Senior Engineer; Controls System Engineer

Description

Senior Controls Systems Engineer needed for the team in Maidstone, Kent. The role requires leading and contributing to the design, delivery, compliance, and lifecycle management of GMP‑compliant control systems. As technical lead, you will address process control issues arising from PLC, environmental monitoring systems, SCADA, and HMI systems, and you will lead factory acceptance testing (FAT) and site acceptance testing (SAT).

Qualifications include prior experience in a GMP environment with strong validation and data integrity knowledge, advanced PLC/SCADA expertise (Allen Bradley and/or Siemens), the ability to manage multiple projects in a fast‑paced environment, and the ability to read piping and instrumentation diagram (P&) drawings/specifications.

• Define and approve system architectures and standards
• Lead PLC/SCADA development and configuration activities
• Review and approve software design and implementation
• Ensure robust alarm management, interlocks, and fail‑safe design
• Define validation approach in collaboration with QA/Validation
• Ensure systems meet regulatory requirements and validation standards
• GMP Compliance & Data Integrity Ownership
• Ensure systems remain in a validated state
• Lead audit readiness and interface with regulators/vendors
• Lead Engineering Change Control for automation systems
• Perform impact assessments for complex system changes
• Ensure lifecycle management of automation assets
• Provide technical guidance to engineers and technicians
• Support development of site automation capability
• Act as SME for control systems across the site
• Lead automation work streams in capital projects
• Manage system integrators and vendors
• Interface with senior stakeholders across Engineering, QA, and Operations
• Define and drive automation improvement initiatives
• Support site digitalisation and integration strategies (EMS, historians, etc.)
• Improve system performance, reliability, and compliance
• Lead or participate in safety reviews, Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEAs), HAZOPS, or similar
• Maintain records for regulatory purposes to current legislation, including Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) where required
• Support vendor cost negotiations/ challenge cost increases/ scope
• Ensure the maintenance team are educated on new equipment and involved to ensure successful handover of projects
• Facilitate continuous improvement workshops involving cross sectional teams
• Support regulatory and customer audits

Allington Maidstone, ME160Q, G

Competitive compensation and benefits package.

As an equal opportunity employer, SEKISUI Diagnostics is committed to a diverse workforce. Employment decisions will be made without discrimination based on race, colour, religion, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, genetic information or characteristic, gender identity and expression, veteran status, other non‑job related characteristics or other prohibited grounds specified in applicable country and local laws. It is also SEKISUI Diagnostics policy to comply with all applicable country and local laws respecting consideration of unemployment status in making hiring decisions.