Location: Blanchardstown, Co. Dublin

Duration: Permanent

Hours: 39 hours/week

This position will be based on a biopharmaceutical site on behalf of our client, a multinational and multicultural company which provides great career progression opportunities to the right person.

Overview of the role:

The (Black) Utilities Lead is responsible for the reliable operation, maintenance, and continuous improvement of all black utility systems supporting pharmaceutical manufacturing operations.

The role ensures uninterrupted supply of critical utilities while maintaining full compliance with cGMP requirements, regulatory standards and Site Quality Systems.

This position acts as the technical link between:

• Site Management
• Utilities Shift Teams
• Engineering & Maintenance
• External Vendors

The (Black) Utilities Lead also provides subject matter expertise in utility performance, troubleshooting, and lifecycle reliability. This role is critical in ensuring manufacturing continuity, product quality protection, regulatory compliance and ssset reliability.

Failure of black utilities can directly impact pharmaceutical production, making this a key GMP-supporting position.

Main Tasks

Utilities Operations

• Ensure continuous operation of black utility systems including:

Steam, Condensate, Chilled Water, Cooling Water, Compressed Air, HVAC support systems.

• Monitor system performance and escalate risks to supply continuity.
• Act as technical lead for troubleshooting and fault resolution.
• Support commissioning and project activities when required.

Maintenance & Reliability

• Lead reactive maintenance to minimise production impact.
• Support development and optimisation of preventive maintenance programs.
• Ensure equipment is maintained in accordance with cGMP, site procedures and engineering best practice.
• Identify critical spare parts and maintain appropriate MRO levels.

Team Leadership

• Direct daily activities of Utilities Technicians.
• Coordinate work with: Site Manager, Utilities Coordinator, Clean Utilities Lead.
• Chair shift pass-down meetings.
• Drive closure of operational actions.

Continuous Improvement

• Apply continuous improvement methodologies to enhance system reliability, improve energy efficiency, reduce downtime risk.
• Collaborate with Engineering to introduce innovative solutions.

Compliance

• Ensure all utility work aligns with cGMP, change control, maintenance procedures.
• Complete training in line with site training plans.
• Support audit readiness and inspection compliance.

Stakeholder Coordination

• Act as primary contact for all black utilities-related work.
• Coordinate vendor support activities.
• Attend weekly utilities planning meetings.

Other duties include but not limited to; 

• Support site projects.
• Assist commissioning activities.
• Provide cross-functional technical support when required.

Qualifications and skills:

• Recognised Trade Certificate in one of the following: Mechanical Trade (Fitter / Pipefitter / Millwright) / Electrical Trade / Instrumentation Trade / Refrigeration / HVAC Trade (Essential).
• Experience working in: Pharmaceutical / Biopharma / Regulated Manufacturing Environment (Desirable).
• Strong technical knowledge of industrial utility systems.
• Ability to interpret P&IDs and system schematics.
• Root cause analysis capability.
• Leadership and decision-making skills.
• cGMP awareness.
• Risk-based maintenance approach.