Ingenieur automatisering

Ajinomoto Omnichem NV; Wetteren; On-site; EUR 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Ajinomoto Omnichem NV is seeking an Automation Engineer to lead a team in a highly automated pharmaceutical production environment in Wetteren, Belgium. The role focuses on reliability, safety and performance of automation infrastructure, with responsibility for maintenance and continuous improvement projects.

The candidate will coordinate maintenance, drive optimization initiatives and coach staff, ensuring GMP compliance and safe operations while collaborating across departments and suppliers.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Engineering or equivalent experience.
• Proven experience in Automation and Instrumentation, preferably GMP-regulated.
• Strong leadership and coaching skills with excellent communication in Dutch and English.
• Ability to perform under pressure and manage competing priorities.
• Solid knowledge of automation systems, PLCs and DCS platforms.
• Strong IT affinity and understanding of industrial networks and infrastructure.

Responsibilities

• Plan and coordinate preventive and curative maintenance activities.
• Coordinate maintenance with mechanical, instrument & electrical colleagues.
• Write validation documents, procedures, and SOPs; review them.
• Facilitate ICT infrastructure, negotiate with suppliers and contractors.
• Lead and coach the team to meet production goals and safety standards.

Skills

Leadership

Coaching

Communication Dutch & English

Automation & Instrumentation

GMP experience

PLCs & DCS

Industrial networks

IT affinity

Education

Master's degree in Engineering

Tools

SAP

GAMP

Job description

Make an impact in a highly automated pharmaceutical production environment

Are you passionate about automation, maintenance and people leadership? Do you enjoy combining technical expertise with coaching and continuous improvement? Then this could be the opportunity you're looking for.

As Automation Engineer, you play a key role in ensuring the reliability, safety and performance of our automation infrastructure. You lead a team of specialists, coordinate critical maintenance activities and drive improvement projects that directly contribute to the success of our pharmaceutical operations.

You will work in a technically challenging environment where innovation, teamwork and operational excellence go hand in hand.

Your responsibilities

Plan and Coordinate the preventative and curative maintenance activities

• Maintaining a general overview of automation, decide about the priority of maintenance requests, immediate troubleshooting, when necessary
• Brief the supervisors and technicians about critical activities
• Follow up that all activities are carried out according the GMP and safety rules
• Follow up the (curative) interventions and communicate progress to the responsables in production. Organize planning meetings with departments on regular basis to discuss outstanding works.

Coordinate maintenance activities where necessary, with mechanical, instrument & electrical colleagues

• Write validation documents, procedures, SOP’s and review them
• Preparing and follow-up of shut downs
• Set up and participate in CI projects concerning proces automation to optimize production yields and operating comfort, Investigate new technologies and innovation projects
• Analyse the requirements for new investments, replacements or installation upgrades
• Make up the user requirements document in order to ask supplier offers

Facilitate ICT infrastructure

• Provide network cabling (fiber), access control of the plant, maintain server locations
• Contact and negotiate with suppliers and contractors, coordinate & Follow up of contractor activities, in specific automation consultants
• Remain informed about state-of-the-art technologies by information exchange with suppliers and contractors, evaluate and negotiate offers and select the supplier based on the technical requirements

People and performance: direct and coach the N+1's in order to meet the goals

• Ensure good comprehension of the individual and team goals and the current procedures to be followed
• Follow up and discuss the individual performance and behaviour, Identify training needs and provide the necessary on the floor training and coaching
• Inspire, motivate and remove resources obstacles, build a team climate of trust and accountability
• Be back up for the electrical maintenance manager and availiable for interventions on site in case of production technical issues related to automation

Who are you?

You are a hands-on leader who enjoys working in a complex technical environment and knows how to motivate people while keeping the bigger picture in mind.

We are looking for:

• A Master's degree in Engineering, or equivalent through experience
• Proven experience in Automation and Instrumentation, preferably within a GMP-regulated environment
• Strong leadership and coaching skills, Excellent communication skills in Dutch AND English
• The ability to perform under pressure and effectively manage competing priorities
• Solid knowledge of automation systems, PLCs and DCS platforms
• Strong IT affinity and understanding of industrial networks and infrastructure

Nice to have

• Experience within the pharmaceutical, chemical or process industry
• Knowledge of GAMP and SAP
• Experience with Lean, Six Sigma or other Operational Excellence methodologies

What can you expect?

• A technically challenging leadership role with real impact on production performance
• The opportunity to work in a highly automated pharmaceutical environment
• A combination of people management, technology and continuous improvement
• Exposure to innovative projects and state-of-the-art automation systems
• An engaged team and an organization that values expertise, ownership and collaboration