Principal Engineer

About the role

Vantive is a vital organ therapy company dedicated to extending lives and expanding possibilities for patients and care teams. This role is part of the Drug Products – Americas R&D Team, focusing on container material performance and plastic-related processes for container systems.

Responsibilities

• Technical Leadership & Strategy: Lead technical workstreams involving container systems and polymer-based materials, ensuring delivery of scope, timelines, and technical quality. Define and manage technical strategy, risks, and mitigation plans related to both material performance and associated processes.

• Subject Matter Expert (SME): Serve as a subject matter expert in polymer materials and plastic processing for container applications. Evaluate and select container materials based on structure-property relationships and application requirements. Drive material qualification and change assessments across lifecycle phases.

• Container Process & Manufacturing Expertise: Lead and support development and optimization of plastic-related manufacturing processes. Translate material properties into container process design considerations and performance outcomes. Identify and mitigate process-related risks, including variability, scalability, and manufacturability challenges. Collaborate with Manufacturing and suppliers on process validation, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement.

• Technical Excellence & Mentorship: Mentor and guide engineers in container material science and container process-related problem solving. Drive use of analytical tools and data-driven decision making. Contribute to strengthening team capabilities in container materials and container process engineering.

• Collaboration, Influence & Talent Development: Collaborate effectively across global, cross-functional, and multicultural teams. Maintain clear, effective communication with stakeholders at all levels. Mentor, coach, and develop engineers, strengthening technical depth, strategic thinking, and problem-solving capabilities within the team. Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performance technical culture.

Requirements

• PhD (preferred) or Master’s degree (required) in Materials Science, Polymer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, or related field.

• Minimum 7+ years of industrial experience in polymer materials, container closure systems, or related fields.

• Expertise in plastic processing and manufacturing (molding, extrusion, welding etc) processes.

• Experience in container systems for pharmaceutical or medical applications.

• Deep expertise in polymeric materials for medical and pharmaceutical applications, including container and drug/device combinations.

• Strong knowledge of container material qualification, product development, and lifecycle management for pharmaceutical packaging or disposables.

• Expertise in design control documentation, including Design History Files.

• Proven experience in technical risk assessment, mitigation, and execution.

• Strong analytical skills, including familiarity with statistical methods and Six Sigma tools.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to influence technical and business decisions at all organizational levels.

Qualifications

• 10% travel as needed.

Skills

• Material Science

• Polymer Engineering

• Mechanical Engineering

• Biomedical Engineering

• Container Material Performance Evaluation

• Container Process & Manufacturing Expertise

• Technical Leadership & Strategy

• Technical Risk Assessment

• Data-Driven Decision Making

• Collaboration & Mentorship

Benefits

• Comprehensive compensation and benefits packages, including medical, dental, and vision coverage, basic life, accident, short-term and long-term disability, and business travel accident insurance.

• Aon Pooled Employer Plan (PEP) for retirement savings.

• Flexible Spending Accounts, educational assistance programs, and time-off benefits.

• Additional benefits such as commuting benefits, the Employee Discount Program, the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and childcare benefits.

Pay

The estimated base salary for this position is $108,000 to $148,000 annually. The estimated range is meant to reflect an anticipated salary range for the position. We may pay more or less than the anticipated range based upon market data and other factors, all of which are subject to change. Individual pay is based on location, skills and expertise, experience, and other relevant factors.

Schedule

This position may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses. For questions about this, our pay philosophy, and available benefits, please speak to the recruiter if you decide to apply and are selected for an interview.