Associate Director, Project Delivery AMER

Associate Director, Project Delivery AMER

Location: Vacaville, California, USA

Lead complex, high-impact capital investment projects supporting biologics manufacturing at Lonza’s Vacaville site. In this Associate Director level role, you will drive projects from concept through startup/commissioning/qualification and handover to operations in collaborating with several workstreams (engineering, operations, automation, CQV…) and external partners to deliver safe, compliant, and cost-effective solutions that enable the medicines of tomorrow.

This is a fully site‑based role. Working together in person supports close, real‑time collaboration and the technical precision needed to manufacture medicines to the highest quality and safety standards.

What you will get:

The full-time base annual salary for this position is expected to range between $159,750-266,250. In addition, below you will find a comprehensive summary of the benefits package we offer:

• Performance-related bonus
• Medical, dental and vision insurance
• 401(k) matching plan
• Life insurance, as well as short-term and long-term disability insurance
• Employee assistance programs
• Paid Time Off
• Sick Time Off

Compensation for this role will be determined by the candidate’s qualifications, skills, experience, and relevant knowledge.

What you will do:

• Plan, manage, and execute capital investment projects across engineering, design, construction, and commissioning phases, ensuring delivery on time, within budget, and to required regulatory and quality standards
• Act as Technical Project Manager for biologics processing projects, providing technical leadership across multiple engineering disciplines
• Lead and coordinate cross-functional project teams, working closely with operations, engineering, procurement, EHS, project controls, contractors, and vendors
• Ensure safety, quality, and regulatory compliance in accordance with internal procedures and global health authority requirements
• Manage project budgets, schedules, resources, and risks, proactively addressing issues and driving mitigation strategies
• Communicate project progress, risks, and outcomes to key stakeholders and senior leadership
• Support talent development within the project team, fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing, and professional growth.
• Be responsible for ensuring the design meets approved intent through interactions between the design firm, design specialists, trade partners, and end user/customer.
• Ensure cross-functional participation of design documents review throughout the project lifecycle.
 

What we are looking for:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related scientific discipline

•Extensive experience in technical project management and project engineering within process, power, infrastructure, or life sciences manufacturing environments
• Broad technical understanding across engineering disciplines, including process, automation, mechanical & piping, civil, and infrastructure systems
• Proven capability in managing capital investment projects, including cost control, scheduling, and contractor oversight
• Experience designing and delivering compliant, cost-effective facilities, ideally within regulated manufacturing environments
• Knowledge of modern commissioning and qualification approaches to accelerate time to routine production while maintaining compliance
• Strong leadership, stakeholder management, and communication skills, with a results-oriented and structured approach to delivery

About Lonza

At Lonza, our people are our greatest strength. With 30+ sites across five continents, our globally connected teams work together every day to manufacture the medicines of tomorrow. Our core values of Collaboration, Accountability, Excellence, Passion and Integrity reflect who we are and how we work together. Everyone’s ideas, big or small, have the potential to improve millions of lives, and that’s the kind of work we want you to be part of.

Innovation thrives when people from all backgrounds bring their unique perspectives to the table. At Lonza, we offer equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. If you’re ready to help turn our customers’ breakthrough ideas into viable therapies, we look forward to welcoming you on board.

Ready to shape the future of life sciences? Apply now.