Research Scientist Optimization Jobs in Puerto Rico

This is where your work makes a difference.
At Baxter, we believe every person-regardless of who they are or where they are from-deserves a chance to live a healthy life. It was our founding belief in 1931 and continues to be our guiding principle. We are redefining healthcare delivery to make a greater impact today, tomorrow, and beyond.
Our Baxter colleagues are united by our Mission to Save and Sustain Lives. Together, our community is driven by a culture of courage, trust, and collaboration. Every individual is empowered to take ownership and make a meaningful impact. We strive for efficient and effective operations, and we hold each other accountable for delivering exceptional results.
Here, you will find more than just a job-you will find purpose and pride.
Your role at Baxter
This is where your expertise helps people
You are a problem solver. Complex projects or unexpected challenges are just opportunities to bring your considerable abilities to use. Whether working independently or with a trusted team, you are always ready to tackle a project and work hard to find solutions.
Your talent is needed across a wide variety of industries. As a Supplier Excellence Lead, you have a wide array of career choices, but are motivated by the opportunity to work in a company that supports innovation, professional development, and a purposeful mission.
Your team
We are a team of inquisitive individuals who embrace a collaborative environment to take on sophisticated challenges that meet the needs of our patients. We often need to change directions and respond to issues to avoid disruptions in our fast-paced manufacturing environment. Together, we build and maintain a positive work environment.
Our team is dedicated to quality. Delivering life-saving products is about getting them right, and our technical expertise and experience working in a manufacturing environment empower us to meet that challenge.
When you join us, you will work with a team of committed individuals who trust each other to deliver on the tasks at hand. We support innovation and out-of-the-box thinking balanced with collaboration across functions and other teams. Our leadership understands the need for continuous education and provides opportunities for further development.
The Supplier Excellence Lead is a core member of the TCO (Technical Cost Out) team and is accountable for delivering material and component cost reduction, supply resilience, and margin improvement through technical analysis, specification optimization, alternate sourcing, and cross-functional execution. The role partners closely with Procurement, R&D, Quality, Operations, and Suppliers to identify, validate, and implement cost optimization opportunities while maintaining product performance, regulatory compliance, and supply continuity.
This role sits within the TCO team within the ISC organization with strong dotted-line engagement to Procurement, R&D, and Operations. The role is execution-focused and operates within established governance forums.
What you'll be doing
TCO Opportunity Identification & Analysis:

• Identify and evaluate total cost optimization opportunities across materials, components, and processes across ITP sites with specific focus on insourcing, alternate sourcing and process & product value engineering. Ensure alignment to site and partner with Manufacturing Strategy to align to designed future state.
• Perform structured should-cost, clean-sheet, and teardown analyses.
• Support category strategies with fact-based cost drivers and benchmarks.
• Facilitate cross functional Continuous Improvement, Kaizen and Cost Optimization events to generate and prioritize ideas.

Technical Execution & Validation:

• Lead a cross functional technical team through the planning and execution of projects using various engineering and scientific techniques, procedures and criteria. This includes constructing detailed, accurate schedules, driving and collaborating with a core team, and guiding technical support groups.
• Lead or support technical change execution including specification and material substitution.
• Coordinate sample builds, trials, and testing.
• Support change control processes, validation, and implementation (e.g., cut-in planning).

Cross-Functional & Supplier Collaboration:

• Partner with Procurement, Quality, R&D, Operations, Strategy, and Finance among others.
• Engage suppliers on process capability, readiness, and cost transparency.
• Support dual qualification, risk mitigation, and capacity assessments.

Performance Tracking & Governance:

• Lead and track initiatives end-to-end from opportunity assessment, business case development, full execution and hand over of project and savings to operations.
• Maintain documentation of assumptions, risks, and approvals.
• Escalate quality, service, regulatory, cost or timeline risks.
• Document and leverage best practices as part of the internal TCO center continuous improvement methodology.

What you'll bring

• 5-8+ years experience with Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Materials, Plastics, Chemicals, Packaging, or Manufacturing engineering or related field.
• Proven experience delivering multi-million dollar value engineering savings.
• Proven experience leading cross-functional projects end-to-end using structured project management methods.
• Working knowledge of GMP, change control, deviation/CAPA concepts, and validation/qualification principles.
• Strong analytical capability.
• Strong communication skills and cross-functional influence skills.
• Travel required, approximately 50%.

Preferred:

• Experience in alternate sourcing and supplier qualification (APQP/PPAP) in regulated manufacturing, with end-to-end technical and procurement leadership delivering cost savings.
• Experience translating technical changes into measurable business value, insourcing transitions and tech transfer activities.
• Experience in value engineering and design for manufacturability.
• Experience with cost modelling, should-costing or clean-sheet methodologies.
• Lean / Six Sigma certification.

Applicants must be authorized to work for an employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.
We understand compensation is an important factor as you consider the next step in your career. At Baxter, we are committed to equitable pay for all employees, and we strive to be more transparent with our pay practices. The estimated base salary for this position is $80,000 - $110,000 annually. The estimated range is meant to reflect an anticipated salary range for the position. We may pay more or less than of the anticipated range based upon market data and other factors, all of which are subject to change. Individual pay is based on upon location, skills and expertise, experience, and other relevant factors. For questions about this, our pay philosophy, and available benefits, please speak to the recruiter if you decide to apply and are selected for an interview.
Other Duties as Assigned
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice. Overtime is worked as required.
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US Benefits at Baxter (except for Puerto Rico)
This is where your well-being matters. Baxter offers comprehensive compensation and benefits packages for eligible roles. Our health and well-being benefits include medical and dental coverage that start on day one, as well as insurance coverage for basic life, accident, short-term and long-term disability, and business travel accident insurance. Financial and retirement benefits include the Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP), with the ability to purchase company stock at a discount, and the 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan (RSP), with options for employee contributions and company matching. We also offer Flexible Spending Accounts, educational assistance programs, and time-off benefits such as paid holidays, paid time off ranging from 20 to 35 days based on length of service, family and medical leaves of absence, and paid parental leave. Additional benefits include commuting benefits, the Employee Discount Program, the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and childcare benefits. Join us and enjoy the competitive compensation and benefits we offer to our employees. For additional information regarding Baxter US Benefits, please speak with your recruiter or visit our Benefits site: Benefits | Baxter
Equal Employment Opportunity
Baxter is an equal opportunity employer. Baxter evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, protected veteran status, disability/handicap status or any other legally protected characteristic.
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