Team Leader - Packaging
No salary listed
Mid, Senior
Bachelor's, Master's
Allentown, PA, USA
In Person
Manufacturing & Production OperationsMachine & Process Operation
No H1B Sponsorship
About the job
Requirements
- Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship.
- Must pass a comprehensive background check, including drug screening.
- An advanced degree with three years of experience, or a bachelor's degree with five years of experience, in pharmaceutical packaging or an FDA-regulated industry is required.
- Preferred fields of study include Business, Management, Engineering, a scientific field, or a related discipline.
- Three or more years of supervisory experience is preferred.
- Lean or Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification is preferred.
- Candidates with six or more years of progressively responsible and relevant work experience may be considered, including three years of supervisory experience and experience in pharmaceutical packaging, the pharmaceutical industry, or an FDA-regulated industry.
- Strong role-model leadership skills are required.
- Well-developed written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills are required.
- Sound judgment and decision-making skills are required.
- Analytical thinking and problem-solving skills are required.
- Knowledge of continuous improvement, Lean Manufacturing, and/or Six Sigma is required.
- Experience in all aspects of the packaging process is required.
- Experience implementing Lean Manufacturing techniques, including line balancing, Takt Time, 5S, SMED, and TPM, is required.
- Clinical or pharmaceutical packaging experience is preferred.
- An industrial engineering background or training is preferred.
- Experience leading teams of more than 10 employees is required.
- A certification in manufacturing, management, or pharmaceuticals is preferred.
- Project Management Professional certification or project management experience is preferred.
- Ability to read, understand, and follow standard operating procedures and policies in a Good Manufacturing Practice environment is required.
- Ability to manage personnel in a current Good Manufacturing Practice environment is required.
- Must be able to stand continuously, walk frequently, sit as required, and frequently lift or carry up to 50 pounds.
- Must be able to bend frequently, squat as required, reach above shoulder level, and perform repetitive actions, grasping, pushing, pulling, and fine manipulation with both hands.
- Must be able to perform occasional repetitive actions with both feet.
- Must meet visual requirements for close and distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and focus adjustment.
- Must meet applicable visual acuity and color-vision standards for inspection of pharmaceutical products, components, and labels in a current Good Manufacturing Practice environment.
- Personal Protective Equipment certification, including for filtering face masks, PAPR, N-95 masks, half-face masks, and safety glasses, is required.
- Must be able to work in both hot and cold environments.
Responsibilities
- Oversee 20–25 employees working on multiple production lines in a clinical pharmaceutical manufacturing and packaging environment.
- Apply Good Manufacturing Principles in all areas of responsibility.
- Coach and mentor employees, and communicate with them professionally and accessibly.
- Serve as the technical subject matter expert for each process within the area and communicate process information to internal and external stakeholders.
- Identify problems and improvement opportunities proactively and independently, implement solutions, and prevent recurrence.
- Measure team, individual, and process performance; set goals and hold the team and individuals accountable.
- Foster employee education and personal development by providing opportunities for growth and exposure, and training and motivating the workforce.
- Demonstrate and promote the company's vision of Integrity, Intensity, Innovation, and Involvement.
- Conduct activities safely and efficiently.
- Direct, lead, supervise, and support personnel; coach, listen to, and advise employees.
- Learn and understand packaging processes; investigate process deviations, identify root causes, and implement corrective actions.
- Communicate and train employees on their duties, responsibilities, and company policies and procedures.
- Lead continuous process improvements, eliminate waste, increase effectiveness, and maximize operational efficiency while improving safety, quality, delivery, and cost.
- Oversee daily scheduling of packaging operations and provide work direction across multiple production areas.
- Ensure employees work safely and comply with internal and external regulations, procedures, and standards.
- Identify, measure, and improve critical metrics; communicate performance expectations and hold employees accountable through the Performance Management and Development process.
- Consistently apply company and site policies and procedures.
- Ensure standard operating procedures are current and accurately reflect packaging-floor operations, and ensure technicians understand and follow them.
- Develop employee career-path plans to support growth and fulfillment, and motivate employees to achieve work goals.
- Serve as a role model leader.
- Work primarily in a production environment, standing for extended periods to monitor room activities and assist with production requirements as needed.
- Perform other duties as assigned to meet business needs.
Desired Qualifications
- Lean or Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification.
- Clinical or pharmaceutical packaging experience.
- A certification in manufacturing, management, or pharmaceuticals.
- Project Management Professional certification or project management experience.
About the company
Thermo Fisher Scientific makes and sells the instruments, chemicals, consumables and lab services that drug companies, hospitals, universities and industrial labs use for research, testing and production. Its products cover work from gene sequencing and protein analysis to diagnostic tests and lab freezers, and its distribution arm ships supplies to labs worldwide. Drug developers also hire it to run clinical trials and to manufacture medicines under contract. It earns money from consumables that labs buy again and again, along with instrument sales, service contracts and outsourcing fees. The company traces its roots to Thermo Electron, founded in 1956, which merged with Fisher Scientific in 2006, and it is based in Waltham, Massachusetts.
Company Size
10,001+
Company Stage
IPO
Headquarters
Waltham, Massachusetts
Founded
1956
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Drugmaker demand is firming: revenue rose 10% to $11.99 billion in the June 2026 quarter, 5% excluding deals and currency.
- Profits are outpacing sales, which supports stock grants: adjusted earnings per share rose 13% in the June 2026 quarter.
- Career paths span many businesses: Thermo Fisher runs four segments, from diagnostics to contract drug development.
What critics are saying
- Factory jobs are shrinking: Thermo Fisher announced in January 2026 it will close its Asheville plant, cutting 421 jobs.
- Whole units get sold: microbiology, with $645 million in 2025 sales, went to buyout firm Astorg in August 2026.
- Cuts reach California too: Thermo Fisher filed in January 2026 to lay off 173 Carlsbad workers by March.
What makes Thermo Fisher Scientific unique
- Many familiar lab brands sit under one roof: Thermo Fisher owns Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen and Fisher Scientific.
- Thermo Fisher reaches labs through its own sales force of about 14,000 people, per its 2025 annual filing.
- Its trial-data unit Clario has supported about 70% of FDA and EMA novel drug approvals over the past decade.
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Benefits
- Health Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- Life Insurance
- Disability Insurance
- Unlimited Paid Time Off
- Paid Vacation
- Paid Sick Leave
- Paid Holidays
- Hybrid Work Options
- 401(k) Retirement Plan
- 401(k) Company Match