Associate Sterilization Engineer

Location: Durham, NC

Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-5:00 PM (1-hour lunch)

Travel: None

Experience: 0-3 years

Education: Bachelor's degree required

OT: Possible, based on business needs

About the Role:

We are seeking a highly motivated entry-level Engineer to support our sterilization technology and terminal sterilization processes. You will play a critical role in maintaining and improving internal sterilization systems and collaborating with cross-functional teams across Operations, Quality, Engineering, and Division Engineering.

This position is ideal for someone who has strong analytical and Excel skills, is passionate about problem-solving, and is excited to grow their career in sterilization science and technology-especially with radiation-based sterilization methods.

What You'll Do:

• Troubleshoot & Improve Processes: Respond to production issues, diagnose problems, and drive corrective actions.
• Support Operations: Interface with operators and technicians to gather info, provide updates, and support production uptime (goal: 98%).
• Drive Technical Excellence: Apply engineering first principles (e.g., MEE) to resolve root causes and optimize performance.
• Lead and Collaborate: Contribute technical input to validation activities, equipment upgrades, and process innovations.
• Ensure Compliance: Document changes through change control and follow quality/sterility assurance standards.
• Train & Transfer Knowledge: Train operations/maintenance teams to sustain improvements and ensure process understanding.
• Leverage Data: Analyze process data, develop control systems (SPC/SQC), and look for trends or improvement opportunities.

What We're Looking For:

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, or related field
• 0-3 years of experience in engineering or manufacturing
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
• Strong analytical thinking, engineering fundamentals, and collaborative mindset

Preferred:

• Exposure to radiation technology, e-beam, gamma irradiation, or other sterilization technologies
• Familiarity with ISO standards relevant to sterilization (e.g., ISO 11137, ISO 11737, ISO 10993)
• Experience in the medical device, life sciences, or regulated manufacturing environments
• Knowledge of DMAIC, lean principles, or data analysis tools like JMP or Minitab
• Interest in becoming a subject matter expert in sterilization science