Principal Manufacturing Engineer in Albuquerque, NM
Build your future at Curia, where our work has the power to save lives
Curia is a global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) with over 30 years of experience partnering with pharmaceutical and biotech companies to provide life-saving treatments to patients. At Curia, we are on a mission to advance our customers' therapies from curiosity to cure and ultimately to improve patients' lives.
We proudly offer
Generous benefit options (eligible first day of employment)
Paid training, vacation and holidays (vacation accrual begins on first day of employment)
Career advancement opportunities
Education reimbursement
401K program with matching contributions
Learning platform
And more!
Summary:
The Principal Manufacturing Engineer plays a critical leadership role in supporting and advancing manufacturing operations, with a strong emphasis on sterile/aseptic filling equipment and pharmaceutical manufacturing processes. This position serves as a senior technical expert and provides strategic engineering oversight to ensure equipment reliability, operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, and continuous improvement across manufacturing systems. This role requires extensive hands-on experience with high-speed filling equipment in sterile pharmaceutical environments and the ability to independently analyze complex technical challenges, develop innovative solutions, and implement sustainable process improvements. The Principal Manufacturing Engineer exercises sound engineering judgment, leads cross-functional initiatives, and influences operational decision-making that impacts quality, safety, cost, and production performance.
Responsibilities include both significant presence on the manufacturing floor and off-floor engineering functions such as project leadership, technical documentation, process optimization, equipment performance analysis, and collaboration with Quality, Maintenance, Validation, and Operations teams. The position prioritizes time within manufacturing operations to provide direct technical support, troubleshoot critical issues, and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
The ideal candidate demonstrates advanced engineering expertise in equipment reliability, maintenance strategies, process optimization, and risk mitigation, while operating with a high degree of autonomy and accountability.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Lead and manage complex manufacturing engineering projects from concept through implementation and lifecycle support, ensuring alignment with operational, quality, and business objectives.
Provide technical leadership in strengthening and optimizing existing production systems to improve equipment reliability, throughput, and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).
Serve as a senior technical expert for sterile/aseptic filling lines, including filling, stoppering, capping systems, autoclaves, and associated manufacturing equipment.
Independently analyze complex equipment and process issues; develop and implement sustainable corrective and preventive solutions.
Design, specify, modify, and troubleshoot manufacturing equipment and facility systems to support cGMP operations and new product introduction.
Provide engineering oversight for plant utilities including compressed air, nitrogen, and process vacuum systems, including system design, upgrades, modifications, and performance optimization.
Collaborate cross-functionally with Operations, Quality, Validation, Maintenance, Technical Operations, and external contractors to ensure compliant and efficient execution of engineering initiatives.
Develop equipment specifications, evaluate vendor proposals, and provide technical recommendations and cost estimates for capital equipment acquisitions and upgrades.
Ensure all engineering documentation, including drawings, change controls (ECOs), work orders, and project records, are accurate, compliant, and properly maintained.
Maintain working knowledge and application of applicable codes and standards, including NFPA 70 (National Electrical Code), NFPA 70E, NFPA 70B, and NFPA 79, ensuring engineering activities meet safety and regulatory requirements.
Establish project priorities, manage timelines, and track progress across multiple concurrent initiatives while meeting defined deadlines.
Exercise independent judgment in decision-making that impacts manufacturing performance, regulatory compliance, safety, and operational efficiency.
Provide mentorship and technical guidance to junior engineers and support staff, contributing to the development of engineering capabilities within the organization.
Read/interpret SOPs to ensure compliance
Maintain up to date trainings
Other duties as assigned
Education and/or Experience:
Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field of study
Minimum of twelve (12) years' relevant experience in a manufacturing engineering or related role.
Minimum of ten (10) years' experience supporting sterile pharmaceutical manufacturing operations
Minimum of ten (10) years' direct hands-on experience with aseptic filling equipment (vial, syringe, cartridge, or similar systems)
Experience in bio/pharmaceutical manufacturing environment, required
Demonstrated experience with equipment validation (IQ/OQ/PQ), media fills, and regulatory inspections, preferred
Supervisory Responsibilities:
This role does not have supervisory responsibilities, yet it may involve mentoring, guiding, and advising.
Language Skills:
The ideal candidate should have the ability to read and interpret various documents, such as safety instructions, standard operating procedures, technical procedures, and governmental regulations. Additionally, they should possess strong written and verbal communication skills, along with effective presentation skills.
Mathematical Skills:
Proficient in executing arithmetic operations including addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division across various units of measurement, employing whole numbers, fractions, decimals, and percentages. Candidates must possess a strong grasp of algebraic and geometric principles.
Reasoning Ability:
Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
Computer Skills:
The ideal candidate will possess a strong technical foundation and proven capability in effectively utilizing diverse software tools to streamline the organization's daily functions. Essential skills encompass adeptness in manufacturing and internet software, alongside proficiency in Microsoft Office tools including PowerPoint, Excel, Word, and Outlook.
Other Skills and Abilities:
Provides guidance and mentorship to team members
Fosters a collaborative and positive work environment
Champions change
Promotes a safe and healthy work environment by actively identifying and addressing potential hazards, following established safety protocols, participating in safety training programs, and fostering a culture of awareness and responsibility among team members.
Demonstrates strong attention to detail
Ability to organize time to successfully manage multiple projects and priorities
Ability to read, understand, interpret and implement technical writing and instructions
Effective interpersonal relation skills, while maintaining the adaptability to achieve company goals
Verbally expresses ideas and facts in a clear, logical, concise, and accepted grammatical style
Other Qualifications:
Must pass a background check
Must pass a drug screen
May be required to pass Occupational Health Screening
May be required to obtain and maintain gowning certification
May be required to obtain and maintain media qualification
May be required to wear a respirator
Physical Demands:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
The essential physical demands will vary for each Curia position.
All positions may require regular or occasional lifting, pushing and pulling up to 10 pounds, frequently; up to 25 pounds occasionally; and up to 50 pounds infrequently. Additionally, all positions entail regular sitting, standing and reaching, with some roles requiring prolonged periods of time for each activity. Visual acuity, both close and distant, along with depth perception is necessary in each role, with or without corrective lenses. Please note that employees are prohibited from wearing contact lenses in work areas with exposure to cleaning agents. Hand and finger dexterity are integral to all positions, with specific activities varying from typing to manipulating maintenance tools or operating keypads, switches, and buttons. Occasional stooping, kneeling, twisting, crouching, crawling and balancing are also part of each position's physical requirements. Certain roles may involve climbing and working at elevated heights as well.
Work Environment:
The work environment characteristics, described below, are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
The working environments will vary for each Curia position. The employee may be required to work in an office, manufacturing, or warehouse environment.
The office environment is designed for comfort and productivity, with room temperature settings maintained for optimal working conditions. It is common to hear conversational noise in the background.
The pharmaceutical manufacturing environment is sterile. Therefore, aseptic gowning is required. Personal protective equipment (nitrile gloves, clean room socks, face-shields, safety glasses, aprons, steel-toed shoes and powered air purifying respirators) is necessary, depending upon the task at hand. The employee may be exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, confined areas, and refrigerator or freezer temperatures when working in a sterile environment.
The warehouse environment is typically set at a controlled temperature but the employee may be exposed to refrigerator or freezer temperatures when retrieving materials.
Some positions may occasionally be exposed to moving mechanical parts, elevated heights, airborne particles, electrical activities and vibration. In addition, some positions may work with or be exposed to, compressed gases and must wear ear protection.
All environments may be subject to working with or being exposed to cleaning agents.
Education, experience, location and tenure may be considered along with internal equity when job offers are extended.
We do not accept unsolicited assistance from any headhunters or recruitment firms for any of our job openings. All resumes or profiles submitted by search firms to any employee at Curia, in any form without a valid, signed search agreement by an authorized signatory in place for the specific position, approved by Talent Acquisition, will be deemed the sole property of Curia. No fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired by Curia because of the unsolicited referral.
All interested applicants must apply online. Please be aware of scammers. Curia will only send offer letters and requests for sensitive personal information from a curiaglobal.com email address. Curia is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability. Curia is an E-Verify employer.
