Senior 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 packaging material development and system integration.

Responsibilities

• Technical Leadership & Strategy:
  • Lead multiple container material–related workstreams and initiatives.
  • Provide authoritative guidance and influence technical decisions.
  • Establish and govern risk-based decision-making frameworks.
  • Influence organizational technical direction and business strategy.
  • Translate complex technical challenges into actionable strategies and execution plans.
• Container Material Evaluation & System Integration:
  • Evaluate, select, develop, and qualify polymer materials and container systems.
  • Lead failure investigations and root-cause analysis for material-related issues.
  • Drive material selection decisions impacting product performance, cost, safety, and regulatory compliance.
  • Integrate material science insights into system-level design and product realization.
  • Support container material–related sustaining and lifecycle management activities.
• Technical Excellence & Innovation:
  • Apply analytical tools, data-driven decision making, and scientific rigor in problem solving and design decisions.
  • Promote continuous improvement, innovation, and adoption of new technologies or methodologies.
  • Strengthen technical standards and practices to enhance product quality, robustness, and performance outcomes.
• Collaboration, Influence & Talent Development:
  • Collaborate effectively across global, cross-functional, and multicultural teams.
  • Mentor, coach, and develop engineers.
  • Communicate clearly and effectively, influencing technical and business stakeholders.
  • Contribute to building organizational capability and a 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 8+ years of industrial experience in polymer materials, container closure systems, pharmaceutical packaging or related fields.
• Deep expertise in polymeric materials, structure–property relationships, and container systems for medical/pharmaceutical applications.
• Hands-on experience with polymer performance evaluation instruments (DSC, DMA, FT-IR etc).
• Extensive knowledge of manufacturing processes and process optimization, particularly for parenteral or combination products.
• Proven success in technical risk assessment, mitigation, and execution.
• Working knowledge of global regulatory requirements and quality systems (FDA, ICH, ISO, cGxP).
• Strong analytical capabilities, including statistical methods and Six Sigma tools.
• Demonstrated ability to translate customer and clinical needs into product and technical solutions.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, with ability to engage technical and business stakeholders at all levels.
• Occasional business travel (domestic and international) is needed for this role.

Qualifications

• Experience in product lifecycle management, spanning development, commercialization, and sustaining phases.
• Proven success in technical risk assessment, mitigation, and execution.
• Strong analytical capabilities, including statistical methods and Six Sigma tools.
• Demonstrated ability to translate customer and clinical needs into product and technical solutions.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, with ability to engage technical and business stakeholders at all levels.
• Occasional business travel (domestic and international) is needed for this role.

Skills

• Leadership of global, cross-functional technical programs and multiple workstreams.
• Expertise in polymeric materials, structure–property relationships, and container systems for medical/pharmaceutical applications.
• Hands-on experience with polymer performance evaluation instruments (DSC, DMA, FT-IR etc).
• Knowledge of manufacturing processes and process optimization, particularly for parenteral or combination products.
• Success in technical risk assessment, mitigation, and execution.
• Strong analytical capabilities, including statistical methods and Six Sigma tools.
• Ability to translate customer and clinical needs into product and technical solutions.
• Effective communication and influencing skills, with ability to engage technical and business stakeholders at all levels.
• Occasional business travel (domestic and international) is needed for this role.

Benefits

Vantive offers comprehensive compensation and benefits packages, including medical, dental, and vision coverage, as well as insurance coverage for basic life, accident, short-term and long-term disability, and business travel accident insurance. Financial and retirement benefits include the Aon Pooled Employer Plan (“Aon PEP”), Vantive’s 401(k) retirement savings plan, and the Employee Discount Program. The company also offers Flexible Spending Accounts, educational assistance programs, and time-off benefits such as paid holidays, paid time off ranging from 20 to 35 days based on length of service, family and medical leaves of absence, and paid parental leave. Additional benefits include commuting benefits, the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and childcare benefits.