Engineer III, Reliability (Maintenance Reliability)

As an Engineer III, Reliability at Biogen, you'll focus on enhancing the reliability of critical equipment. This includes conducting thorough analyses of manufacturing and utilities process equipment, supporting asset criticality assessments, and developing FMEAs. You'll also work alongside planners to ensure the reliability strategies are implemented effectively, identify opportunities for performance enhancements, and lead root cause failure analyses. It's a role that requires collaboration with multiple teams, ensuring that reliability is prioritized across the site.

To qualify for the Engineer III, Reliability position at Biogen, you must hold a bachelor’s degree in mechanical, electrical, or industrial engineering or a related field. Additionally, having 2 to 4 years of experience in maintenance reliability, ideally in a pharmaceutical, biotech, or other GMP-related facilities, is essential. Familiarity with reliability tools and strong communication skills will help you thrive in this role.

In your role as an Engineer III, Reliability at Biogen, you will utilize various reliability tools and methodologies, including Failure Mode and Effects Criticality Analysis (FMECA), reliability modeling and prediction, and root cause failure analysis. These methodologies will guide your efforts to proactively identify failures and implement strategies that align with best practices in maintenance and reliability within a GMP environment.

Biogen fosters continuous improvement in the reliability engineering role by enabling you to leverage key performance indicators (KPIs) associated with maintenance and reliability. You'll have the autonomy to identify enhancement opportunities and actively support projects aimed at optimizing equipment performance. Regular cross-functional collaboration helps ensure that product reliability thrives at all stages of the Asset Lifecycle.

At Biogen, the work culture is characterized by collaboration, innovation, and a commitment to excellence. As an Engineer III, Reliability, you'll be part of a global team that values diverse perspectives and works together toward meaningful goals. The environment promotes personal contributions and supports each member's professional growth, ensuring everyone plays a vital role in delivering life-changing medicines.

When conducting a Root Cause Failure Analysis, I would first gather all relevant data regarding the equipment failure, including performance logs, maintenance records, and operational conditions. I would then employ tools like the 5 Whys or Fishbone diagrams to systematically identify the underlying root causes. Finally, I would document my findings and recommend corrective actions to prevent recurrence, ensuring the solutions are aligned with the reliability strategies set forth in my role at Biogen.

I am familiar with various reliability engineering tools, including Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA), Root Cause Analysis (RCA), and Reliability Block Diagrams. My experience with software like Mini-Tab and JMP allows me to perform statistical analyses to support these methodologies effectively. I believe that combining the right tools with diligent analysis can significantly improve equipment performance and reliability.

In a reliability engineering role, I prioritize tasks by assessing both the impact and urgency of each issue. I would use asset criticality assessments to determine which equipment failures pose the greatest risk to safety and production. By focusing on high-impact areas first, I can work strategically to mitigate risks and sustain overall equipment reliability.

In my previous role, I had the opportunity to develop Failure Mode, Effects, and Criticality Analyses (FMECA) for key production equipment. I collaborated with cross-functional teams to identify potential failure modes, assess their effects on operations, and prioritize them based on risk. This exercise not only improved our maintenance strategies but also helped foster a proactive culture around reliability and risk management.

Essential metrics for measuring reliability include Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF), Mean Time to Repair (MTTR), and Availability rates. Tracking these metrics can help identify trends in equipment performance and guide decision-making processes to improve reliability and maintenance practices continuously.

I approach collaboration with cross-functional teams by fostering an open dialogue and ensuring that all stakeholders are aligned on our reliability goals. I'm a firm believer in regular communication and updates, which not only keeps everyone informed but also promotes collective problem-solving. This collaborative spirit is essential for implementing effective reliability strategies.

I stay current with reliability engineering trends by following industry publications, attending relevant workshops and webinars, and participating in professional organizations. Networking with other reliability professionals also allows me to exchange insights and best practices that I can apply to my work, ensuring that I actively contribute to the innovative environment at Biogen.

One significant reliability improvement project I led involved overhauling a critical production line that was frequently failing. By conducting a thorough reliability analysis, my team identified key failure modes and implemented a tailored maintenance strategy that significantly reduced downtime by 30%. This project not only improved equipment reliability but also enhanced overall productivity.

Documentation plays a vital role in reliability engineering as it captures the lifecycle of maintenance activities, analyses, and corrective actions taken. It helps maintain a historical record that can be referenced for future projects, supports compliance with industry regulations, and aids in training new team members, ensuring that knowledge is preserved and can be built upon over time.

If I identified a critical failure risk during operations, I would immediately communicate my findings to all relevant stakeholders to initiate a timely risk assessment. Collaboratively, we would evaluate the impact and prioritize any necessary corrective actions, ensuring that appropriate measures are taken to mitigate the risk. Maintaining safety and production standards would be my top priority.