Operations Associate Formulation and Material Preparation (m/w/d)

At Lilly, the work is demanding because patients are waiting. We unite caring with discovery to help make life better for people around the world, knowing that every decision, every detail, and every day matters. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, our over 50,000 employees around the globe take on complex challenges to discover and deliver life-changing medicines, strengthen how health is understood and managed, and support the communities we serve. This is hard, urgent, selfless work—but it’s work worth doing. If you’re driven by purpose and ready to bring your best to work that truly matters for patients, we invite you to join us.  At Lilly in Germany, we are currently planning and building a high‑tech manufacturing facility in Alzey (Rhineland‑Palatinate). Starting in 2027, this site will expand our production of injectable medicines and employ up to 1,000 skilled professionals. To fully realize the potential of this innovative manufacturing site, we are looking for motivated colleagues who want to work with us as equals and, guided by Lilly’s three values of Excellence , Integrity , and Respect for People , help ensure the supply of Lilly medicines to patients in Germany, Europe, and worldwide. Join our Lilly team in Alzey and start at the earliest possible date as: Operations Associate –  Formulation and Material Preparation (m/w/d) What responsibilities can you expect? During the project phase, you will play a key role as an Operations Associate (OA) in the commissioning, qualification, and validation of parenteral operations, specifically in compounding and material preparation. You will not only support activities but also lead operational readiness programs such as material definition and procurement, operational readiness, training programs, process excellence, continuous improvement, and capacity planning. In this role, you will act as the technical subject matter expert for your area and will be actively involved in personnel training and in supporting the hiring phase. After site start‑up, you will be responsible for day‑to‑day performance management and for supporting the process team. You will ensure cross‑functional collaboration between Operations, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and Maintenance to achieve key performance indicators and business results. You will support the area leadership team and ensure high standards of safety, quality, and productivity to guarantee reliable patient supply. You will lead and facilitate deviation investigations and corrective actions as the lead investigator with a cross‑functional team. You will present operational investigations and procedures to regulatory authorities and act as a subject matter expert (SME) during inspections, tours, and discussions. You will lead site operational readiness activities and programs. You will define and procure consumables and supplies. You will develop training materials and create GMP documentation. You will manage personnel, material, and product flows at the site. You will develop and track solutions to improve or meet key performance indicators (KPIs) for the area, with a strong focus on continuous improvement initiatives. What makes you a good fit? You hold a bachelor’s degree in a technical or pharmaceutical‑related field. You have at least one year of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, preferably in compounding and material preparation. You have an understanding of the basic requirements of regulatory authorities such as the FDA, EMA, or comparable organizations. You work independently and proactively and are able to overcome ambiguity in a dynamic environment to drive solutions. You possess strong organizational and project management skills. Your excellent interpersonal skills enable you to work effectively within teams and with internal customers. You have technical writing skills and experience in creating standard operating procedures, work instructions, and training