Automation Engineer

CSL Limited; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

CSL Behring, based in Melbourne, seeks an Automation Engineer to drive the implementation and ongoing optimization of MES, PCS/DCS and PLC platforms. You will own process recipes, configurations, and lifecycle documentation within a validated manufacturing environment, aligning with global standards and regulatory requirements.

You will lead cross‑functional teams across design, commissioning, and operations, providing technical leadership and on‑call support to maximize efficiency, performance,

Qualifications

• Degree in Engineering or related field and relevant pharma automation experience.
• Experience with process automation and manufacturing execution systems.
• Familiarity with ISA-88/ISA-95 standards and validated environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate MES/PCS/DCS and PLC recipe design and project delivery.
• Ensure automation solutions meet regulatory requirements and quality standards.
• Design, configure, integrate, and maintain Execution Systems according to ISA-88/ISA-95.
• Develop lifecycle docs, validation strategies, and test protocols with Quality/CSV.
• Provide technical leadership and troubleshooting for system incidents and CAPAs.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Facilities, and EHS&S teams.
• Support project execution from design through start-up and ongoing operations.
• Offer interim project management support to ensure on-time, compliant delivery.

Skills

Process automation

Regulatory compliance

Technical leadership

Troubleshooting

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

MES

PCS/DCS

PLC

Job description

The Automation Engineer is responsible for the implementation, maintenance, support, and continuous improvement of manufacturing automation systems, including MES, PCS/DCS, and PLC platforms. This role owns process recipes and system configurations within the assigned manufacturing value stream, ensuring alignment with global standards, regulatory requirements, and manufacturing execution strategies while supporting both new and legacy systems.

As a technical subject matter expert, the Automation Engineer provides leadership and support across the lifecycle of capital and operational projects, including design, commissioning, validation, and ongoing operations. The role collaborates with cross-functional teams to deliver reliable and compliant automation solutions, drive process improvements, resolve system incidents, and provide on-call operational support to maximize manufacturing efficiency, system performance, and facility uptime.

The Opportunity

The Automation Engineer is responsible for the implementation, maintenance, support, and continuous improvement of manufacturing automation systems, including MES, PCS/DCS, and PLC platforms. This role owns process recipes and system configurations within the assigned manufacturing value stream, ensuring alignment with global standards, regulatory requirements, and manufacturing execution strategies while supporting both new and legacy systems.

As a technical subject matter expert, the Automation Engineer provides leadership and support across the lifecycle of capital and operational projects, including design, commissioning, validation, and ongoing operations. The role collaborates with cross-functional teams to deliver reliable and compliant automation solutions, drive process improvements, resolve system incidents, and provide on-call operational support to maximize manufacturing efficiency, system performance, and facility uptime.

The Role

• Lead and coordinate Execution System (MES, PCS/DCS, PLC) recipe design, implementation, and project deliverables, ensuring compliance with established standards, libraries, and project milestones.
• Ensure process recipes and automation solutions meet Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, and regulatory requirements while supporting operational excellence across the value stream.
• Design, configure, integrate, and maintain Execution Systems in accordance with ISA-88/ISA-95 standards, covering requirements definition, detailed design, software development, testing, and qualification activities.
• Develop, review, and maintain system lifecycle documentation, validation strategies, test protocols, and qualification deliverables in partnership with Quality and CSV stakeholders.
• Provide technical leadership and troubleshooting support for system investigations, CAPAs, change controls, and continuous improvement initiatives related to manufacturing processes and equipment.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams, including Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Facilities, EHS&S, and project stakeholders, to ensure coordinated execution and successful project delivery.
• Support project execution through design, commissioning, qualification, validation, start-up, and ongoing operational support, while balancing priorities across multiple automation initiatives.
• Act as a technical subject matter expert and, when required, provide interim project management support to ensure projects are delivered safely, compliantly, on schedule, and within budget.

To be successful

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Management Information Systems, or a related Science discipline; Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum 2 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical industry, with hands‑on experience in Manufacturing, Engineering, Automation, or Execution Systems support.
• Demonstrated experience with process automation, MES, and batch manufacturing systems, including ISA-88 and ISA-95 standards.
• Proven capability in the design, implementation, deployment, and support of automation and execution systems within a regulated manufacturing environment.
• Experience with globally distributed manufacturing operations and Process Excellence methodologies is desirable.

About CSL Behring

CSL Behring is a global biotherapeutics leader driven by our promise to save lives. Focused on serving patients’ needs by using the latest technologies, we discover, develop and deliver innovative therapies for people living with conditions in the immunology, hematology, cardiovascular and metabolic, respiratory, and transplant therapeutic areas. We use three strategic scientific platforms of plasma fractionation, recombinant protein technology, and cell and gene therapy to support continued innovation and continually refine ways in which products can address unmet medical needs and help patients lead full lives.

CSL Behring operates one of the world’s largest plasma collection networks, CSL Plasma. Our parent company, CSL, headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, employs 32,000 people, and delivers its lifesaving therapies to people in more than 100 countries.

To learn more about CSL, CSL Behring, CSL Seqirus and CSL Vifor visit https://www.csl.com/ and CSL Plasma at https://www.cslplasma.com/.

Our Benefits

For more information on CSL benefits visit How CSL Supports Your Well-being | CSL.

You Belong at CSL

At CSL, Inclusion and Belonging is at the core of our mission and who we are. It fuels our innovation day in and day out. By celebrating our differences and creating a culture of curiosity and empathy, we are able to better understand and connect with our patients and donors, foster strong relationships with our stakeholders, and sustain a diverse workforce that will move our company and industry into the future.

To learn more about inclusion and belonging visit https://www.csl.com/careers/inclusion-and-belonging

Equal Opportunity Employer

CSL is an Equal Opportunity Employer. If you are an individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please visit https://www.csl.com/accessibility-statement.