Associate Director of Reliability

This role is accountable for the strategy of theMaintenance Excellence Program (MEP) and assist registry at theAstraZeneca KSQ site. Accountable for the development of maintenance programs and reliability programs, targeting a total productive maintenance program.The function of the Reliability Manager is to help to identify and manage equipment reliability risks that could adversely impact site or business operations. The individual is responsible for driving continuous equipment reliability improvements by providing and coordinating technical support, and by managing the reliability improvement process for the KSQ site, with the aim of reducing downtime risk to the business.          

Major Responsibilities

• Lead the implementation and optimization of the Maintenance Excellence Program (MEP), focusing on critical asset performance through reliability-centered practices and continuous improvement. Provide training on reliability strategies for operators, technicians, and supervisors.

• Own and manage the site’s CMMS (e.g., Hexagon), ensuring accurate asset inventory, data integrity, user support, and system upkeep across teams.

• Accountable for establishing and maintaining key KPI reports in the CMMS for vendor performance, enabling effective governance, continuous improvement, and alignment with service expectations.

• Develop and implement real-time monitoring systems using condition-based maintenance (CBM) techniques to track equipment health. Leverage predictive tools (e.g., Waites) to enable maintenance actions based on actual conditions, not fixed intervals—driving proactive decision-making through leading indicators and aligned KPIs.

• Ensure reliability and maintainability across equipment, utilities, controls, and safety systems through adherence to Life Cycle Asset Management (LCAM) principles.

• Analyze equipment failure history and trends to identify and implement long-term engineering solutions, improving uptime and reducing repetitive issues.

• Guide the creation and execution of an Asset Operations and Maintenance Plan to ensure optimalutilization, maintenance effectiveness, and sustainability of site assets.

• Establish equipment criticality, business continuity plans, and collaborate with the Safety, Health & Environment (SHE) team to manage risk and compliance.

• Lead root cause and failure analyses (RCFA), leveraging performance data and reliability metrics such as MTBF, OEE, and Remaining Useful Life (RUL).

• Drive governance and reporting around Site Reliability Programs (RCA, RCM, PdM, PMO, cost analysis), ensuring integration into AZ global standards.

• Manage MRO and critical spares inventory to maintain operational readiness and reduce downtime risks.

• Maintain all required Facilities Management Office (FMO) licenses and certifications in accordance with AZ compliance standards.

• Oversee the Building Emergency Response Team, including training, integration with broader response teams, and maintenance of charter and documentation.

• Collaborate with Engineering and Digital teams to integrate BIM and digital twin data into asset management strategies.

• Partner with Project Engineering to influence maintenance and reliability requirements for new or modified equipment. Participate in design reviews, specification development, and commissioning to ensure long-term maintainability and performance.

Skills and Competencies

• A bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, or a closely related discipline is required, with 5–8 years of significant engineering and/or operational experience in reliability, ideally within the R&D Life Sciences sector.

• Proven expertise in asset reliability and a demonstrable track record of driving technical assurance and improved asset performance across complex, regulated environments.

• Strong commitment to standards, regulatory compliance, and safe working practices, with the ability to lead and mentor a reliability-focused technical team.

• A key capability for this role is expertise in data analysis and the application of AI in predictive maintenance programs, enabling proactive, insight-driven decision-making to enhance asset performance and longevity.

• Demonstrated ability to extract and analyze reliability data, identify trends, and translate findings into actionable improvements that reduce unplanned downtime and optimize lifecycle costs.

• Deep understanding of root cause analysis methodologies and a persistent investigative approach to uncover systemic or procedural issues behind failures.

• Hands-on experience designing and implementing predictive maintenance strategies and tools that increase asset availability, improve KPI’s and OPI’s 

Minimum Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, or closely related discipline is required, with a desired 10+ years of significant engineering and/or operational experience. 

• Responsible for managing safe working behavior of the reliability team, demonstrating a high regard for personal and team SHE performance, sustaining a zero overdue status of investigations and actions meet the site target of zero overdue compliance actions in terms of Quality actions and documentation updates.

• Produce and implement the site reliability policies for all equipment and systems, ensuring all planned routines are correctly specified and critical spares are available to allow the maintenance team to effectively complete tasks. Site lead for all engineering Root cause analysis and implementation of long-term engineering solutions to prevent reoccurrences, manage KPI’s including Run Hours, Mean Time Between Failure (MBTF) and Cost to repair of equipment and systems.

•  Supply reliability status monthly reporting figures, analyze trends and develop improvement projects to address the issues of concern, make continuous improvement a way of life. 

• This role will also own the site Probability of Failure on Demand (PoFOD) Report and issue twice annually. Manage all team personnel issues and concerns and through performance management identify talent to develop as well as holding the team to account. 

• Contribute to site capital investment process, highlight all engineering projects which have a benefit to the site responsible for developing and implementing the site predictive/preventative engineering policies.

Preferred Background

• A bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, or closely related discipline is required, with a desired 10+ years of significant engineering and/or operational experience. 

• Has a career history marked by a consistent series of technical contributions and accomplishments. Significant contribution to product or process development or improvement through creative application of technical effort.

• Possesses a strong technical knowledge and application of concepts, practices, and procedures.   Works on problems of complex scope where analysis of situations or data involves multiple competing factors.   Exercises judgment and advises management as to appropriate actions.

• Interacts well with diverse groups within operations and maintains strong working relationships with internal and external collaborators. Listens to and understands others' points of view and articulates tactfully and respectfully one's own perspective orally, in writing, and in presentations.

• Detailed evaluation of a number of viable solutions to each problem at a time, requires proven problem-solving skills under pressure. Requires innovative thinking, where new and untested solutions are proposed, demonstrated and implemented on a regular basis.

• Requires a very high level of attention to detail, to ensure accuracy and compliance with procedures.

• Must be results driven striving to meet all targets and metric standards as set by site/department and division leaders.

• Always requires total commitment to quality and maintaining a high standard of work and demonstrates the highest levels of integrity and a strong work ethic.

Kendall Square

AstraZeneca is leasing a new build property from Boston Properties (BXP) in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The development will become AstraZeneca’s fourth global R&D hub, following on from Gaithersburg, MD; Cambridge, UK; and Gothenburg, Sweden. 

AstraZeneca Boston R&D Hub project will establish a new, purpose-built R&D facility at 290 Binney Street in the Kendall Square neighbourhood of Cambridge, Massachusetts. AstraZeneca signed an Agreement to Lease (15 years) with Boston Properties (BXP) who will develop the building for AZ as a sole tenant. BXP is serving as the building landlord and the Tenant fit-out developer who will manage the General Contractor. 

The aim of the AstraZeneca Boston R&D Hub project is to build a new facility that will be an AstraZeneca strategic R&D centre and the Alexion Headquarters and will bring together Boston area AZ and Alexion colleagues in one purpose-built space. The site will be located at the heart of the life sciences and tech hub of the greater Boston area, in Kendall Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts, and is near several major academic, pharma, tech and biotech institutions, offering great collaboration potential and access to future talent as AstraZeneca grows.

As well as supporting increased external collaboration, this vibrant facility will also promote further innovation between Alexion and AstraZeneca teams. In line with AstraZeneca’s commitment to leading in sustainability, the aim is for the new site to have platinum-rated Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, the highest level of certification, and to obtain Gold-rated WELL certification. Additionally, AstraZeneca has a commitment to having a carbon zero footprint by 2030.