Automation Engineer

Description Overview

The Automation Engineer is responsible for maintaining, troubleshooting, improving, and expanding automation systems that support manufacturing, packaging, facilities, and utility operations at the Perrigo Bronx site. This role serves as the site's technical expert for PLCs, HMIs, SCADA systems, industrial networks, Building Management Systems (BMS), serialization systems, and automated manufacturing equipment.

The Automation Engineer partners closely with Operations, Engineering, Maintenance, Quality, Validation, and IT to improve equipment reliability, reduce downtime, enhance data visibility, and ensure compliance with FDA and cGMP requirements. This role is also expected to be a key site resource for automation capital planning, operational technology, and digital transformation initiatives.

The base salary range for this role is $130,000- $150,000

Scope of the Role

Leadership

• Directly supervise and develop Automation team.
• Establish priorities and allocate automation resources to support production and site objectives.
• Provide coaching, mentoring, training, and performance management for automation personnel.
• Develop technical competency and succession plans for automation team members.
• Manage automation contractors, system integrators, and external service providers.
• Establish and enforce site automation standards and best practices.

System Ownership

• Serve as the site owner for manufacturing and packaging automation systems.
• Support PLC, HMI, SCADA, BMS, vision, serialization, aggregation, and data collection systems.
• Develop and maintain automation standards across the site.
• Maintain backups, disaster recovery plans, and lifecycle management of automation systems.
• Ensure automation systems remain compliant with cGMP, FDA, and data integrity requirements.

Troubleshooting & Reliability

• Provide technical support for automation-related downtime events.
• Lead root cause investigations involving controls, instrumentation, and network-related failures.
• Develop corrective and preventive actions to prevent recurrence.
• Work with Operations and Maintenance to improve equipment reliability and OEE.
• Identify recurring failures and implement long-term solutions.

Projects & Continuous Improvement

• Lead and support the Automation portion of the site capital plan, including scope development, budget input, prioritization, and execution support.

• Support equipment upgrades, new product launches, and process improvements.
• Develop modernization roadmaps for obsolete PLCs, HMIs, drives, and control systems.
• Identify opportunities for automation enhancements that improve efficiency, quality, safety, and reliability.
• Support implementation of predictive monitoring and condition-based technologies.

• Support digital transformation initiatives such as RedZone, electronic batch records/cards, POMS, MES, data collection tools, and other manufacturing technology platforms.
• Identify and develop automation and digital improvement opportunities that improve efficiency, quality, compliance, data visibility, and equipment reliability.

Infrastructure & Networking

• Maintain industrial control networks and communications infrastructure.
• Support managed switches, Ethernet/IP, Modbus, serial communications, and wireless automation devices.
• Partner with Corporate IT on cybersecurity and network architecture initiatives.
• Troubleshoot connectivity between automation systems and enterprise systems.

• Serve as the site point of support for operational technology systems, including equipment connectivity, automation network infrastructure, data interfaces, and manufacturing system integrations.
• Partner with Corporate IT on OT cybersecurity, network architecture, system access, hardware lifecycle, and technology standards.

Validation & Compliance

• Participate in change control activities.
• Author or review automation-related validation documentation.
• Support IQ/OQ/PQ activities as needed.
• Ensure systems comply with FDA, cGMP, and data integrity expectations.
• Support audit and regulatory inspections.

Experience Required

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Automation Engineering, Controls Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related technical discipline.
• 7-10 years of automation, controls, or manufacturing systems experience.
• Previous supervisory, team lead, or people management experience.
• Strong experience with Allen-Bradley/Rockwell PLCs, HMIs, industrial networks, and automated manufacturing systems.
• Experience leading troubleshooting and reliability improvement efforts.
• Experience working within an FDA-regulated or cGMP manufacturing environment.
• Strong communication, leadership, and project management skills.

Preferred:

• Pharmaceutical or cGMP manufacturing experience.
• Experience with serialization and vision inspection systems.
• Experience with Building Management Systems (BMS).
• Experience with utility systems including Purified Water Systems, HVAC, Compressed Air Systems, Chilled Water Systems
• Knowledge of ISA-88, ISA-95, and GAMP principles.
• Experience with OSI PI, Historian, MES, or other manufacturing data systems.
• Experience supporting RedZone, POMS, electronic batch records/cards, MES, OT systems, or other digital manufacturing platforms.
• Familiarity with AutoCAD and control panel design.
• Experience leading automation projects and contractors.