Senior Automation Engineer - Remote

Location: Remote with travel to client manufacturing facilities as required (up to 50%).

A growing engineering and consulting organisation supporting pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and advanced therapy manufacturers is seeking a Senior Automation Engineer to join its digital and automation team.

This position is ideal for an experienced automation professional who enjoys leading complex technical initiatives, developing automation strategies, and delivering innovative solutions within regulated manufacturing environments.

You will work with cross-functional teams throughout the project lifecycle, from concept design and system architecture through implementation, commissioning, validation, and operational support.

As a Senior Automation Engineer, you will act as a technical subject matter expert responsible for designing, implementing, and supporting complex automation systems used in pharmaceutical and biotechnology production environments.

You will provide technical leadership, guide project execution, mentor junior engineers, and help clients optimise manufacturing performance through modern automation technologies

• Develop automation architectures for manufacturing facilities, including:
• Distributed Control Systems (DCS)
• PLC/SCADA Platforms
• Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)
• Data Historians
• Field Instrumentation
• Create system architecture diagrams aligned with ISA-88 and ISA-95 principles.
• Define network structures, interface requirements, data flows, and integration strategies.
• Ensure solutions support scalability, cybersecurity, operational flexibility, and data integrity.

Lead or contribute to the development and review of:

• User Requirement Specifications (URS)
• Functional Requirement Specifications (FRS)
• Design Specifications (DS/DDS)
• Functional and Control Narratives
• Batch Recipe Documentation
• Automation Standards and Engineering Guidelines

Work closely with process and manufacturing teams to translate operational requirements into practical automation solutions.

• Configure, program, test, and deploy automation systems.
• Develop and support:
• Control Modules
• Equipment Modules
• Batch Logic
• Recipes
• HMI Graphics
• Alarm Strategies
• Support integration of process and facility equipment, including production skids, utilities, HVAC systems, and support infrastructure.
• Participate in system upgrades, migrations, and modernisation initiatives.

• Lead and support FAT, SAT, IQ, OQ, and PQ activities.
• Ensure solutions comply with GMP requirements, data integrity principles, and industry best practices.
• Participate in risk assessments, deviation investigations, CAPA activities, and change management processes.
• Support audit readiness and regulatory inspections.

• Act as the technical escalation point for automation-related issues.
• Lead troubleshooting and root cause investigations.
• Optimise system performance, reliability, alarm management, and batch execution.
• Develop long-term lifecycle strategies for automation platforms and infrastructure.

• Collaborate with engineering, manufacturing, quality, validation, and IT/OT teams.
• Manage relationships with system integrators, software vendors, and equipment suppliers.
• Review technical deliverables and ensure alignment with project requirements and engineering standards.
• Mentor and support junior engineers.
• Provide technical leadership across project teams and client engagements.

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Automation, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Life Sciences, or a…