Mechanical Engineer Manager- Utilities Operations Lead
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Oct 29, 2026. First seen by Alion on Oct 23, 2026. Pfizer scores A on the Alion truth index.
ROLE SUMMARY
This position will provide technical leadership and operational engineering oversight for 24x7x365 delivery of critical site utility systems and services within highly technical laboratories and manufacturing environments in support of the R&D operations at the Groton, CT site. The multi-building campus is comprised of 2.3M SQFT supporting an occupancy of ~2,200 colleagues and contractors and has the greatest concentration of specialty operations in the R&D network consisting of small molecule clinical manufacturing, GxP and non-regulated laboratories, vivarium, technical space (central utility plant), and office workspace facilities. Nearly every breakthrough therapy in the pipeline passes through Groton facilities and processes. This role ensures safe, compliant, and reliable operation of central utility infrastructure, including cogeneration, steam, chilled water, compressed air, water, industrial gas systems, HVAC, high purity water, laboratory gases and other systems that support building, laboratory and manufacturing operations. This position partners with Utilities Operations, Maintenance, and Site Leadership to optimize system performance, reliability, and lifecycle management, while supporting business continuity and future site energy strategy.
This position will manage the outcomes of work performed by supplier partners responsible for comprehensive plant and building maintenance and operations while providing oversight and direction for resources supporting projects from concept through turnover. This role will have indirect budgetary responsibility for site utility operations and expense projects. A close working relationship with colleagues and contracted resources will facilitate the development of operational requirements, analysis of needs, recommendations, and execution of plans and options that align with overall Global Workplace Experience (GWE) objectives and goals including but not limited to Pfizer’s NetZero objectives.
This role will also ensure compliance with Pfizer internal and external regulatory requirements for GWE directed work performed on asset/systems and collaborate with key stakeholders to monitor risk, assist with operations, Business Continuity, and Crisis Management.
ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES
Utilities Systems Technical Leadership
Serve as SME or Site Engineer Lead for all mechanical utility systems, including:
- Combustion turbine / cogeneration systems
- Steam generation and distribution
- Chilled Water generation and distribution
- Nitrogen generation and distribution
- Instrument-quality compressed air systems
- Water systems (potable, process, and utility water)
- HVAC (including AHUs, exhaust and heat exchangers)
- Provide engineering oversight to ensure safe, efficient, and highly dependable operations
Operations & Reliability Engineering
- Partner with Utilities Operations teams to support 24/7 plant reliability and performance
- Drive root cause analysis, reliability improvements, and system optimization
- Establish and improve preventive and predictive maintenance strategies
- Support incident response and system recovery for critical utilities
Asset Lifecycle Management
Lead and support lifecycle management of utility mechanical assets, including but not limited to:
- Design and specification
- Commissioning and qualification
- Maintenance strategies
- Replacement and obsolescence planning
- Identify and prioritize capital investments and system upgrades associated with mechanical infrastructure
Projects & Technical Execution
- Provide engineering leadership and support for utilities-related capital projects
- Develop scopes, technical requirements, and commissioning plans
- Oversee assigned expense projects from concept through commissioning and turnover, ensuring alignment with site and GWE standards
- Ensure alignment with site energy strategy, sustainability, and capacity planning
Compliance, Quality & Risk Management
Ensure all systems operate in compliance with:
- Applicable cGMP / GxP requirements
- Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) and regulatory standards
- Required business resiliency requirements
- Support audits, inspections, and regulatory interactions
- Lead risk identification and mitigation for critical mechanical utilities infrastructure
Supplier & IFM Interface
- Oversee performance of external service providers and utilities contractors
- Establish and manage KPIs and SLAs for utilities operations support
- Ensure contract compliance and continuous improvement in service delivery
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Partner with:
- Site Operations and Maintenance
- EHS and Quality
- Global Engineering and Energy Management
- Support site-wide infrastructure reliability and operational continuity
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
Education and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or related discipline
- Minimum of 5 years’ experience demonstrated in:
- Utilities and/or Central Plant Operations serving critical business environments
- Engineering and maintenance of mechanical systems and infrastructure
- Technical leadership or team support roles
- Strong knowledge of:
- Steam and thermal systems
- Cogeneration/turbine-based power systems
- Utility distribution and mechanical systems
Technical Skills Requirements
- Demonstrated expertise in:
- Combustion turbine/cogeneration operations
- Steam plant generation and distribution systems
- Nitrogen generation and distribution systems
- Instrument quality compressed air systems
- Utility and process water systems
- Integrated utilities infrastructure
- HVAC & BMS systems
- Comprehensive knowledge of maintenance practices and processes
- Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills
- Understanding of Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and the ability to work with business line customers/colleagues to establish and collect meaningful metrics
- Proficiency in CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System) systems
- Skilled proficiency with the Microsoft Office Suite including PowerPoint, Excel, and Word
Soft Skills Requirements
- Ability to quickly adjust to a changing business climate without losing focus on near and long-term strategies
- Capability to manage competing priorities in critical operations environments
- Ability to exercise leadership/diplomacy in a team-oriented environment
- Exceptional interpersonal and negotiation skills
- Strong verbal and written communication skills
- Initiative-taking /initiative-taker with ability to multi-task and work effectively with minimal supervision
- Responsive customer service attitude
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Advanced degree (MS or MBA)
Experience with:
- Reliability engineering and asset management programs
- Distributed control systems (DCS) or plant automation
- Energy management and sustainability initiatives
- CAFM (Computer Aided Facility Management) systems
- AutoCAD or other software for 2D and 3D modeling and documentation reviews and updates
- Experience leading or supporting capital projects
- Professional Engineer (PE) certification or equivalent
PHYSICAL/MENTAL REQUIREMENTS
Due to the nature of work assignments, incumbents must be able to perform detailed work on multiple, concurrent tasks, with frequent interruptions and under time constraints. On a daily basis, the position responsibilities may require the ability to stoop; to reach; to stand, to walk and sit for extended periods of time; to push and/or pull objects weighing up to 30 pounds; with reasonable accommodation; to use finger dexterity to operate a computer and other office equipment and hand strength to grasp objects; to perceive the attributes of objects by touch; to hear and verbally exchange ideas and information with colleagues and others on the phone and in the office; to see clearly from less than one foot to arm’s length with a good field of vision and to distinguish basic colors and shades of color. On a frequent basis, essential duties of the position may require the ability to climb stairs, climb ladders, to kneel and/or crouch to retrieve items.
NON-STANDARD WORK SCHEDULE, TRAVEL OR ENVIRONMENT REQUIREMENTS
- Day shift with occasional after hours or weekend response for onsite support associated with facility incidents or excursions or planned shutdowns for maintenance and/or capital and expense project execution
- Respond as required to the site in support of business continuity, emergency events, and off-shift schedules
- Entry and work in laboratories, vivarium, mechanical/electrical rooms, central utility plants, maintenance shops, shipping and receiving and service corridors. While working in these areas, strict adherence to gowning procedures and personal protective equipment will be required as applicable.
- General safety knowledge and awareness expected in office, laboratory, and manufacturing environment
Other Job Details:
- Last day to Apply: November 6th, 2026
- Work Location Assignment: Onsite
Relocation assistance may be available based on business needs and/or eligibility.
Candidates must be authorized to be employed in the U.S. by any employer.
U.S. work visa sponsorship (such as TN, O-1, H-1B, etc.) is not available for this role now or in the future.
Sunshine Act
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EEO & Employment Eligibility
Pfizer is committed to equal opportunity in the terms and conditions of employment for all employees and job applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, gender identity or gender expression, national origin, disability or veteran status. Pfizer also complies with all applicable national, state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment as well as work authorization and employment eligibility verification requirements of the Immigration and Nationality Act and IRCA. Pfizer is an E-Verify employer. This position requires permanent work authorization in the United States.
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