Principal Manufacturing Engineer

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)
• 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…