Senior​/Principal Steward Engineering Standards

Overview

The Senior/Principal Engineering Standards Steward is a key member of the Engineering team, responsible for custodianship and strategic drive of the organization s technical specifications, design guidelines, and standard operating procedures. The role bridges cross-functional teams to embed best practices and prevent over-engineering that inflates costs, while ensuring GMP compliance and Lean optimization through collaboration with Quality, EHS, Operations, and external partners.

• Establish and manage the central repository for all engineering standards (Mechanical, Electrical, Process, Automation, etc.) with clear version control and change history.
• Drive standards relevance and currency through a formal review cadence, monitor industry trends and regulatory changes, and trigger SME input to prevent obsolescence.
• Lead end-to-end implementation strategies for new or revised standards, including development of training materials, e-learning resources, user guides, and facilitation of workshops to ensure seamless adoption across projects and operations.
• Challenge over-engineering and gold-plating by partnering with project teams and SMEs to justify high-cost specifications and ensure standards reflect fitness for purpose.
• Translate field feedback into continuous improvement by facilitating lessons-learned sessions, performing root-cause analysis, and iteratively refining standards to prevent recurring mistakes.
• Align standards with GMP requirements in close partnership with Quality, ensuring regulatory compliance without unnecessary bureaucratic layers.
• Resolve complex technical obstacles through workshops, design reviews, and consensus-building across SMEs, with the authority to escalate and document trade-offs that support project momentum.

Requirements for Senior:

• Bachelor s or Master s Degree in Mechanical, Chemical, or Process Engineering with 5+ years of hands-on experience in Pharmaceutical/Life Sciences capital projects, manufacturing operations, or engineering environments.
• Proven matrix leadership and stakeholder influencing capability, with the ability to build consensus among senior SMEs, challenge over-engineering constructively, and navigate cross-functional decision-making with minimal escalation.
• Demonstrated expertise in Lean Six Sigma, Agile methodologies, or continuous improvement frameworks, with a structured, analytical mindset and strong quality orientation.
• Exceptional communication, facilitation, and organizational skills, with the ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear guidance, FAQs, and user-centric documentation for diverse audiences.
• Independent and self-directed working style with proficiency in English (written and spoken); additional languages such as German or Mandarin are a plus.

Requirements for Principal:

• Bachelor s or Master s Degree in Mechanical, Chemical, or Process Engineering with 8+ years of hands-on experience in Pharmaceutical/Life Sciences capital projects, manufacturing operations, or engineering environments.
• Advanced matrix leadership and strategic stakeholder influencing capability, with proven ability to build consensus among C-level and senior SMEs, challenge over-engineering at enterprise scale, navigate complex cross-functional decision-making with autonomy, and mentor junior engineers in standards governance and technical leadership.
• Demonstrated expertise in Lean Six Sigma, Agile methodologies, and continuous improvement frameworks, with a strategic analytical mindset, strong quality orientation, and a track record of driving cost reduction and efficiency gains through standards optimization.
• Exceptional communication, facilitation, and organizational excellence, with the ability to translate complex technical concepts into enterprise-wide guidance, develop strategic roadmaps for standards rollout, and influence organizational behavior across geographically dispersed teams.
• Proven strategic advisory capability with the ability to assess emerging technologies and regulatory landscapes, establish forward-looking standards strategies, and position the organization ahead of industry trends.
• Independent and self-directed working style with complete fluency in English; proficiency in German, Mandarin, or other key operational languages is strongly preferred for global stakeholder engagement.
• Track record of building and leading standards governance frameworks or technical communities of practice, with experience managing complex organizational change and translating strategic directives into operational standards.

The expected salary range for this position based on the primary location of Oregon for the Senior is $90,600 - $168,200 and the Principal is $109,900 - $204,100. Actual pay will be determined based on experience, qualifications, geographic location, and other job-related factors permitted by law. A discretionary annual bonus may be available based on individual and Company performance.…