Pharmaceutical Process Engineer

Job Title: Process Engineer

Job Description

This Process Engineer role provides hands-on technical support for manufacturing operations, ensuring that process equipment and systems operate in a state of control and in full compliance with cGMP and regulatory requirements. You will troubleshoot complex process and equipment issues, support maintenance activities, and drive data-based improvements to enhance performance, capacity, and reliability. This position offers exposure to pharmaceutical and animal health manufacturing processes, including fill-finish operations, within a leading, highly regulated production environment.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical support and engineering solutions for process and equipment-related issues, including real-time support for production staff during manufacturing activities.
• Support maintenance activities by providing technical guidance and assisting in troubleshooting complex equipment and process problems.
• Understand the basis for qualification of equipment and ensure that all equipment and systems remain appropriate and fit for their intended purpose.
• Ensure equipment and processes operate in a consistent, expected state of control and remain aligned with regulatory commitments, cGMP requirements, and relevant standards.
• Provide on-floor support to Manufacturing teams to troubleshoot equipment and process issues, ensuring all issues are captured in the quality management system.
• Lead or support root cause analyses for process and equipment deviations, and ensure appropriate corrective and preventive actions are identified, implemented, and documented.
• Oversee changes, maintenance, and other interventions to ensure they do not negatively impact the qualified state of equipment or processes.
• Document all changes and interventions appropriately through the established change management system.
• Use data-driven analysis to evaluate process and equipment performance and capacity, and identify, recommend, and implement improvements to optimize system performance.
• Ensure all process operations comply with health, safety, and environmental policies and procedures.
• Participate in HAZOP and process safety reviews, identifying and helping to mitigate hazards associated with manufacturing processes and equipment.
• Demonstrate strict adherence to local, state, and federal requirements, cGMP standards, and internal policies and procedures, consistently promoting a "Safety First and Quality Always" mindset.
• Attend and complete all required training to remain current with industry standards, regulatory expectations, and internal procedures.

Essential Skills

• Minimum of 3 years of experience in process engineering, preferably in the pharmaceutical or animal health industry.
• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related engineering field.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills applied to manufacturing processes and equipment.
• Proficiency in fill-finish processes within a regulated manufacturing environment.
• In-depth understanding of process engineering principles and their application in manufacturing.
• Solid knowledge of regulatory requirements, including cGMP (current Good Manufacturing Practices) and FDA compliance expectations.
• Experience working in pharmaceutical manufacturing environments with strict quality and regulatory controls.
• Demonstrated ability to support process improvement, process engineering, and manufacturing engineering activities.
• Effective communication skills for collaborating with production, maintenance, quality, and safety teams.
• Ability to use data-driven methods to assess process performance and identify optimization opportunities.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience in the animal health or pharmaceutical industry with exposure to monoclonal or related biopharmaceutical processes.
• Experience in process improvement and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Experience supporting manufacturing processes from an engineering perspective, including troubleshooting and optimization.
• Familiarity with process safety concepts and participation in HAZOP or similar safety reviews.
• Exposure to quality management systems and change management processes in a regulated environment.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to maintaining a high standard of safety and quality.
• Willingness to work different shifts as needed to support manufacturing operations.

Work Environment

This is an on-site role based in St. Joseph, MO, within a regulated pharmaceutical and animal health manufacturing facility. The position is a 9-12 month contract and is open to travelers who may receive per diem support. The work environment includes one opening on a first shift schedule (approximately 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.) and one opening on a second/third shift hybrid schedule (approximately 6:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.), supporting active production operations. You will work in a GMP-compliant setting with exposure to fill-finish and other pharmaceutical manufacturing processes, collaborating closely with production, maintenance, quality, and safety teams on the manufacturing floor.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Elwood, KS.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $48.00 - $57.70/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan - Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Elwood,KS.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Jun 25, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 30,000 consultants and more than 4,500 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.