and validates methods, documents results and key assumptions, ensures adherence to applicable standards and controls, and communicates technical progress, impacts and recommended mitigations to project leads and stakeholders.
• Provide technical leadership and subject matter expertise for the design and implementation of critical and clean utility systems, including Water for Injection (WFI), clean steam, process gases, and associated generation, storage, distribution, monitoring, and control systems.
• Lead utilities design reviews and provide operational input throughout project execution, ensuring systems are designed for safe and reliable operation, maintainability, capacity, redundancy, energy efficiency, lifecycle cost, and future manufacturing requirements.
• Provide technical and operational leadership for process waste systems, including waste inactivation, waste neutralization, and waste equalization systems, ensuring appropriate integration with manufacturing processes, environmental requirements, and site infrastructure.
• Lead the start‑up, commissioning, and qualification of utility and waste systems, including development and execution of system turnover strategies, commissioning plans, acceptance testing, qualification activities, punch‑list resolution, and transition from the project organization to site operations.
• Establish and manage the utilities operating organization following system turnover, including operating procedures, preventive maintenance strategies, training and qualification of personnel, staffing plans, operating metrics, alarm response, system monitoring, and day‑to‑day utility operations.
• Ensure sustained safe, compliant, and reliable performance of utility systems, partnering with Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Validation, EHS, Automation, and Maintenance to manage system performance, deviations, change control, reliability improvements, capacity planning, and continuous improvement throughout the asset lifecycle.

Minimum Education Required

Bachelors

Qualifications

You will have in-depth knowledge typically obtained through advanced education and experience; with a Bachelors degree in Engineering or similiar related discipline and 8 + years relevant industry experience.

Experience in drug substance, drug product, biologics and/or aseptic sterile fill finish is required.

You will have demonstrated your ability to partner cross functionally with successful teams in a GMP manufacturing environment and prior experience in a start up facility is preferred.

Additional Qualifications/Responsibilities

Travel: Yes, 50% of the Time

Pay Range

$ 124500 - 236500 USD

City: Durham

State: North Carolina

Job Category: Operations

Job Code: Manufacturing Manufacturing

Affiliate Sponsor: AbbVie

Salary Range: Not Disclosed

Auto req ID: 487108BR