Operations Support Engineer

Description Overview

The Operations Support Engineer provides technical leadership and engineering support to manufacturing and packaging operations across one or more plants and/or operational zones, including the Allegan and Holland, Michigan facilities, as applicable. This role partners closely with Safety, Operations, Zone Engineers, Quality, Asset Reliability, Technical Operations, and Supply Chain teams to ensure safe, compliant, and efficient operational performance.

The Operations Support Engineer identifies and drives continuous improvement opportunities, leads cross-functional initiatives, and delivers sustainable solutions that enhance safety, quality, throughput, and cost performance. The role balances day-to-day operational support with long term strategic process improvement, technical standardization, and capital project execution, while providing supplemental and specialized engineering support to Zone Production Engineers as required.

Scope of the Role

• Operations Support
  • Provides operational engineering support across assigned plants and/or operational zones, with responsibility for supporting zone-level and plant-level performance. Partners with Zone Engineers and Operations leadership to review and analyze key performance indicators, identifying systemic performance gaps, performance trends, and cross-zone improvement opportunities.
  • Supports Zone Engineers, as needed, with improvement efforts and select day-to-day troubleshooting or tactical issue resolution at the plant level. Assists plants and zones by addressing urgent escalations, supporting root cause analysis, and driving alignment on corrective actions and longer-term solutions across respective zones.
  • Monitors, trends, and evaluates key performance indicators (KPIs), including line efficiency, downtime losses, and yield, using data analytics, Pareto analysis, and work center-based performance systems. Leads or supports cross-plant corrective action plans and improvement initiatives to address safety, quality, reliability, and throughput challenges.
  • Ensures implemented solutions deliver measurable performance improvements, sustained return on investment (ROI), and, where applicable, are standardized and scalable across plants and zones.
• Perrigo Work System Focus  (Zero Loss Mentality + Operational Excellence Focus)
  • Coordinates and leads continuous improvement projects aimed at waste reduction and efficiency improvements by streamlining processes and improving capability.
  • Stays current with advancing technologies and techniques to cultivate a continuous pipeline of value creation improvement projects.
  • Aligns with cross functional business partners on prioritizing projects
  • Works independently and in a team setting to develop and implement solutions
  • Utilize Six Sigma (DMAIC), Kepner Tregoe, and other problem-solving approaches.
• Subject Matter Expert (SME)
  • Acts as technical expert with broad knowledge and deep expertise of the latest manufacturing and  packaging equipment and associated technology.
  • Provides training to Zone Engineers & Operations and various support groups as an SME.
  • Demonstrated understanding of core engineering principles.
  • Ability to solve complex technical problems in novel ways by applying concepts, theories, and techniques, including Six Sigma & Kepner Tregoe processes.
  • Support operations to meet applicable laws such as: Compliance, OSHA, Environmental, Safety, cGMP as well as Corporate and Site Quality requirements.
• Capital Projects  
  • Leads, supports, and manages capital projects across assigned plants or zones, from ideation through execution and start-up.
  • Develops project scopes, cost estimates, economic justifications, and capital appropriation requests to support management approval.
  • Provides engineering support for equipment installations, line modifications, and process improvements.
  • Includes participation in URS development, FAT, IQ/OQ/PQ, and successful vertical start-up.
  • Acts as a project manager or technical lead, coordinating activities across engineering, operations, quality, vendors, contractors, and other stakeholders.
  • Supports asset lifecycle management, including reliability improvements, obsolescence planning, and standardization across sites.

Experience Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering; Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, Chemical, Manufacturing or Engineering Management preferred.
• Established understanding of engineering theoretical fundamentals of equipment operation and demonstrate the use of standard principles, theories, concepts, and techniques.

• Demonstrated ability to identify and manage large scale projects independently or with minimal oversight.
• Ability to read and understand drawings, flowcharts, schematics, as it relates to system design documentation.
• Demonstrated understanding of Lean and Six Sigma processes, including experience with different continuous improvement techniques.

• Ability to make sound economic analyses with prudent financial judgment.

• Ability to work toward broad goals and to exercise initiative in identifying projects.
• Ability to track multiple concurrent projects and priorities with a demonstrated ability to meet deadlines and budget commitments in a team-oriented environment.

• Demonstrated experience with quality systems in an FDA current GMP regulated environment preferred.
• Hands-on knowledge of production operations and associated control systems preferred.
• This position is not eligible for Sponsorship.

Behavioral/Values Characteristics

• Exhibit Perrigo Core Behaviors Framework
• Demonstrated ability to build trust quickly both vertically and horizontally within an organization.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with excellent interpersonal skills, including good oral and written communication with all levels of the organization.
• Ability to manage routine and non-routine tasks efficiently while adapting quickly to shifting priorities.
• Fosters a growth mindset for both oneself and encourages others to reach outside comfort zones.