Senior Manager, Maintenance and Engineering

The Opportunity:

Avantor is looking for a Senior Manager, Maintenance & Engineering to be responsible for leading a large, multidisciplinary team of engineers and maintenance professionals in a complex manufacturing environment including Facility, Utility and Process Equipment Lifecyle management.

This role ensures the development and execution of engineering and maintenance strategies that enhance equipment performance, reduce downtime, and support continuous improvement. The position requires a strong focus on regulatory compliance, documentation, and cross-functional collaboration with production, quality, supply chain and finance departments.

This is a full-time position based out of our Paris, KY office.

How you will thrive and create an impact: 

Leadership & Strategy

• Lead and manage a large team of process engineers, facility, utility and process maintenance technicians, and supervisors.
• Provide strategic direction for engineering and maintenance programs, including preventive (PM) and predictive (PdM) maintenance.
• Directly supervise and develop maintenance technicians, including performance appraisals, time approvals, and training.
• Assist in turnaround/outage preparation and provide weekly updates on long-duration jobs.

Engineering & Analysis

• Lead commission and qualification strategies for process as well as facility and utility equipment.
• Provide oversight of process engineering staffing including recruitment, resource planning, and succession planning.
• Provide process engineering work coordination and provide process engineering input to key functional groups and partners.
• Review and approve engineering related deviations and change controls.
• Review and approve engineering standard operating procedures (SOPs).
• Participate appropriately in site planning processes (capital and resource), representing the interests of the team but with a view to the overall site picture.
• Ensure technical review and approval for documents, including investigations, change controls, regulatory submissions, expert opinions, validations, annual product reviews, manufacturing tickets, procedures, process flow documents, personnel qualification strategies, control strategies, technical studies, etc.
• Interact with regulators, customers, or other outside stakeholders on business issues or in support of internal and external agency audits.
• Oversee failure analysis of products, components, and systems to improve reliability and reduce costs.
• Discover, evaluate, and recommend upgrades to mechanical, electrical, and control systems.
• Ensure appropriate statistical methods are used in reliability assessments.
• Participate in Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and incident investigations.
• Regulatory Compliance & Documentation.
• Ensure adherence to cGMP, DEA, DOT, EPA, FDA, ISO, OSHA, and all federal/local regulations.
• Experience in Process Hazard Analysis (PHA) and/or Level of Protection Analysis (LOPA).
• Write, review, and revise engineering and maintenance documentation to ensure compliance and streamline processes.
• Organize and maintain a documentation library to support audit readiness and troubleshooting.
• Write and revise Quality Work Instructions (QWIs) and forms to maintain accuracy and compliance.

Operations & Continuous Improvement

• Coordinate and supervise Engineering and maintenance work across facility, laboratory, production, and utility systems.
• Identify constraints and trends impacting schedules and recommend corrective actions.
• Maintain and report on engineering and maintenance metrics, including technician KPIs.
• Support internal and external audits and manage contracted maintenance activities.
• Define scope of work for contract services and produce cost estimates.
• Complete emergency repairs efficiently to minimize downtime.
• Maintain a safe, clean, and lean working environment.
• Administrative & Cross-Functional Support
• Attend and contribute to meetings (safety, planning, reliability, contractor management, production).
• Review and validate clarity of work requests and field-verify job locations.
• Provide general administrative support and perform other duties as assigned by senior leadership.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Directly supervises Engineers and Maintenance Technicians and oversees their daily activities, development, and performance

What we’re looking for:

• Education & Experience:
• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical, Mechanical, or Electrical Engineering or a related technical field required. Master’s degree or MBA preferred.
• Experience:
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in maintenance and reliability, with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
• Experience with CMMS systems and Microsoft Office Suite required.
• Strong background in mechanical and electrical systems, including shop skills (welding, machining, etc.).
• Additional Qualifications:
• Strong leadership, organizational, and multitasking abilities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to read and interpret P&IDs, technical documents, and regulatory standards.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively across departments.
• Strong judgment and decision-making skills in a fast-paced environment.
• Knowledge of safety practices including lockout/tagout, confined space entry, and lifting/hoisting.

Disclaimer:

All potential candidates should read through the following details of this job with care before making an application.
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of employees assigned to this position. Avantor is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

Why Avantor?

Dare to go further in your career. Join our global team of 14,000+ associates whose passion for discovery and determination to overcome challenges relentlessly advances life-changing science.

 
The work we do changes people's lives for the better. It brings new patient treatments and therapies to market, giving a cancer survivor the chance to walk his daughter down the aisle. It enables medical devices that help a little boy hear his mom's voice for the first time. Outcomes such as these create unlimited opportunities for you to contribute your talents, learn new skills and grow your career at Avantor.

 
We are committed to helping you on this journey through our diverse, equitable and inclusive culture which includes learning experiences to support your career growth and success. At Avantor, dare to go further and see how the impact of your contributions set science in motion to create a better world. Apply today!

EEO Statement:

We are an Equal Employment/Affirmative Action employer and VEVRAA Federal Contractor. We do not discriminate in hiring on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state/province, or local law.

If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact us by email at and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Requests for accommodation will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Please note that only inquiries concerning a request for reasonable accommodation will be responded to from this email address.

For more information about equal employment opportunity protections, please view the Know Your Rights poster .

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By submitting candidates without having been formally assigned on and contracted for a specific job requisition by Avantor, or by failing to comply with the Avantor recruitment process, you forfeit any fee on the submitted candidates, regardless of your usual terms and conditions. xywuqvp Avantor works with a preferred supplier list and will take the initiative to engage with recruitment agencies based on its needs and will not be accepting any form of solicitation.