Director, Technical Operations
Thermo Fisher Scientific · Grand Island, NY
- Level
- Director+
- Team
- Production
- Base pay
- $150k–$200k
- Degree
- Preferred
- Industry
- Pharma & life sciences
- Posted
- Yesterday
The role in 30 seconds
A director-level production role at Thermo Fisher Scientific (pharma & life sciences) in Grand Island, NY.
- They ask for
- degree preferred
- Tools it names
- FDA / GMP, Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ)
- Base pay
- $150k–$200k
- Day to day
- some off-shift / weekend coverage
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of November 2, 2026
Production Engineer roles in New York: typical posted base $118k–$162k. This one lists $150k–$200k.
Median of the low and high ends of 14 live postings that list pay, out of 19 production engineer openings in New York, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
New York plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 18 other live production postings in New York.
- Base pay
- About 32% above similar roles
- Experience asked
- Not stated
Typical $107k–$159k, from 10 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 10+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- Team leadership 47%
- EHS / safety 42%
- Lean 42%
- Six Sigma 26%
- Root cause 26%
- Black Belt 21%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention 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 Production team at Thermo Fisher Scientific
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?
- 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: Thermo Fisher Scientific in Grand Island
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Full description from Thermo Fisher ScientificAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Key Responsibilities
- ◆Lead the global technical operations strategy for BCD divisional operations.
- ◆Oversee process scale-up, technology transfer, validation, and site-to-site comparability and harmonization efforts.
- ◆Establish global manufacturing standards, technical governance, and best practices.
- ◆Improve process capability, yield, cycle time, cost, capacity, and right-first-time performance.
- ◆Provide technical leadership for complex deviations, raw-material variability, contamination risks, and customer concerns.
- ◆Govern technical changes involving formulations, suppliers, equipment, processes, and manufacturing sites.
- ◆Support new product introductions, regulatory commitments, audit readiness, and supply continuity.
- ◆Build and develop high-performing technical teams across regions and manufacturing sites.
- ◆Translate customer and business needs into scalable technical solutions.
Qualifications
- ✓Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Biochemical Engineering, Biotechnology, Life Sciences, or a related field; advanced degree preferred.
- ✓Significant experience in bioprocessing, cell culture media, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or life sciences manufacturing.
- ✓Demonstrated leadership in technical operations, MSAT, process engineering, technology transfer, or manufacturing science.
- ✓Strong knowledge of GMP, quality systems, validation, change control, and regulatory requirements.
- ✓Experience leading global, cross-functional teams and complex technical programs.
- ✓Strong business judgment, problem-solving ability, and executive communication skills.
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
Work Schedule
Standard (Mon-Fri)
Environmental Conditions
Office
Job Description
As part of the Thermo Fisher Scientific team, you’ll discover meaningful work that makes a positive impact on a global scale. Join our colleagues in bringing our Mission to life every single day to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. We provide our global teams with the resources needed to achieve individual career goals while helping to take science a step beyond by developing solutions for some of the world’s toughest challenges, like protecting the environment, making sure our food is safe or helping find cures for cancer.
The Director of Technical Operations provides global technical leadership across BCD’s manufacturing network, ensuring all products and processes are scalable, harmonized, compliant, and cost-effective.
This leader partners closely with R&D, Manufacturing, GRP, MSAT, Quality, Supply Chain, Regulatory, Commercial, and Customer Operations & Support to drive successful technology transfer, process standardization, lifecycle management, continuous improvement, and resolution of complex technical challenges.
Leadership Competencies
- •Enterprise and strategic thinking
- •Technical and scientific credibility
- •Global collaboration and influence
- •Operational excellence
- •Customer focus
- •Talent development
- •Decision-making in complex, high-risk environments
- •Change leadership
Key Measures of Success
- •Batch success and right-first-time performance
- •Product and process quality
- •Technology-transfer speed and effectiveness
- •Cost, yield, and capacity improvement
- •Reduction in repeat deviations and customer issues
- •Supply reliability
- •Successful product launches and technical changes
- •Team capability, engagement, and succession strength
This position may also be eligible to receive a variable annual bonus based on company, team, and/or individual performance results in accordance with company policy. We offer a comprehensive Total Rewards package that our U.S. colleagues and their families can count on, which includes:
- •A choice of national medical and dental plans, and a national vision plan, including health incentive programs
- •Employee assistance and family support programs, including commuter benefits and tuition reimbursement
- •At least 120 hours paid time off (PTO), 10 paid holidays annually, paid parental leave (3 weeks for bonding and 8 weeks for caregiver leave), accident and life insurance, and short- and long-term disability in accordance with company policy
- •Retirement and savings programs, such as our competitive 401(k) U.S. retirement savings plan
- •Employees’ Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) offers eligible colleagues the opportunity to purchase company stock at a discount
For more information on our benefits, please visit: https://jobs.thermofisher.com/global/en/total-rewards