Director, Facilities Design & Utilities

Work Schedule

Standard (Mon-Fri)

Environmental Conditions

Office

Job Description

Job Title: Director, Facilities Design & Utilities
Reports To: Jaime Romo, Head of Global Engineering Services, Pharma Services Group

Position Summary

The Director, Facilities Design & Utilities is a senior engineering leader responsible for the strategic planning, design, and execution support of facility infrastructure across the Pharma Services Group. This role ensures that all facility systems—including architectural fit and finish, electrical distribution, water systems, and HVAC—are designed, implemented, and maintained to meet regulatory, operational, and business requirements.  This individual is the Business Process Owner for Facilities Design & Utilities for PSG.

The incumbent will drive standardization, operational excellence, and innovation across global sites, enabling reliable, compliant, and scalable manufacturing environments that support current and future business needs.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership
  • Define and implement the global strategy for facility design and utility systems across Pharma Services.
  • Partner with Engineering, Operations, Quality, and EHS to align infrastructure capabilities with business growth and regulatory expectations.
  • Serve as a technical authority and advisor to senior leadership on facility and utility-related investments and risks.
• Facility Design & Execution
  • Oversee end-to-end facility design, including architectural layout, fit and finish, and space optimization for GMP environments.
  • Ensure designs meet applicable regulatory standards (FDA, EMA, ISO) and internal quality requirements.
  • Lead capital project design reviews and provide governance to ensure consistency, cost-effectiveness, and scalability.
• Utilities & Infrastructure Oversight
  • Own engineering standards and performance for critical utility systems, including:
    • Electrical distribution and backup systems
    • Water systems (e.g., WFI, purified water, wastewater)
    • HVAC systems (including cleanroom environments and environmental controls)
  • Establish global standards for reliability, redundancy, and energy efficiency.
• Operational Excellence
  • Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance system performance, reduce downtime, and optimize lifecycle costs.
  • Implement standardized design practices, specifications, and playbooks across sites.
  • Leverage digital tools and data analytics to monitor and improve facility and utility performance.
• Compliance & Risk Management
  • Ensure all facility and utility systems comply with cGMP, safety, and environmental regulations.
  • Support inspections and audits, addressing facility-related observations and driving corrective actions.
  • Identify and mitigate risks related to infrastructure reliability and capacity.
• Stakeholder & Team Leadership
  • Lead and develop a high-performing team of engineers and technical experts.
  • Collaborate with global site leaders and project teams to ensure successful project delivery.
  • Manage external partners, including engineering firms, contractors, and equipment vendors.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, or related field); advanced degree preferred.
• 12+ years of progressive experience in facility engineering, design, and utilities within regulated industries (pharmaceutical, biotech, or related).
• Demonstrated leadership experience managing global or multi-site teams and large-scale capital projects.
• Deep technical expertise in facility systems, including HVAC, electrical, and water systems in GMP environments.
• Strong knowledge of regulatory requirements (FDA, EMA, cGMP).
• International Travel 25%

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional Engineer (PE) license or equivalent certification.
• Experience leading global standardization initiatives and engineering governance models.
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive cross-functional alignment.
• Experience leading a team of design engineers
• Experience in FDA or similar regulatory audits.
• Strong financial acumen, including capital planning and cost management.

Leadership Competencies

• Sets strategic direction and translates vision into execution across multiple sites.
• Drives innovation and continuous improvement at scale.
• Builds and develops high-performing, diverse teams.
• Influences across functions and geographies to achieve enterprise outcomes.
• Demonstrates strong business acumen and accountability for results.
• May lead a team of 1 to 5 engineers.

Impact

This role is critical to ensuring that Pharma Services facilities are designed and operated to the highest standards of quality, compliance, and efficiency—directly enabling Thermo Fisher Scientific’s mission to enable customers to make the world healthier, cleaner, and safer.