Sr. Director - Engineering (Automation, Maintenance, Process)

Company: Eli Lilly and Company
Location: Houston
Posted on: January 30, 2026

Job Description:

At Lilly, we unite caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. We are a global healthcare leader headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our employees around the world work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to our communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. We give our best effort to our work, and we put people first. We’re looking for people who are determined to make life better for people around the world. Lilly is currently constructing an advanced manufacturing facility for production of API molecules. This facility is intended to provide APIs for current and future products, including new modalities. This is a unique opportunity to be a part of the leadership team for the startup of a greenfield manufacturing site, and the successful candidate will help to build the organization, the facility and the culture to enable a successful startup into GMP manufacturing operations. Position Overview The Senior Director is responsible for leading the site’s process-facing engineering functions—including process engineering, automation, and maintenance—to ensure the team has the capacity, capability, and leadership to support site startup and long-term manufacturing goals. This role provides both administrative and technical leadership for engineering operations. As a member of the Lilly Site Lead Team, the Senior Director contributes to shaping the site’s strategic direction, building organizational capability, and managing cross-functional issues. The team works collectively to achieve long-term business objectives, adapt to evolving corporate and external environments, and develop the site for future success. During the project delivery and startup phases (2029–2030), the Site Lead Team will operate dynamically to support project execution, build the organization, implement GMP systems and processes, and establish site culture. This will require strong collaboration, creativity, and resilience. Responsibilities Pre-Startup & Startup Phase (through 2029–2030) Organizational Development : Collaborate with the Site Lead Team to build a capable, inclusive, and resilient organization focused on safety, quality, and operational excellence. Functional Strategy : Define priorities and roadmap for process engineering, automation, and maintenance. Develop systems and processes by leveraging internal expertise and external best practices. Safety Leadership : Actively contribute to the site HSE Lead Team to ensure safety is embedded throughout project delivery and startup. Project Support : Act as end user for process equipment—providing input on design, commissioning, and startup plans to align with both project and long-term site goals. Team Structure : Design and evolve the engineering organization to ensure the right resources and leadership are in place for GMP manufacturing. System Readiness : Ensure qualified and safe states for equipment, processes, utilities, and facilities are established and maintained. Corporate Alignment : Build strong technical relationships with corporate teams and champion strategic initiatives at the site level. Post-Startup Phase Ongoing Strategy Execution : Continue refining and executing the engineering roadmap, aligning functional goals with site priorities. Compliance & Standards : Ensure adherence to corporate policies and standards across environmental, safety, and quality domains. External Benchmarking : Maintain an outward focus to identify and apply best practices from across the industry and internal network. Asset Management : Partner with Facilities Engineering to manage site investments—planning, prioritizing, and executing capital projects aligned with site objectives. Operational Integrity : Ensure equipment remains in a qualified and safe state, and that maintenance is performed and documented to the highest standards. Governance & Controls : Establish and maintain robust control systems to manage compliance and escalate issues appropriately. Leadership Development : Cultivate future technical and managerial leaders for the site and potential global roles. Basic Requirements Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline 10 years of experience in a leadership role managing teams within the pharmaceutical industry Additional Preferences Experience in API manufacturing, including implementation of a Process Safety Management program. Strong understanding of cGMPs and their application to manufacturing operations. Proven ability to build effective relationships across all organizational levels—from site leadership to frontline teams. Demonstrated success in leading projects from initiation to completion, meeting timelines, budgets, and performance standards. Track record of developing and managing high-performing, engaged teams with a focus on safety, quality, and strong team culture. Lilly is dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities to actively engage in the workforce, ensuring equal opportunities when vying for positions. If you require accommodation to submit a resume for a position at Lilly, please complete the accommodation request form ( https://careers.lilly.com/us/en/workplace-accommodation ) for further assistance. Please note this is for individuals to request an accommodation as part of the application process and any other correspondence will not receive a response. Lilly is proud to be an EEO Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender identity, sex, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status. Our employee resource groups (ERGs) offer strong support networks for their members and are open to all employees. Our current groups include: Africa, Middle East, Central Asia Network, Black Employees at Lilly, Chinese Culture Network, Japanese International Leadership Network (JILN), Lilly India Network, Organization of Latinx at Lilly (OLA), PRIDE (LGBTQ Allies), Veterans Leadership Network (VLN), Women’s Initiative for Leading at Lilly (WILL), enAble (for people with disabilities). Learn more about all of our groups. Actual compensation will depend on a candidate’s education, experience, skills, and geographic location. The anticipated wage for this position is $ - $ Full-time equivalent employees also will be eligible for a company bonus (depending, in part, on company and individual performance). In addition, Lilly offers a comprehensive benefit program to eligible employees, including eligibility to participate in a company-sponsored 401(k); pension; vacation benefits; eligibility for medical, dental, vision and prescription drug benefits; flexible benefits (e.g., healthcare and/or dependent day care flexible spending accounts); life insurance and death benefits; certain time off and leave of absence benefits; and well-being benefits (e.g., employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs and activities).Lilly reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion and Lilly’s compensation practices and guidelines will apply regarding the details of any promotion or transfer of Lilly employees. WeAreLilly

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