Director Technical Operations Jobs in Iowa (NOW HIRING)

At Elanco (NYSE: ELAN) - it all starts with animals!

As a global leader in animal health, we are dedicated to innovation and delivering products and services to prevent and treat disease in farm animals and pets. At Elanco, we are driven by our vision of Food and Companionship Enriching Life and our purpose - all to Go Beyond for Animals, Customers, Society and Our People.

At Elanco, we pride ourselves on fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. We believe that diversity is the driving force behind innovation, creativity, and overall business success. Here, you'll be part of a company that values and champions new ways of thinking, work with dynamic individuals, and acquire new skills and experiences that will propel your career to new heights.

Making animals' lives better makes life better - join our team today!

Your Role: Director - Technical Service/Manufacturing Science (TSMS)

As the TSMS Director, you will lead a high-performing team of scientists and engineers responsible for the technical stewardship of all manufacturing processes at the Fort Dodge site. In this role, you will drive technical strategy, ensure GMP compliance, and foster a culture of innovation to support current production and future growth.

Your Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic technical leadership for manufacturing processes including biological antigen production, aseptic processing, vaccine formulation, and filling.
• Ensure regulatory compliance and operational excellence through robust application of GMP, periodic product reviews, and process validation activities.
• Lead, coach, and develop a technical team of scientists, engineers, and statisticians to create a high-performance culture of accountability.
• Champion site safety and environmental stewardship by ensuring safe laboratory and pilot plant operations and participating in hazard assessments.
• Drive continuous process improvement and technical problem-solving by leveraging data analytics and collaborating across the Elanco network.

What You Need to Succeed (minimum qualifications):

• Education: Bachelor's in engineering (Chemical, Mechanical, Bioprocess), Chemistry, Microbiology, or a related scientific or technical discipline.
• Experience: Minimum of 10+ years of experience in pharmaceutical, animal health, or biotechnology manufacturing with progressive leadership in technical services or process engineering.
• Top 2 skills: Deep understanding of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and proven ability to lead and develop high-performing technical teams through complex problem-solving.

What will give you a competitive edge (preferred qualifications):

• Master's degree in related discipline
• Direct experience with vaccine manufacturing, viral or bacterial antigen production, aseptic processing, or lyophilization.
• Experience managing process validation, technology transfers, and investigations in a regulated environment.
• Demonstrated ability to interface effectively with Quality, Engineering, and Regulatory teams to influence business outcomes.
• Experience working within a matrixed, global technical organization with a strong professional network.
• Track record of mentoring and developing early-career technical talent for leadership pipelines.

Additional Information:

Travel: 10%

Location: Fort Dodge, IA - Site-Based

Don't meet every single requirement? Studies have shown underrecognized groups are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Elanco we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive work environment. If you think you might be a good fit for a role but don't necessarily meet every requirement, we encourage you to apply. You may be the right candidate for this role or other roles!

Elanco Benefits and Perks:

We offer a comprehensive benefits package focusing on financial, physical, and mental well-being while encouraging our employees to pursue our purpose! Some highlights include:

Multiple relocation packages
Two weeklong shutdowns (mid-summer and year-end) in the US (in addition to PTO)
8-week parental leave
9 Employee Resource Groups
Annual bonus offering
Flexible work arrangements
Up to 6% 401K matching

Elanco is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status

Elanco may use automated tools, including AI, to support parts of our recruitment process, such as reviewing applications against jobrelated criteria and/or transferrable skills. These tools help ensure a consistent, structured evaluation, but they do not make hiring decisions. All decisions involve a human reviewer. For more information on how we handle personal data, please see our Elanco Workforce Privacy Notice.