Job DescriptionProcess Engineer II - Equipment EngineeringLocation: Frederick, MD
Department: Facilities & Engineering - Equipment Engineering
Everyone at Kite is grounded by one common goal - curing cancer. Every single day, we seek to establish a direct line between that purpose and our day-to-day work. We are seeking a motivated Process Engineer II to join the Equipment Engineering team at our Frederick, MD state-of-the-art cell therapy manufacturing facility. This role will support manufacturing, quality control, and facility equipment systems used in the production of life-saving cell therapy products. The successful candidate will work closely with Manufacturing, Quality, Validation, Maintenance, Supply Chain, and external vendors to ensure equipment reliability, compliance, and operational excellence within a GMP manufacturing environment.
Key Responsibilities- Support operation and lifecycle management of manufacturing, laboratory, and facility equipment.
- Serve as Technical Owner of equipment within the Enterprise Asset Management System for repairs, maintenance, and other asset lifecycle requests.
- Serve as an engineering resource for equipment investigations, troubleshooting, and root cause analysis.
- Analyze equipment failures and performance trends to identify recurring issues and reliability opportunities.
- Support implementation of corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs) and change controls.
- Assist with specification, procurement, installation, commissioning, and qualification of new equipment.
- Support equipment reliability initiatives including maintenance optimization and spare parts strategies.
- Author and review engineering documentation including: Engineering assessments, Technical reports, Change controls
- Support vendor management activities and execution of service projects.
- Participate in capital projects and facility improvement initiatives.
- Partner with Maintenance to improve work order effectiveness and equipment performance metrics.
- Utilize equipment history, maintenance records, and performance data to support reliability decision-making.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to improve equipment reliability, compliance, capacity, and operational efficiency.
- Support regulatory inspections and internal audits as required.
- Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives focused on safety, quality, compliance, and cost reduction.
Basic Qualifications- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, such as Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Bioengineering or similar.
- 3-5 years of engineering experience in biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device, or related regulated industry.
Preferred Qualifications- Familiarity with GMP manufacturing environments
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
- Effective written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to work within cross-functional teams
- Experience with equipment maintenance, troubleshooting, or validation activities
- Experience with one or more asset types: cell therapy manufacturing equipment, automated manufacturing platforms, laboratory instrumentation, cryogenic storage systems, filter integrity testing systems.
Success in This RoleThe ideal candidate is curious, collaborative, and motivated to learn. They can effectively balance compliance, technical rigor, and operational needs while building strong partnerships across the organization. As experience grows, the individual will take on increasing ownership of equipment systems, projects, and continuous improvement initiatives.
The salary range for this position is: $99,705.00 - $129,030.00. Kite considers a variety of factors when determining base compensation, including experience, qualifications, and geographic location. These considerations mean actual compensation will vary. This position may also be eligible for a discretionary annual bonus, discretionary stock-based long-term incentives (eligibility may vary based on role), paid time off, and a benefits package. Benefits include company-sponsored medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans*.
For additional benefits information, visit:
https://www.gilead.com/careers/compensation-benefits-and-wellbeing
* Eligible employees may participate in benefit plans, subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable plans.
