Senior/Principal Steward for Engineering Standards

About the role

This role is a critical part of our Engineering team which is dedicated to ensuring technical consistency, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency across all manufacturing and capital projects. As a Senior/Principal Engineering Standards Steward, you will serve as the custodian and strategic driver of our organization's technical specifications, design guidelines, and standard operating procedures—bridging cross-functional teams to embed best practices and prevent over-engineering that inflates costs.

Responsibilities

• Establish and manage the central repository for all engineering standards (Mechanical, Electrical, Process, Automation, etc.) with clear version control and change history
• Drive standards relevance and currency through a formal review cadence that monitors industry trends and regulatory changes, triggering timely SME input to prevent obsolescence
• Lead end-to-end implementation strategies for new or revised standards, including development of training materials, e-learning resources, user guides, and facilitation of workshops to ensure seamless adoption across projects and operations
• Challenge over-engineering and gold-plating by partnering with project teams and SMEs to justify high-cost specifications and ensure standards reflect "fitness for purpose" rather than maximalist designs
• Translate field feedback into continuous improvement by facilitating lessons-learned sessions, performing root-cause analysis, and iteratively refining standards to prevent recurring mistakes
• Align standards with GMP requirements in close partnership with Quality, ensuring regulatory compliance without unnecessary bureaucratic layers
• Resolve complex technical obstacles through workshops, design reviews, and consensus-building across SMEs, with the authority to escalate and document trade-offs that support project momentum

Requirements for Senior

• Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Mechanical, Chemical, or Process Engineering with 5+ years of hands-on experience in Pharmaceutical/Life Sciences capital projects, manufacturing operations, or engineering environments
• Proven matrix leadership and stakeholder influencing capability, with the ability to build consensus among senior SMEs, challenge over-engineering constructively, and navigate cross-functional decision-making with minimal escalation
• Demonstrated expertise in Lean Six Sigma, Agile methodologies, or continuous improvement frameworks, with a structured, analytical mindset and strong quality orientation
• Exceptional communication, facilitation, and organizational skills, with the ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear guidance, FAQs, and user-centric documentation for diverse audiences
• Independent and self-directed working style with proficiency in English (written and spoken); additional languages such as German or Mandarin are a plus

Requirements for Principal

• Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Mechanical, Chemical, or Process Engineering with 8+ years of hands-on experience in Pharmaceutical/Life Sciences capital projects, manufacturing operations, or engineering environments
• Advanced matrix leadership and strategic stakeholder influencing capability, with proven ability to build consensus among C-level and senior SME stakeholders, challenge over-engineering at enterprise scale, navigate complex cross-functional decision-making with autonomy, and mentor junior engineers in standards governance and technical leadership
• Demonstrated expertise in Lean Six Sigma, Agile methodologies, and continuous improvement frameworks, combined with a strategic analytical mindset, strong quality orientation, and quantifiable track record of driving cost reduction and efficiency gains through standards optimization
• Exceptional communication, facilitation, and organizational excellence, with the ability to translate complex technical concepts into enterprise-wide guidance, develop strategic communication roadmaps for standards rollout, create comprehensive training curricula, and influence organizational behavior change across geographically dispersed teams
• Proven strategic advisory capability with the ability to assess emerging technologies and regulatory landscapes, establish forward-looking standards strategies, and position the organization ahead of industry trends
• Independent and self-directed working style with complete fluency in English (written and spoken); proficiency in German, Mandarin, or other key operational languages is strongly preferred for global stakeholder engagement
• Track record of building and leading standards governance frameworks or technical communities of practice, with experience managing complex organizational change, resolving high-stakes technical disputes, and translating strategic directives into operational standards

Pay

The expected salary range for this position based on the primary location of Oregon for the Senior is $90,600 - $168,200 and the Principal is $109,900 - $204,100. Actual pay will be determined based on experience, qualifications, geographic location, and other job-related factors permitted by law. A discretionary annual bonus may be available based on individual and Company performance.

Schedule

This is an on-site position; no remote options are available at this time.

Benefits

This position also qualifies for the benefits detailed in this link.