Specialist, Mechanical Coordinator

Job Description

The Enabling Facilities (EF) group within the Chemical Engineering Research & Development (CERD) Department is seeking a highly motivated individual to work in a fast-paced job that provides a high degree of practical technical, mechanical and planning responsibility. The Equipment Development and Facility Engineering (EDFE) Mechanical Coordinator position will report to the Associate Director, Engineering and will be a member of the MACS EF Team at the Rahway, NJ facility. EF is responsible for development of new technologies/capabilities, execution of capital and non-capital improvement projects, and the automation system assets spanning production, utility systems and associated infrastructure. EDFE's role within EF includes design, installation, qualification, startup, maintenance and troubleshooting of equipment and systems.

Responsibilities of the MACS EDFE Mechanical Coordinator include the following:

The Mechanical Coordinator role at the Specialist level will serve as a team member supporting the Modality Agnostic Chemistry Scaleup (MACS) Center. This is a new potent, multi-modality (small molecule, macrocyclic peptides, bioconjugates) Drug Substance development and GMP clinical manufacturing plant currently planned in Rahway, New Jersey. The Specialist will serve as a valued team member during the MACS Center Execution Phase and will support the facility’s operations after start-up.

As the facility is currently under construction, the selected candidate will contribute to equipment and facility design, system commissioning/qualification, and operational readiness planning to enable facility startup. Upon start-up, the selected candidate will lead the daily mechanical activities and be responsible for the planning and execution supervision of maintenance, improvement and yearly shutdown/turnaround efforts. It will involve learning, understanding, and applying the maintenance requirements and safe work practices in effect at the Rahway site to prepare the facility and its equipment for a multi-discipline team of internal tradesmen and 3rd party contractors to execute said maintenance and improvement activities.

Daily activities include:

• Prioritization of mechanical work to meet the timelines of the business

• Hazardous permits including line breaks, Class A & B hot work, elevated roof, and confined space entry.

• Lockout/Tagout and Energy Control Procedure implementation and development

• Emergency Repairs/Troubleshooting

• Calibration/Routine Preventative Maintenance

• Process Equipment set-up and re-qualifications

• Design of small facility modifications

• Materials sourcing and procurement

• Interaction with Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) applications 

The candidate will liaise with operations specialists, facility engineers, compliance representatives, and other team members to ensure a safe work environment, the quality and safe delivery of clinical supplies, and an optimized work plan. A successful candidate will stay well attuned to the status of production activities in a very dynamic production environment, the readiness of maintenance work and will adjust priorities of the work on an ongoing basis, which ultimately will contribute to the flexibility and speed of the Company's pipeline. 

Education Minimum Requirement:

• High School Diploma/GED plus at least four (4) years of relevant experience in Pharmaceutical, Chemical, Petrochemical or Food Processing/Manufacturing.

Required Experience and Skills

• A strong mechanical aptitude,

• Maintenance experience in manufacturing environments,

• History interacting with skilled trades (Piping, Electrical, Millwrights, Instrumentation, 3rd party contractors and vendors),

• Ability to read and understand P&IDs and technical/mechanical diagrams,

• Familiarity with Change Management processes and principles,

• Excellent organizational skills with an ability to multi-task,

• Effective interpersonal and communication skills, both verbal and written, 

• A collaborative mindset,

• Desire and willingness to learn, contribute and lead,

• Track-record of independent problem-solving,

• Fluent in Microsoft Office, use of email.

Desired Experience and Skills:

• Maintenance experience in GMP pilot plants or manufacturing environments, 

• Familiarity with US and EU Safety and GMP compliance regulations, 

• Experience with Potent Compound processing and containment systems (e.g.,