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Sr. Environmental Sustainability Engineer

Lonza • United States • Added on Aug 13, 2026
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As the site lead for environmental performance in Vacaville, you will translate global climate goals into local technical reality. This hands-on engineering role involves designing and managing a roadmap focused on energy efficiency, water stewardship, and waste reduction. You will move between technical evaluations of low-carbon technologies and strategic advisory for site leadership, ensuring every operational decision aligns with long-term decarbonization targets.

In the resource-intensive world of pharmaceutical manufacturing, your work directly addresses the sector’s significant environmental footprint. By optimizing utility systems and implementing circular economy principles at this major facility, you enable the production of life-saving therapies while drastically lowering their ecological cost. It is a rare chance to apply deep engineering expertise to high-stakes ESG commitments.

This suits someone who possesses a strong engineering background and the commercial acumen to build compelling business cases for green investments. You should thrive in a complex, site-based production environment where technical precision and cross-functional influence are equally vital for success.

FAQ de l’offre

What are the main missions and responsibilities of this role?

The primary mission is to provide strategic and technical leadership for sustainability at the Vacaville site. You will be responsible for developing a comprehensive roadmap that addresses greenhouse gas emissions, energy optimization, water consumption, and waste generation. You will oversee the collection and analysis of sustainability data, ensuring site-level metrics align with GRI, SBTi, and SDG frameworks. Beyond data, you will manage a portfolio of capital projects, performing technical evaluations and investment recommendations to drive site-level decarbonization.

Key learning opportunities for this job

Candidates will gain deep exposure to industrial-scale decarbonization within the highly regulated biopharmaceutical sector. You will learn to navigate the complexities of utility electrification and energy systems optimization at a large manufacturing facility. Additionally, the role provides a unique bridge between technical engineering and global ESG strategy. You will likely enhance your expertise in international reporting standards and learn how to align site-level operational excellence with global corporate responsibility targets.

How does the ideal candidate look like (experience, skills)?

The ideal candidate holds a degree in Chemical, Environmental, or Mechanical Engineering and brings significant experience in industrial sustainability. You must have a proven track record of managing complex project portfolios and quantifying the ROI of environmental initiatives. Beyond technical depth, Lonza looks for someone with strong business acumen. You should be comfortable influencing senior leadership and translating technical engineering data into strategic insights that resonate with finance, operations, and EHS stakeholders.

Advice to stand out and make a successful application

Focus your application on specific examples where you quantified environmental impact and successfully influenced a business decision. Highlight your experience with capital planning and how you have previously balanced technical feasibility with financial return in a manufacturing context. Since this is a fully site-based role in a high-quality standards environment, demonstrate your understanding of how sustainability integrates with operational safety and manufacturing reliability. Lonza values 'Excellence' and 'Accountability,' so show how your previous roadmaps delivered measurable, auditable results.

What aspects of the company's sustainability is this role likely to focus on?

The role focuses heavily on Scope 1 and 2 emissions reduction through energy optimization and low-carbon technology implementation. Given the nature of biopharma, water stewardship and waste circularity are also high-priority pillars for this site. You will also bridge the gap between operational engineering and corporate ESG governance. This means ensuring that local utility improvements contribute directly to Lonza’s global commitment to Science Based Targets (SBTi) and long-term net-zero goals.

What are the main challenges someone in this role might face?

A primary challenge will be balancing sustainability goals with the rigorous quality and safety requirements of pharmaceutical manufacturing. Changes to utility systems or processes must not compromise the integrity of the medicines produced. You may also face the challenge of competing capital priorities. Navigating the business case for sustainability projects requires persistence and the ability to articulate long-term value in a fast-paced, production-focused environment.

How could a typical day look like for someone in this position?

A typical day might involve analyzing energy dashboards to identify efficiency gaps, followed by a meeting with the Facilities team to review progress on a water reduction project. You would spend time preparing technical evaluations for new electrification technologies or low-carbon equipment. Collaboration is constant; you might spend the afternoon consulting with site leadership on decarbonization progress or joining a global ESG network call to share best practices with counterparts at other Lonza facilities worldwide.

What are the opportunities for professional growth and development in this role?

As a senior role within a global leader, there are clear paths toward regional or global sustainability leadership roles. Success at a major site like Vacaville provides high visibility within the organization’s global EHS and Sustainability functions. You could also pivot into strategic operational excellence or corporate ESG governance, leveraging your site-based technical experience to shape how Lonza approaches environmental engineering across its entire portfolio of thirty-plus global sites.

The main stakeholders you might be interacting with

Internal stakeholders include Site Leadership, Engineering, and Facilities teams who are essential for project implementation. You will also collaborate closely with EHS and Finance to ensure compliance and project funding. Externally and globally, you will interface with Corporate Sustainability and Global ESG networks. You may also interact with technology vendors and consultants specializing in renewable energy and carbon reduction solutions.

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