Facilities Engineer III

We’re here for one reason and one reason only – to cure cancer. Every moment is dedicated to developing treatments and every action moves us one step closer to our goal. We’ve made incredible scientific breakthroughs and our pioneering personalized CAR T-cell therapies have changed the paradigm. But we're not finished yet.

Join Kite, as we make even bigger advances in cancer therapies, and help shape where our business and medical science goes next.

We believe every employee deserves a great leader. People Leaders are the cornerstone to the employee experience at Gilead and Kite. As a people leader now or in the future, you are the key driver in evolving our culture and creating an environment where every employee feels included, developed and empowered to fulfil their aspirations. Join Kite and help create more tomorrows.

Job Description

The Facilities Engineer III is a highly skilled engineering role responsible for leading the operation, maintenance, improvement, and reliability of systems within GMP and non-GMP areas. The Facility Engineer III is expected to provide technical leadership in one or more specialty areas (e.g., utilities, equipment, reliability) while supporting site-wide and cross-functional initiatives and ensuring that all systems meet regulatory and operational standards.

General responsibilities

• Serve as Technical Lead for assigned systems/areas and manage day-to-day operations to ensure systems are optimized for performance, reliability, compliance and safety.
• Lead troubleshooting efforts and resolve complex issues for systems, ensuring minimal downtime and maintaining continuous operations.
• Develop and implement strategies for system optimization, focusing on improving efficiency, reducing energy consumption, and lowering operational costs.
• Create or revise technical documentation, including P&IDs, SOPs, maintenance plans, operational procedures, and risk assessments.
• Provide expert-level support for root cause analysis and corrective actions related to system failures, deviations, and other operational challenges.
• Lead and manage the planning and execution of small to medium-scale OPEX projects and routine operational activities, including change controls (e.g., upgrades, repairs); coordinate vendors and collect technical documentation.
• Serve as SME Engineering for CAPEX projects based on speciality area(s).
• Lead deviation investigations and own CAPAs; prepare engineering assessments for change controls and support regulatory audits.
• Partner with Maintenance to develop and update maintenance plans for systems.
• Review and approve engineering documentation from third parties (e.g., vendors, suppliers) for accuracy and alignment with site requirements.
• Contribute to the development of site engineering standards, templates, and best practices.
• Coach and mentor Facilities Engineer I and II.

Technical Areas Responsibilities

Utilities

• Lead activities related to utility systems, ensuring reliability and efficient performance.
• Interface with vendors, suppliers and/or utilities providers for service and compliance.

Electrical

• Provide technical leadership for electrical infrastructure projects, including system upgrades, capacity expansion, and integration of sustainable energy solutions.
• Troubleshoot electrical failures and provide long-term solutions to enhance system reliability and sustainability.

Equipment

• Lead and oversee the integration and performance optimization of equipment, ensuring reliability and compliance with operational requirements.
• Manage lifecycle projects for equipment, including preventative maintenance, upgrades, and equipment reliability improvements.
• Lead troubleshooting efforts, ensuring systems are supported and downtime is minimized.

EMS/BMS & Automation

• Technical Lead for EMS/BMS and other managing/monitoring systems.
• Coordinate setpoints, sensor calibrations, and system integration.
• Respond to alarms and ensure data integrity for compliance.
• EAMS system admin.

Facility

• Act as technical Lead for cleanrooms.
• Manage minor to medium facility improvement projects (e.g. layout change, room reclassification), including scope, timeline, and contractor coordination.
• Ensure facility activities align with GMP and safety requirements, supporting audit readiness.
• Lead root cause analysis for recurring equipment failures.
• Develop and track reliability metrics (e.g., equipment availability).

Kite is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the development of innovative cancer immunotherapies with a goal of providing rapid, long-term durable response and eliminating the burden of chronic care. The company is focused on chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) and T cell receptor (TCR) engineered cell therapies designed to empower the immune system's ability to recognize and kill tumors.