Associate Director, Project Engineering
AbbVie · North Chicago, IL
- Level
- Director+
- Team
- Manufacturing
- Degree
- Required (or equivalent experience)
- Experience asked
- 12+ years
- Industry
- Pharma & life sciences
- Posted
- Yesterday
The role in 30 seconds
A director-level manufacturing role at AbbVie (pharma & life sciences) in North Chicago, IL.
- They ask for
- 12+ years · degree required (or equivalent experience)
- Tools it names
- Casting, EHS / safety
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of November 2, 2026
Manufacturing Engineer roles in Illinois: typical posted base $98k–$146k.
Median of the low and high ends of 22 live postings that list pay, out of 48 manufacturing engineer openings in Illinois, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Illinois plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 47 other live manufacturing postings in Illinois.
- Base pay
- Not listed in this posting
- Experience asked
- More than usual (12+ vs 5+)
Typical $96k–$145k, from 19 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- Root cause 46%
- Automation 44%
- Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ) 38%
- Lean 35%
- New product launch 27%
- Tooling 27%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for Casting, 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
Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find 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.
- 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?
- 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 North Chicago
9 other open roles at this site.
- Maintenance Technician III (HVAC Controls) · Controls · Technician
- Manager, Process Improvement · Lean / CI · Manager
- Director, Engineering, Technical Expert Sterile Fill · Manufacturing · Director+
- Engineering Technician (3rd shift-Time:10:30pm-7am) · Manufacturing
- Transformation Senior Process Engineer- API · Process · Senior
- Director, Operational Excellence, Government Affairs · Lean / CI · Director+
Full description from AbbVieAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Responsibilities
- ◆Set the strategic direction for Project Engineering and translate business and site priorities into the capital-related portion of the site’s long-range plan.
- ◆Lead development, prioritization, and submission of the site capital long-range plan and annual capital plan in partnership with relevant site functions.
- ◆Contribute engineering assessments, capital needs, and project-execution considerations to broader site plans, including the Site Master Plan.
- ◆Oversee the annual site capital plan and department budget, including portfolio-level resource planning, financial governance, and delivery of capital commitments.
- ◆Ensure accurate and timely capital plan last best estimates (LBEs), forecasts, and financial reporting in accordance with Finance and Project Accounting requirements.
- ◆Establish portfolio-level priorities and make recommendations on investment trade-offs, project sequencing, resource allocation, and changes in scope or timing. Escalate significant risks and decisions to appropriate leadership.
- ◆Hold the organization accountable for achieving approved project and capital plan objectives, including cost, schedule, scope, quality, compliance, and lifecycle value.
- ◆Provide leadership and direction to Project Engineering personnel, including managers and individual contributors, and build organizational capability through talent development, succession planning, training, and effective organizational design.
- ◆Establish and maintain effective project governance, engineering standards, and lifecycle practices for capital project definition, RCE development, estimating, design, execution, construction, commissioning, and qualification.
- ◆Oversee the asset management, project lifecycle, and energy sustainability programs, integrating their priorities and outcomes with the capital plan and relevant site plans.
- ◆Sponsor continuous improvement in project delivery, engineering practices, and portfolio management. Promote consideration of EHS, sustainability, and lifecycle impacts throughout project design and change processes.
- ◆Ensure capital activities fulfill applicable corporate policies and procedures and meet environmental, health, safety, quality, and other regulatory or operational obligations.
- ◆Maintain effective oversight of engineering and commissioning documentation, including required Technical Library records and current drawings in the CAD repository.
- ◆Represent the site Project Engineering function in relevant enterprise, cross-site, and external forums; build productive relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
- ◆Provide engineering and capital input to the Site Master Plan and lead execution of approved capital work assigned to Project Engineering.
- ◆Bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, or a closely related discipline, or equivalent technical experience demonstrating comparable competence. A post-graduate degree is desirable.
- ◆Typically 12+ years of significant engineering and/or operational experience, including progressive leadership responsibility. Relevant post-graduate education may contribute toward the experience requirement.
- ◆Extensive engineering leadership experience in the biopharmaceutical, medical device, and/or packaging industries, or another regulated industry, with a demonstrated record of delivering complex capital programs and developing technical organizations.
- ◆Demonstrated ability to shape and execute the capital-related portion of a site long-range plan and connect investment recommendations to business priorities, asset lifecycle needs, and site requirements.
- ◆Experience contributing engineering and capital perspectives to broader, cross-functional site planning.
- ◆Experience overseeing a portfolio of projects and making or influencing complex prioritization, resource-allocation, and financial decisions.
- ◆Strong knowledge of capital planning, project financial controls, forecasting, project governance, and relevant financial systems.
- ◆Demonstrated ability to lead through managers and multidisciplinary teams, develop talent, and establish clear accountability across an organization.
- ◆Strong understanding of facilities, utilities, equipment, project engineering, construction, commissioning, and qualification in a regulated environment.
- ◆Demonstrated commitment to EHS, quality, compliance, and continuous improvement in project planning and execution.
- ◆Able to communicate effectively with senior management and diverse internal and external stakeholders, including presenting complex recommendations and influencing decisions.
- ◆Listens to and understands differing perspectives and communicates one’s own perspective tactfully and respectfully in discussions, writing, and presentations.
- ◆Exercises sound judgment on complex, consequential matters and provides clear recommendations, including when information is incomplete or priorities compete.
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
An engineering leader accountable for setting the direction of Project Engineering and developing and delivering the capital-related portion of the site’s long-range plan. Leads the site capital portfolio across facilities, utilities, and equipment, aligning investment recommendations and project execution with business priorities, financial commitments, asset lifecycle needs, and applicable requirements.
Leads and develops the Project Engineering organization and establishes the governance, capabilities, and partnerships needed to deliver a safe, compliant, and sustainable capital program. Contributes engineering and capital perspectives to broader site planning, including the Site Master Plan, and leads execution of approved capital initiatives within Project Engineering’s scope.