Factory Automation Staff Engineer

A day in the Life

• Partner with site Operations and process owners to select lighthouse projects, define requirements, acceptance criteria, quantify expected benefits, project cost, deployment time, and lifecycle support needs.
• Personally design and build automation prototypes for labeling, pick-and-place, assembly, vision inspection, liquid handling, and material handling.
• Develop mechanisms, fixtures, component selections, and electrical/control designs appropriate to each application.
• Program, integrate, and debug PLCs, HMIs, robots, motion systems, sensors, and machine vision.
• Assemble and test equipment, troubleshoot physical and controls issues, and prove performance with production materials and operators.
• Own system integration while selecting internal build, reuse, purchased equipment, or outsourced subassemblies based on complexity, economics, risk, and supportability.
• Direct suppliers and OEMs where specialized expertise is needed.
• Lead cross-functional design reviews at key project stages, including concept, detailed design, and pre-release.
• Document decisions and actions, and resolve design risks related to safety, quality, maintainability, and performance before equipment build or release.
• Plan and lead equipment installation and site acceptance testing (SAT), commissioning, production ramp-up, and operator training.
• Coordinate site resources and manage schedule, cost, and open issues through handover to production.
• Partner with Quality to assess equipment risks and define risk-based validation and qualification activities.
• Develop or contribute to protocols and documentation, including IQ/OQ where applicable, in alignment with the site validation master plan and established Quality approval processes.
• Partner with the Digital Automation Engineers and Group IT to define equipment interfaces, reliable production data, and secure connectivity to manufacturing applications within approved architecture and cybersecurity requirements.
• Create reusable machine designs, controls libraries, component standards, and deployment playbooks.
• Collaborate with engineering teams world-wide on proven designs, co-development, sourcing, and knowledge transfer that enables local ownership.
• Establish sustainable handover through drawings, source code, bills of materials, spares, maintenance procedures, training, and a clear support model.
• Measure production results against agreed baselines, improve reliability, cycle time, and share demonstrated wins across LSG.
• Mentor site engineers and apply approved AI tools to accelerate engineering with technical review and testing.

Keys to Success

Education: Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Mechatronics, Industrial, or Systems Engineering, or equivalent qualified experience.

Experience: 7+ years in manufacturing automation, with hands-on equipment design, build, controls programming, and integration through commissioning and sustained production. Experience with a system integrator, OEM, or equipment-development team is preferred, particularly developing equipment for life sciences, biotechnology, or medical-device manufacturing. Experience supporting multiple sites is also preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• Practical expertise in mechanical systems, electrical controls, and equipment integration, with factory-floor troubleshooting using drawings, code, and diagnostic tools.
• Knowledge of machine safety, maintainability, design reviews, root-cause analysis, and risk-based equipment qualification.
• Sound build vs buy judgment, supplier technical leadership, and communication with operators, engineering, Quality, and IT; ability to support global on-site builds and deployments.
• Hands-on experience with CAD, fixtures, prototyping, component selection, and mechanical/electrical documentation.
• PLC/HMI programming, industrial robots, servo motion, and industrial networks; platforms such as Rockwell, Beckhoff or Siemens.
• Machine vision, sensors, pneumatics, and application-specific equipment such as labeling or liquid handling systems.
• Equipment acceptance testing, commissioning, fault recovery, and data interfaces such as OPC UA or MQTT.
• SCADA systems and manufacturing historians, including configuring equipment connectivity, process monitoring, data collection, and troubleshooting; familiarity with platforms such as Ignition is preferred.