Hovione
CDMO for complex drug APIs manufacturing
Associate Operator
+ Overtime + Short-term incentive bonus
About the job
- Full secondary school qualifications or equivalent are mandatory; a vocational qualification is highly desirable.
- Experience working in a manufacturing or production environment is mandatory.
- Formal knowledge or experience working with process systems used in fine chemicals or pharmaceutical operations is mandatory.
- Successful completion of all mandatory training as an Operator is mandatory.
- A solid understanding of all Hovione unit operations is mandatory.
- Ability to comply with the tasks described in the technical competences matrix applicable to the functional area.
- Numerical capability for simple arithmetic.
- Clear and open written and verbal communication skills.
- Competent written and verbal English is highly desirable.
- Ability to work in shift patterns.
- Computer literacy.
- Knowledge, experience, and skills sufficient to conduct tasks according to established rules and procedures.
- Execute production and HSE activities efficiently and professionally while following applicable procedures and instructions from senior colleagues.
- Execute production and HSE processes under supervision.
- Complete and maintain all documentation under direct responsibility.
- Promote safe operation and high-quality performance by reporting potential risks and suggesting production and HSE improvements.
- Develop and accumulate production and HSE knowledge.
- Maintain professionalism in the workplace.
- Ensure facility activities comply with applicable GMP, legal, HSE, and country-specific standards and Hovione processes.
- Operate assigned equipment safely and efficiently.
- Maintain clean and organized facilities.
- Attend and fully participate in assigned meetings and training.
- Communicate openly with colleagues and report production, HSE, quality, and other issues to management through required processes.
- Suggest and participate in improvements in the assigned area.
- Check and calibrate equipment before use.
- Correctly identify and use equipment, including labels, plates, and logbooks.
- Prepare samples according to the assigned area.
- Execute production and HSE tasks correctly in Hovione systems, including SAP, LIMS, and SchedulePro.
- Use personal protective equipment and maintain it in good condition.
- Use computer programs correctly, including email, SAP, LIMS, SchedulePro, and XNET.
- Collaborate in revising area documents, including IOPs, as requested.
- Collaborate in internal and external audits and inspections as requested.
- Participate in the induction and training of new Operators and help integrate Operators transferred from other areas.
- Complete annual performance review requirements, including the self-assessment.
- Undertake additional tasks commensurate with the role when required.
- Carry out assigned tasks safely and comply with environmental, health, and safety rules, procedures, regulations, and codes of practice.
- A vocational qualification.
- Competent written and verbal English.
About the company
Hovione is a contract development and manufacturing organization that helps pharmaceutical companies develop and manufacture active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). It specializes in complex chemistry and manufacturing techniques such as particle engineering and spray drying to improve how drugs are absorbed. The company stands out through a long history, a focus on difficult-to-make compounds, and a global footprint with FDA-inspected sites in Portugal, Ireland, China, and the United States, built from a private, family-owned background. Its goal is to enable partners to bring new medicines to market efficiently by providing high-quality, scalable manufacturing capacity and continuous investment in capabilities.
Company Size
1,001-5,000
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
Loures, Portugal
Founded
1959
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Hovione completed its $100 million New Jersey expansion, doubling U.S. spray-drying capacity.
- The Loures tablet center added 25% commercial batch capacity on August 25, 2026.
- Seixal commissioning is set for mid-2027, adding two production buildings and 100 jobs.
What critics are saying
- Stefan Doboczky takes over April 1, 2027, extending Hovione's 2026 leadership uncertainty.
- The Seixal campus needs €200 million, and delays would trap capacity expansion.
- Rivals like Lonza and Catalent can outspend Hovione on biologics and sterile fill-finish.
What makes Hovione unique
- Hovione owns spray drying, continuous tableting, and particle engineering under one quality system.
- Its Loures and East Windsor sites support integrated ASD-to-tablet supply, cutting tech transfers.
- Hovione and IDC launched a commercial intranasal platform on May 15, 2026.
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Company News
Hovione names Stefan Doboczky new CEO. Chairman of the Board of Directors Stefan Doboczky to take over operational leadership of the family-owned pharmaceutical technology and services group on April 1, 2027. Stefan Doboczky has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Hovione since 2024, where he has been instrumental in shaping the company's strategy and vision. He will step down as Chairman upon assuming the role of Chief Executive Officer. Founded in 1959, Hovione is a family-owned pharmaceutical technology and services group serving the industry worldwide, with more than 2,600 employees, four FDA-inspected production and R&D sites in Europe, the United States and China, and internationally recognized technology leadership in spray drying and continuous tableting. The appointment marks a return to the pharmaceutical industry for Stefan Doboczky, who spent more than 17 years at Royal DSM, where he rose to become a member of the Executive Board responsible for the group's global pharmaceutical portfolio and for its growth in Asia. He subsequently spent 11 years as CEO of listed, private-equity-owned and corporate-owned industrial companies, including Lenzing AG, Heubach GmbH and Borealis AG. Following the combination of Borealis, Borouge and NOVA Chemicals into Borouge International, he took on the role of Chief Commercial Officer and Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board of the merged group. He will hand over these responsibilities to his successor on October 1, 2026 and remains available for six months to support the transition. Stefan Doboczky holds a Master's degree in technical chemistry and a doctorate in natural sciences, both from Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien), Austria, and an MBA from IMD, Lausanne, Switzerland. The appointment follows a comprehensive succession process conducted by the Board of Directors and marks an important step in the continued development of Hovione. The appointment reflects the company's ambition to further strengthen its international position as a leading technology and service provider to pharmaceutical companies worldwide. Guy Villax, Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Family Council, representing the company's major shareholder, said: "We are very pleased that Stefan is taking on the operational leadership of Hovione. Having served as our Chairman, he has an in-depth understanding of the company, its culture and its people, and has co-shaped our strategic direction and priorities. His international experience, his commercial expertise and his proven capability to transform companies sustainably make him exceptionally well positioned to lead Hovione into its next phase of growth. That he is willing to move from the Board into the operating seat is a strong signal of his conviction in this company and in the opportunity ahead of it." Stefan Doboczky, Chief Executive Officer designate of Hovione, said: "I am honored to take on the role of CEO at Hovione and to move from my role as Chairman of the Board into the operational leadership of the company. In my two years as Chairman, I have come to see the remarkable potential of this organization, built on a very strong technology foundation, talented people and a genuine focus on patients. Returning to the pharmaceutical industry, where I spent the formative part of my career, and doing so as the CEO of a family-owned company with such a long-term horizon, is a unique opportunity. I thank the Board and the shareholders for their trust. I look forward to working closely with Hovione's global leadership team and the Board to strengthen our international presence, drive innovation and create sustainable value for our customers, partners and shareholders." The Board also expressed its appreciation to Marco Gil and António Almeida for their ongoing leadership during the interim co-CEO period and for ensuring the continued successful execution of the company's strategy until Stefan joins as CEO. Company. Sete Casas 2674-506 Loures Portugal
Hovione completes €40 million expansion of Loures tablet manufacturing center. Expansion strengthens integrated manufacture of amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs) by spray drying and tableting at a single site, accelerating development and simplifying supply. Hovione, a global pharmaceutical CDMO, has completed the expansion of the company's tablet development and manufacturing center at its main global campus in Loures, Portugal, adding 25% more commercial-scale batch tableting capacity for the integrated supply of oral solid dosage products. The recently inaugurated expansion completes an investment cycle of more than €40 million. Hovione expanded its batch tableting capacity by adding an additional line mirroring the original unit across every local operation: dispensing, blending, dry granulation, and tableting and film coating. The mirrored configuration reinforces capacity at the 300 to 400 kg batch scale and provides both redundancy and like-for-like product transfers between lines, reducing the process risk that typically accompanies the move from development into commercial supply. Supporting areas, including in-process control and staging space sized to the increased production capacity, were also added as part of the expansion. The added capacity strengthens Hovione's ability to manufacture ASDs by spray drying and tablet them into finished oral dosage forms at a single site. Executing both steps within one quality system compresses development timelines and simplifies supply chains for customers who would otherwise transfer intermediates between sites and/or suppliers. Demand for the single-site service continues to grow as ASD by spray drying remains a vital solution for poor solubility that slows development timelines for over 70% of new molecular entities. "This investment completes our existing capabilities in Portugal and strengthens the competitiveness of our operations. It gives us greater scale and flexibility to respond to the needs of an industry that is seeking to develop new medicines more quickly and build more resilient supply chains closer to its markets. This is an important step in continuing to support our customers internationally," said António Almeida and Marco Gil, Co-CEOs of Hovione. In 2022, Hovione invested in a next-generation continuous tablet manufacturing line at the same industrial complex. As pharmaceutical companies increasingly evaluate continuous manufacturing alongside established batch processes, Hovione has continued to invest in resilient manufacturing infrastructure that supports both current customer needs and future demand. "Mirroring the line rather than simply adding equipment was a deliberate choice," said Jorge Pastilha, VP of Technical Operations for Europe and Asia at Hovione. "It means a product validated on one line can move to the other without reformulation or process redevelopment, which gives customers continuity of supply." Company. Sete Casas 2674-506 Loures Portugal
Hovione planning ribbon-cutting at NJ facility - A behind-the-scenes preview. The company is building out more than 200,000 square feet of space in New Jersey. July 31, 2026 Content Marketing Editor Topics.
Continuous Manufacturing Forum 2026. Tuesday, September 22, 2026 Wednesday, September 23, 2026 Location: New Jersey, United States Continuous Tableting is no longer experimental - it is regulated, commercially proven, and rapidly scaling. This September 22-23, Hovione experts will join industry peers at the Continuous Manufacturing Forum (CMF) in Princeton, New Jersey, for two days of scientific exchange focused on the practical implementation of continuous manufacturing in the pharmaceutical industry. This is a must-attend event for those looking to explore the innovations, strategies, and collaborations transforming pharmaceutical production. Join the sessions led by its experts in Continuous Tableting. "The Evolution of Clinical Continuous Manufacturing: From Early Adoption to Operational Maturity" with Anthony Tantuccio "Disrupting the Granulation Paradigm: Enabling Direct Compression of Spray-Dried Dispersions Through Particle Design" with Sarang Oka | Anthony Tantuccio Fellow of Continuous Tableting at Hovione | Sarang Oka Production Senior Manager, Drug Product Continuous Manufacturing | As a first mover CDMO in Continuous Tableting, its team will be available to share firsthand insights into how Hovione can seamlessly integrate CT into your drug product development. Read its latest CT articles: Hovione - The future is continuous.
Hovione invests 200 million in new medicine factory in Seixal by 2027. On the sidelines of the inauguration of a new production line at the group's campus in Loures, the final stage of a 40 million euro investment cycle, the co-CEOs of Hovione revealed that the development of the group's two industrial complexes has been entirely financed by equity. Hovione is investing 200 million euros in a new unit for the manufacture of medicines in Seixal, in the district of Setúbal, with opening scheduled for September 2027, announced the heads of the Portuguese chemical and pharmaceutical group this Tuesday. On the sidelines of the inauguration of a new production line at the group's campus in Loures, the final stage of a 40 million euro investment cycle, the co-CEOs of Hovione revealed that the development of the group's two industrial complexes has been entirely financed by equity. "We are in the Lisbon region and are a large company, so European funds do not reach us. It is a matter of legislation," said co-CEO António Almeida. As for the Seixal project, although it is located in Greater Lisbon, "it will be covered by the next European framework, from 2028 onwards, but patients cannot wait," added the same official. Despite not having access to European funds, at least in the first phase of the investment, Seixal was chosen to install Hovione's new industrial complex because "it is close to an airport." "Our clients are international, we export all production and we wanted to be close to a center where we could export and easily receive visits," said, in turn, co-CEO Marco Gil, adding that another factor that weighed in the choice was the proximity to Hovione's Research and Development center located in Lumiar, Lisbon. "When we think about these investments, we don't think in terms of 10, 15, 20 years, but rather 50, 60 years. In Seixal, we found a site that had the industrial characteristics necessary for our activity, which allows us to add other technologies, have a much larger scale, and access talent in the Lisbon region but also on the south bank." With the 25% extension of the productive area inaugurated today, Hovione has reached the physical limit of the Loures campus, so the increase in production capacity will pass through the future Seixal complex. The new tablet development and production line will add 50 new skilled jobs to the Loures campus, which already employs around 1,250 workers. With this investment, the Loures campus is strengthened as the main industrial, scientific and technological center of Hovione's global network, which includes among its clients 19 of the 20 largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. Most of Hovione's production is exported abroad, with the USA as the main destination. According to group officials, at least one in every ten medicines approved by the US regulator FDA are produced by Hovione for client pharmaceutical companies. During the inauguration ceremony, where the presidents of AICEP, Madalena Oliveira e Silva, and of the Loures City Council, Ricardo Leão, were also present, the Minister of Economy highlighted the fact that Hovione produces for some of the most sophisticated markets in the world and considered that the pharmaceutical sector "is a strategic sector for Portugal." "The disruptions in international supply chains highlighted the need to strengthen European industrial capacity in essential areas in the field of medicines and health products. It was with this concern that the Government integrated into the PRR measures aimed at strengthening the pharmaceutical sector," he further said. The chemical and pharmaceutical group Hovione was founded more than six decades ago in Portugal by Ivan Villax and Diane Villax. It has four factories in the USA, Portugal, Ireland, and China and development laboratories in Lisbon, Portugal and New Jersey (USA), employing more than 2,600 workers.