Green Card Associate Director of Engineering Jobs
Associate Director of Engineering green card sponsorship typically follows the EB-2 or EB-3 employment-based path, requiring PERM labor certification before your employer files an I-140 petition with USCIS. Per-country backlogs mean priority dates matter, so starting the process early gives you a meaningful advantage toward lawful permanent residency.
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The Manufacturing Engineering Lead manages a mission-critical function within Site Engineering and Facilities, overseeing the installation, validation, reliability, and optimization of manufacturing process equipment and cGxP warehouse technologies. This leader will guide a team of engineers, represent Site Engineering and Facilities in key operational decisions, and partner closely with Manufacturing, Quality, EHS, Maintenance, Automation, and global engineering teams. The role requires a strong technical foundation in biopharmaceutical manufacturing, validation, equipment performance, and regulated operations.
What you’ll do
- Lead and develop the Manufacturing Engineering function, including a team of approximately 7–15 employees.
- Ensure the ongoing reliability, performance, safety, and compliance of manufacturing process equipment and assigned systems.
- Establish departmental goals, development plans, operating metrics, and tactical priorities aligned with manufacturing and site objectives.
- Represent Site Engineering and Facilities in site and factory leadership discussions involving manufacturing strategy, technical risks, and operational direction.
- Lead validation strategy, execution, and lifecycle management while ensuring alignment with the Quality Management System and global procedures.
- Present and defend manufacturing engineering and validation programs during regulatory audits and inspections.
- Develop operating and capital forecasts, manage departmental resources, and provide oversight of the site’s small-capital portfolio.
- Prioritize continuous-improvement initiatives, equipment upgrades, and engineering solutions that improve reliability, efficiency, and manufacturing performance.
- Provide technical direction during critical equipment issues and support uninterrupted manufacturing operations.
- Collaborate with Quality and EHS to maintain equipment and systems in a safe, compliant, and validated state.
- Support 24/7 manufacturing operations as business needs require.
- Coach and develop engineering employees while promoting technical capability, accountability, and effective delegation.
Who you are
You are an experienced engineering leader who combines deep technical knowledge with sound operational judgment. You can lead through complex equipment and compliance challenges, develop engineering talent, influence senior stakeholders, and make timely decisions in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
Required skills
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering from an accredited college or university
- At minimum, 10 years of relevant experience in biotechnology, pharmaceutical, or adjacent industry.
- At minimum, 2 years of experience managing or leading engineering professionals, contractors, or cross-functional technical teams.
- In-depth experience with GMP validation, manufacturing, engineering, or facilities.
- Demonstrated knowledge of biopharmaceutical manufacturing operations, cGMP, GLP, EMEA, and ISO requirements.
- Experience working with FDA or comparable regulatory investigators, preparing responses to observations, and implementing corrective measures.
- Experience leading GMP validation activities and maintaining manufacturing systems in a compliant and validated state.
- Experience with large operating and capital budgets and complex engineering projects.
- Demonstrated ability to lead cross-site or cross-functional initiatives.
Preferred skills
- Working knowledge of distributed control systems, programmable logic controllers, P&IDs, and standard operating procedures.
- Experience with manufacturing process equipment and supporting utility or facility systems.
- Lean Six Sigma, continuous-improvement, or operational-excellence experience.
- Contract management and contractor safety-management experience.
- Experience supporting large-scale, multi-use manufacturing facilities.
- Strong business acumen, strategic planning, capital-investment analysis, and resource-management capabilities.
- Ability to communicate engineering strategy and technical risk effectively to senior leaders, regulators, vendors, and cross-functional partners.
Job Level: Management
Additional Information
The base compensation range for this role is: $147,000.00-$202,500.00
Base salary offered is determined through an analytical approach utilizing a combination of factors including, but not limited to, relevant skills & experience, job location, and internal equity.
Regular employees are eligible to receive both short term and long-term incentives, including cash bonus and equity incentive opportunities, designed to reward recent achievements and recognize your future potential based on individual, business unit and company performance.
In addition to compensation, Biogen offers a full and highly competitive range of benefits designed to support our employees’ and their families physical, financial, emotional, and social well-being; including, but not limited to:
- Medical, Dental, Vision, & Life insurances
- Fitness & Wellness programs including a fitness reimbursement
- Short- and Long-Term Disability insurance
- A minimum of 15 days of paid vacation and an additional end-of-year shutdown time off (Dec 26-Dec 31)
- Up to 12 company paid holidays + 3 paid days off for Personal Significance
- 80 hours of sick time per calendar year
- Paid Maternity and Parental Leave benefit
- 401(k) program participation with company matched contributions
- Employee stock purchase plan
- Tuition reimbursement of up to $10,000 per calendar year
- Employee Resource Groups participation
Why Biogen?
We are a global team with a commitment to excellence, and a pioneering spirit. As a mid-sized biotechnology company, we provide the stability and resources of a well-established business while fostering an environment where individual contributions make a significant impact. Our team encompasses some of the most talented and passionate achievers who have unparalleled opportunities for learning, growth, and expanding their skills. Above all, we work together to deliver life-changing medicines, with every role playing a vital part in our mission. Caring Deeply. Achieving Excellence. Changing Lives.
At Biogen, we are committed to building on our culture of inclusion and belonging that reflects the communities where we operate and the patients we serve. We know that diverse backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives make us a stronger and more innovative company, and we are focused on building teams where every employee feels empowered and inspired.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, race, color, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, religion, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law. Biogen is an E-Verify Employer in the United States.
About this role
The Manufacturing Engineering Lead manages a mission-critical function within Site Engineering and Facilities, overseeing the installation, validation, reliability, and optimization of manufacturing process equipment and cGxP warehouse technologies. This leader will guide a team of engineers, represent Site Engineering and Facilities in key operational decisions, and partner closely with Manufacturing, Quality, EHS, Maintenance, Automation, and global engineering teams. The role requires a strong technical foundation in biopharmaceutical manufacturing, validation, equipment performance, and regulated operations.
What you’ll do
- Lead and develop the Manufacturing Engineering function, including a team of approximately 7–15 employees.
- Ensure the ongoing reliability, performance, safety, and compliance of manufacturing process equipment and assigned systems.
- Establish departmental goals, development plans, operating metrics, and tactical priorities aligned with manufacturing and site objectives.
- Represent Site Engineering and Facilities in site and factory leadership discussions involving manufacturing strategy, technical risks, and operational direction.
- Lead validation strategy, execution, and lifecycle management while ensuring alignment with the Quality Management System and global procedures.
- Present and defend manufacturing engineering and validation programs during regulatory audits and inspections.
- Develop operating and capital forecasts, manage departmental resources, and provide oversight of the site’s small-capital portfolio.
- Prioritize continuous-improvement initiatives, equipment upgrades, and engineering solutions that improve reliability, efficiency, and manufacturing performance.
- Provide technical direction during critical equipment issues and support uninterrupted manufacturing operations.
- Collaborate with Quality and EHS to maintain equipment and systems in a safe, compliant, and validated state.
- Support 24/7 manufacturing operations as business needs require.
- Coach and develop engineering employees while promoting technical capability, accountability, and effective delegation.
Who you are
You are an experienced engineering leader who combines deep technical knowledge with sound operational judgment. You can lead through complex equipment and compliance challenges, develop engineering talent, influence senior stakeholders, and make timely decisions in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
Required skills
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering from an accredited college or university
- At minimum, 10 years of relevant experience in biotechnology, pharmaceutical, or adjacent industry.
- At minimum, 2 years of experience managing or leading engineering professionals, contractors, or cross-functional technical teams.
- In-depth experience with GMP validation, manufacturing, engineering, or facilities.
- Demonstrated knowledge of biopharmaceutical manufacturing operations, cGMP, GLP, EMEA, and ISO requirements.
- Experience working with FDA or comparable regulatory investigators, preparing responses to observations, and implementing corrective measures.
- Experience leading GMP validation activities and maintaining manufacturing systems in a compliant and validated state.
- Experience with large operating and capital budgets and complex engineering projects.
- Demonstrated ability to lead cross-site or cross-functional initiatives.
Preferred skills
- Working knowledge of distributed control systems, programmable logic controllers, P&IDs, and standard operating procedures.
- Experience with manufacturing process equipment and supporting utility or facility systems.
- Lean Six Sigma, continuous-improvement, or operational-excellence experience.
- Contract management and contractor safety-management experience.
- Experience supporting large-scale, multi-use manufacturing facilities.
- Strong business acumen, strategic planning, capital-investment analysis, and resource-management capabilities.
- Ability to communicate engineering strategy and technical risk effectively to senior leaders, regulators, vendors, and cross-functional partners.
Job Level: Management
Additional Information
The base compensation range for this role is: $147,000.00-$202,500.00
Base salary offered is determined through an analytical approach utilizing a combination of factors including, but not limited to, relevant skills & experience, job location, and internal equity.
Regular employees are eligible to receive both short term and long-term incentives, including cash bonus and equity incentive opportunities, designed to reward recent achievements and recognize your future potential based on individual, business unit and company performance.
In addition to compensation, Biogen offers a full and highly competitive range of benefits designed to support our employees’ and their families physical, financial, emotional, and social well-being; including, but not limited to:
- Medical, Dental, Vision, & Life insurances
- Fitness & Wellness programs including a fitness reimbursement
- Short- and Long-Term Disability insurance
- A minimum of 15 days of paid vacation and an additional end-of-year shutdown time off (Dec 26-Dec 31)
- Up to 12 company paid holidays + 3 paid days off for Personal Significance
- 80 hours of sick time per calendar year
- Paid Maternity and Parental Leave benefit
- 401(k) program participation with company matched contributions
- Employee stock purchase plan
- Tuition reimbursement of up to $10,000 per calendar year
- Employee Resource Groups participation
Why Biogen?
We are a global team with a commitment to excellence, and a pioneering spirit. As a mid-sized biotechnology company, we provide the stability and resources of a well-established business while fostering an environment where individual contributions make a significant impact. Our team encompasses some of the most talented and passionate achievers who have unparalleled opportunities for learning, growth, and expanding their skills. Above all, we work together to deliver life-changing medicines, with every role playing a vital part in our mission. Caring Deeply. Achieving Excellence. Changing Lives.
At Biogen, we are committed to building on our culture of inclusion and belonging that reflects the communities where we operate and the patients we serve. We know that diverse backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives make us a stronger and more innovative company, and we are focused on building teams where every employee feels empowered and inspired.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, race, color, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, religion, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law. Biogen is an E-Verify Employer in the United States.
See all 33+ Green Card Associate Director of Engineering Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Green Card Sponsorship in Associate Director of Engineering
Align your credentials with EB-2 requirements
EB-2 requires either a U.S. master's degree or a bachelor's degree plus five years of progressive engineering experience. Pull together performance reviews, promotion records, and project documentation now, PERM audits often demand evidence of that progression in detail.
Search for verified green card sponsors on Migrate Mate
Target employers with a documented history of sponsoring engineering managers through the PERM and I-140 process. Migrate Mate shows verified green card sponsoring employers by role, so you can focus your applications on companies already familiar with the full EB-2 and EB-3 filing sequence.
Check your priority date before accepting an offer
Nationals from India and China often face multi-year backlogs in the EB-2 and EB-3 categories. Before signing an offer, verify the current Visa Bulletin cutoff dates with USCIS to understand how long adjustment of status may realistically take for your country of birth.
Confirm the employer runs a compliant PERM recruitment test
PERM requires the employer to conduct a genuine recruitment effort, job ads, internal postings, and documentation that no qualified U.S. worker was available. Ask hiring managers or HR whether they've completed PERM filings before and whether they work with experienced immigration counsel.
Request a prevailing wage check using OFLC Wage Search
DOL sets the prevailing wage for your SOC code and work location before the PERM is filed. Run a search on OFLC Wage Search for the Associate Director of Engineering title in your target metro to verify the offered salary supports a Level III or Level IV wage determination.
Understand AC21 portability before you change jobs mid-process
Once your I-485 has been pending 180 days or more, AC21 portability lets you move to a new employer in the same or similar occupation without restarting the green card process. Confirm in writing that your new role falls within the same O*NET occupational group before making any move.
Green Card Associate Director of Engineering: Frequently Asked Questions
What green card category covers Associate Director of Engineering roles?
Most Associate Director of Engineering positions qualify under EB-2, which covers roles requiring an advanced degree or a bachelor's degree with five years of progressive experience in engineering. Roles that meet only the bachelor's-plus-two-years threshold fall under EB-3. Your employer's immigration counsel will confirm the correct category based on the specific job duties and your credentials.
How is green card sponsorship different from H-1B sponsorship for this role?
H-1B visa is temporary work authorization with a cap and annual lottery; green card sponsorship leads to lawful permanent residency with no renewal cycle. The PERM process requires your employer to test the labor market, obtain a prevailing wage determination from DOL, and file an I-140 petition with USCIS. Per-country numerical limits mean nationals from high-demand countries can face priority-date backlogs that H-1B holders don't encounter in the same way.
How do I find employers who sponsor green cards for engineering director-level roles?
Migrate Mate lists employers with verified histories of sponsoring engineering professionals through PERM and I-140, so you can focus your search on companies that have already navigated the process for similar roles. Director-level positions often require stronger documentation of specialty, so targeting employers with demonstrated PERM filing experience reduces risk of delays or audit.
Can I change employers after my green card process has started?
Yes, under two distinct rules. If your original I-140 was approved, a new employer can file a fresh I-140 and you can retain your original priority date. Separately, once your I-485 has been pending 180 days or more, AC21 portability lets you move to a same-or-similar occupation without restarting the adjustment of status process. Confirm the new role's SOC code matches before switching.
What documentation should I prepare before an employer begins PERM for this role?
Gather degree certificates, official transcripts, and any foreign credential evaluations. For EB-2 based on experience, compile employment verification letters, dated performance reviews, and project records demonstrating progressive engineering responsibility. DOL audits can require this documentation months after PERM is filed, so having it organized before the process starts prevents delays.