
Director of Engineering, Facilities, and Validation
Catalent · Harmans, MD
- Level
- Director+
- Team
- Quality
- Base pay
- $220k–$290k
- Degree
- Required
- Experience asked
- 10+ years
- Industry
- Pharma & life sciences
- Posted
- 15 days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A director-level quality role at Catalent (pharma & life sciences) in Harmans, MD. Ft., houses 10 CGMP manufacturing suites, fill/finish, central services, testing labs, and a warehouse.
- They ask for
- 10+ years · degree required
- Tools it names
- Lean, FDA / GMP, Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ), Automation, Casting, EHS / safety
- Base pay
- $220k–$290k
- Day to day
- some off-shift / weekend coverage
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026
Quality Engineer roles in Maryland: typical posted base $99k–$147k. This one lists $220k–$290k.
Median of the low and high ends of 5 live postings that list pay, out of 11 quality engineer openings in Maryland, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Maryland plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 10 other live quality postings in Maryland.
- Experience asked
- More than usual (10+ vs 8+)
Similar roles usually ask 8+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Lean 55%
- FMEA 55%
- Root cause 55%
- ✓ New product launch 45%
- Team leadership 36%
- ISO 9001 36%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for FDA / GMP, Casting, EHS / safety, 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 Quality team at Catalent
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?
- Which standards drive the work here: ISO 13485, IATF 16949, AS9100?
- How much of the job is customer complaints versus prevention?
- How does off-shift and weekend coverage work?
- 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: Catalent in Harmans
7 other open roles at this site.
- Senior Process Engineer - Equipment · Process · Senior
- Reliability Engineering Manager · Reliability · Manager
- Engineering Technician · Manufacturing
- Director, Commercial Operations Gene Therapy · Production · Director+
- Senior Director, Continuous Improvement · Lean / CI · Director+
- Senior Engineering Technician · Manufacturing · Senior
Full description from CatalentAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Position Summary
We have an opportunity for a Director of Engineering, Facilities, and Validation to join our team. This role leads a multi-disciplinary group responsible for maintaining and advancing our state-of-the-art gene therapy development and manufacturing facilities. The Director provides strategic and operational leadership across Facilities Maintenance, Metrology, Clean Utilities, Project Engineering, Automation, and Equipment & Facility Validation. The position ensures reliability, compliance, and continuous improvement for all site assets while managing the site’s Capital Expenditure program. As a key member of the Site Leadership Team, the Director collaborates cross-functionally to align engineering strategy with business goals and support 24/7 operations across multiple facilities.
Location: Harmans, MD - BWI
100% Onsite
The Role
- ◆Oversee management of buildings, equipment, and grounds, maintaining all files, drawings, and records required for GMP operations.
- ◆Attract, recruit, develop, and retain talent to achieve business goals.
- ◆Manage capital and non-capital projects to improve capacity, quality, efficiency, utilization, and environmental health and safety.
- ◆Lead long-term capital planning, forecasting, and departmental budgeting.
- ◆Implement lean transformation initiatives focused on waste reduction.
- ◆Develop maintenance optimization initiatives to improve reliability and reduce costs.
- ◆Drive projects to maximize output, minimize cost, and enhance efficiency and EHS performance.
- ◆Collaborate with site, business unit, corporate, and supplier personnel to maintain effective communication and relationships.
- ◆Ensure compliance with cGMP regulations and environmental
requirements
at all levels.
- ✓Maintain compliance with planned maintenance and calibration schedules.
- ✓Ensure the Computerized Maintenance Management System remains current.
- ✓Work with Manufacturing and Quality teams to ensure equipment and facilities are available and reliable.
- ✓Evaluate best practices across the network and external resources.
- ✓Own asset readiness as part of the new product introduction process.
- ✓Serve as a member of the Site Leadership Team and demonstrate ownership of business unit goals and objectives.
- ✓Act as the primary resource for emerging compliance trends and partner with stakeholders to address them.
The Candidate
Requirements
- ✓Experience in the biotech industry required.
- ✓Bachelor of Science in Engineering or Science discipline.
- ✓Extensive (10+ years) industrial maintenance experience involving mechanical, electrical, and electronics in a cGMP regulated environment.
- ✓Strong experience with capital expenditure and project-related work.
- ✓Working knowledge of automation control, alert, and data collection/retention systems.
- ✓Working knowledge of HVAC and clean utility systems.
- ✓Understanding of financial concepts impacting capital investment and business EBITDA.
- ✓Strong negotiation and conflict resolution skills.
- ✓Ability to manage and prioritize multiple projects effectively.
- ✓Knowledge of FDA healthcare compliance rules and regulations.
- ✓Demonstrable leadership experience at Catalent (including but not limited to participation in Catalent‑sponsored leadership programs such as NGGL, GOLD, LEAD Now, GM Excellence, and GROW) may be considered in place of external experience.
- ✓Must be able to work in different areas of the building, including office spaces, technical spaces, manufacturing areas, and warehouse environments.
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
Director of Engineering, Facilities, and Validation
About Site
Our FDA-licensed, state-of-the-art CGMP manufacturing facility for Gene Therapies is located on the Harmans/BWI campus. The campus, featuring two manufacturing facilities, is located 5 miles from the Baltimore Washington International (BWI) airport and 13 miles from our Baltimore location. The campus is close to Washington, DC’s I-270 Technology Corridor, top universities, and government agencies.
The Harmans/BWI-1 EMA and FDA approved facility, at approximately 200,000 sq. ft., houses 10 CGMP manufacturing suites, fill/finish, central services, testing labs, and a warehouse.
The Harmans/BWI-2 facility, at approximately 145,000 sq. ft., is under development and will house 8 CGMP manufacturing suites and cold storage warehousing.
Both facilities support Phase 3 through commercial manufacturing of advanced therapeutic products including AAV and other viral vector-based therapies and vaccines.
Preferred Skills & Background
- +Experience in gene therapy preferred.
Pay
Why You Should Join Catalent
- •Defined career path and annual performance review and feedback process.
- •Diverse, inclusive culture.
- •Potential for career growth on an expanding team within an organization dedicated to preserving and bettering lives.
- •Competitive paid time off plus 8 paid holidays.
- •Community engagement and green initiatives.
- •Medical, dental, and vision benefits effective day one of employment.
- •Tuition reimbursement.
Catalent offers rewarding opportunities to further your career! Join the global drug development and delivery leader and help us bring over 7,000 life-saving and life-enhancing products to patients around the world. Catalent is an exciting and growing international company where employees work directly with pharma, biopharma and consumer health companies of all sizes to advance new medicines from early development to clinical trials and to the market. Catalent produces more than 70 billion doses per year, and each one will be used by someone who is counting on us. Join us in making a di
