Associate Director, Engineering
AbbVie · Durham, NC
- Level
- Director+
- Team
- Manufacturing
- Travel
- 50%
- Degree
- Required
- Experience asked
- 10+ years
- Industry
- Pharma & life sciences
- Posted
- Yesterday
The role in 30 seconds
A director-level manufacturing role at AbbVie (pharma & life sciences) in Durham, NC. As Associate Director, Engineering, you will manage other managers, supervisors and/or individual contributors and be accountable for driving operational performance and results that directly impact the departmental objectives for the Facilities.
- They ask for
- 10+ years · degree required
- Tools it names
- FDA / GMP
- Day to day
- about 50% travel
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of October 26, 2026
Manufacturing Engineer roles in North Carolina: typical posted base $97k–$143k.
Median of the low and high ends of 12 live postings that list pay, out of 41 manufacturing engineer openings in North Carolina, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
North Carolina plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 40 other live manufacturing postings in North Carolina.
- Base pay
- Not listed in this posting
- Experience asked
- More than usual (10+ vs 4+)
Typical $89k–$134k, from 11 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 4+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- Tooling 44%
- Lean 37%
- ✓ Team leadership 32%
- Root cause 32%
- New product launch 24%
- Six Sigma 22%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for FDA / GMP, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Manufacturing team at AbbVie
We found 2 people at this company and state: 2 in this kind of role. Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. See them ↓
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
Write to Marilyn → (free) - 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Is the work mostly new product launches or sustaining existing lines?
- How much time do you spend on the floor versus at a desk?
- The posting says about 50% travel. Between which sites?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
This plant: AbbVie in Durham
2 other open roles at this site · 2 people we found in manufacturing roles at AbbVie.
- Director, Engineering, Technical Expert Sterile Fill · Manufacturing · Director+
- Project Director / Manufacturing Director, Operations · Production · Director+
Full description from AbbVieAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Key Responsibilities
- ◆Oversees site infrastructure planning and prioritizes initiatives for resource allocation across building systems, utilities, and upgrades.
- ◆Leads teams supporting maintenance and performance of building systems and utilities to sustain reliable facility services.
- ◆Directs renovations and infrastructure upgrades, monitoring execution against scope, schedule, and operational constraints.
- ◆Coaches teams on safety and regulatory
requirements
for facilities work, reinforcing consistent controls and documentation.
- ✓Drives integration across engineering, operations, and vendor teams.
- ✓Responsible for leading day‑to‑day operations across teams, and implements workforce planning, ensuring achievement of team goals withinestablished timelines and budgets.
- ✓You will have a Bachelors degree in Engineering or related relevant discipline with 10+ years relevant industry experience
- ✓Experience in drug substance, drug product, biologics and/or aseptic sterile fill finish is required
- ✓Project Management experience is required with specific experience in start up is preferred
- ✓You will have demonstrated your ability to lead successful teams in prior roles and experience in partnering cross functionally in a GMP manufacturing environment
- ✓Travel up to 50% during the initial start up phase of the project
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
New to North Carolina. Known for pursuing breakthroughs in medicine.
Ready to join our team?
At AbbVie, we bring together talented people and innovative science to develop medicines that help patients. Now, we’re bringing that commitment to Durham, North Carolina, with a new manufacturing campus that will expand our ability to produce medicines and create opportunities in the Research Triangle.
The campus will integrate advanced manufacturing, laboratory technologies and AI to support the production of immunology, oncology and neuroscience medicines. The first phase will include manufacturing facilities, next-generation laboratories, a warehouse, administrative offices and employee wellness facilities.
We are now recruiting our Associate Director, Engineering as part of the core start up leadership team .
In this role you will be responsible for planning, designing, and maintaining the physical infrastructure and utility systems of AbbVie's facilities to ensure safety, compliance, and operational efficiency. You will manage building systems, utilities, renovations, and maintenance activities while fostering a safe and productive work environment througheffective infrastructure and utility management. As Associate Director, Engineering, you will manage other managers, supervisors and/or individual contributors and be accountable for driving operational performance and results that directly impact the departmental objectives for the Facilities Engineering area. You will conduct meaningful career development conversations, and provide sustained coaching and performance feedback while being responsible for planning, designing, and maintaining the physical infrastructure and utility systems of AbbVie's facilities to ensure safety, compliance, and operational efficiency.