Sr. Spec. Maintenance Planner Scheduler

Job Description Summary

Job Description Summary
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Location: This role is based in Durham, NC, United States. Novartis is unable to offer relocation support: please only apply if accessible.

If you are energized by keeping complex manufacturing operations running at their best, this role puts you at the center of impact. As a Senior Specialist Maintenance Planner/Scheduler, you will play a critical role in ensuring the reliability, safety, and performance of a biopharmaceutical production site by strategically planning and scheduling maintenance and calibration activities. You will partner closely with operations, reliability, and technical teams to align maintenance execution with production priorities, strengthen preventive and predictive maintenance programs, and support a culture of continuous improvement. Your expertise will directly contribute to equipment reliability, regulatory compliance, and the uninterrupted delivery of innovative gene therapy medicines to patients who need them most.

 

Job Description

Key Responsibilities:

• Plan and schedule maintenance and calibration activities for all site equipment and instrumentation to support uninterrupted manufacturing operations

• Create, maintain, and update equipment records and detailed maintenance plans aligned with production schedules and operational priorities

• Provide technical support to maintenance resources and reliability maintenance teams to enable effective execution of planned work

• Deploy, sustain, and support site maintenance programs to ensure consistent, compliant, and reliable equipment performance

• Coordinate maintenance activities to ensure work is thoroughly planned, scoped, estimated, staffed, and executed according to schedule

• Partner closely with production scheduling, operations, and contracted services to align maintenance execution with site and business objectives

• Analyze work orders by urgency, complexity, skill requirements, location, and available manpower to optimize execution flow

• Issue and sequence work orders to technicians or work teams to support efficient use of internal maintenance resources

• Coordinate and direct external subcontractors to support maintenance activities and special project work

• Prepare and deliver maintenance performance metrics and statistical reports demonstrating productive workforce utilization

Essential Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field with a minimum of 5 years’ experience in a pharmaceutical manufacturing environment, or 9 years of relevant experience in lieu of a degree

• Broad exposure to multiple technical disciplines, including power transmission, lubrication technology, and electrical and electronic control systems

• Maintenance experience supporting biopharmaceutical processing equipment such as bioreactors, filtration systems, fillers, and clean room air systems

• Demonstrated working knowledge of computerized maintenance management systems and maintenance materials management functionality

• Experience developing and maintaining preventive and predictive maintenance plans for manufacturing equipment

• Working knowledge of reliability centered maintenance techniques and their application to manufacturing equipment

• Ability to perform in-depth root cause failure analysis and apply findings to improve equipment performance

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, and other applicable computer software

Desirable Requirements:

• SAP experience strongly preferred.

Novartis Compensation:

The salary for this position is expected to range between $81,200 and $150,800 per year.

The final salary offered is determined based on factors like, but not limited to, relevant skills and experience, and upon joining Novartis will be reviewed periodically.

Novartis may change the published salary range based on company and market factors. Your compensation will include a performance-based cash incentive and, depending on the level of the role, eligibility to be considered for annual equity awards.

US-based eligible employees will receive a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, life and disability benefits, a 401(k) with company contribution and match, and a variety of other benefits. In addition, employees are eligible for a generous time off package including vacation, personal days, holidays