Principal Engineer (Pharmaceutical Engineering)

TL;DR

Principal Engineer (Pharmaceutical Engineering): Serving as the site technical authority for process equipment design and facility integration at a drug product manufacturing site. Focus on leading complex design decisions, multidisciplinary troubleshooting, and lifecycle technical support for Oral Solid Dosage (OSD) systems from construction through routine operations.

Location: On-site in Middletown, DE

Company

hirify.global is a global provider of R&D and manufacturing services that enable the pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device industries to advance discoveries and deliver treatments to patients.

What you will do

• Serve as the site technical design authority for OSD manufacturing and packaging equipment.
• Review and approve equipment layouts, 3D models, P&IDs, and utility requirements.
• Lead multidisciplinary design reviews and resolve interface gaps between vendors, contractors, and internal teams.
• Provide senior technical oversight during FAT, SAT, commissioning, and qualification.
• Lead complex troubleshooting, root-cause investigations, and deviation support for manufacturing systems.
• Mentor equipment engineers and support the development of internal site engineering capabilities.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical, Mechanical, or Pharmaceutical Engineering with 12+ years of relevant experience (or Master's/PhD with equivalent experience).
• Extensive experience with pharmaceutical process equipment and equipment-to-facility integration.
• Strong background in supporting greenfield facilities, major capital projects, and equipment start-up.
• In-depth understanding of cGMP engineering practices, design control, and equipment lifecycle documentation.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional technical decisions and resolve complex engineering problems.
• Must be able to work on-site in Middletown, DE.

Nice to have

• Experience in a CDMO/CMO environment.
• Knowledge of high-containment equipment (OEB3/OEB4) and material-handling systems.
• Working knowledge of process automation, equipment controls, and serialization.
• Professional certifications such as PE, PMP, or Lean Six Sigma.

Culture & Benefits

• Opportunity to lead technical workstreams in a high-impact pharmaceutical manufacturing environment.
• Engagement with complex, large-scale capital projects and facility expansions.
• Collaborative environment working with cross-functional teams including Quality, EHS, and Operations.
• Focus on continuous improvement, reliability, and total cost of ownership.