Automation Engineer / Senior Automation Engineer – Pharmaceutical Projects

Optimus Life Sciences; Basel; Hybrid; CHF 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Optimus Life Sciences in Basel-Stadt seeks Automation Engineers to join a Swiss engineering consultancy supporting major pharmaceutical manufacturers. The role covers the full lifecycle from feasibility to execution, handling equipment such as filling lines and laboratory systems, with a focus on systems integration and project delivery.

Senior candidates with 10+ years of experience can manage complex interfaces and independent integration activities.

Qualifications

• Background in Automation Engineering or Control Systems Engineering.
• Experience with industrial automation systems and relevant platforms.
• Ability to interpret technical specifications and work with suppliers.

Responsibilities

• Support automation activities across project lifecycle from feasibility to execution.
• Act as the technical interface between customers, equipment manufacturers and teams.
• Review URS, risk assessments and test specifications.
• Evaluate supplier designs against requirements and identify gaps.
• Integrate automation systems into existing plant infrastructure.
• Review architecture, networks, interfaces and access controls.
• Support GMP documentation, qualification and deliverables.
• Work with Siemens, DeltaV, SCADA/ DCS, OPC, SQL and historian systems.

Skills

Automation engineering

Industrial automation

System integration

Multidisciplinary teamwork

German language

Education

Automation/Control Systems Engineering degree

Tools

Siemens

DeltaV

SCADA

OPC

SQL

Historian systems

Job description

Contract: Permanent

Start: Flexible

Work Pattern: Hybrid / Client Site

The Opportunity

We are working with an established Swiss engineering consultancy looking to expand its Automation Engineering team, supporting major pharmaceutical manufacturers across Switzerland.

We are recruiting at both Automation Engineer and Senior Automation Engineer levels, offering the opportunity to work across the full project lifecycle, from feasibility and design through to execution and systems integration.

You'll work with a wide range of automated manufacturing equipment, including filling lines, isolators, laboratory systems and associated process equipment.

Key Responsibilities

• Support automation engineering activities across feasibility, basic design, detailed design and project execution.
• Act as the technical interface between pharmaceutical customers, equipment manufacturers and engineering teams.
• Review and develop User Requirement Specifications (URS), functional risk assessments and test specifications.
• Evaluate supplier automation designs against customer requirements and identify technical gaps.
• Support the integration of equipment automation systems into existing plant infrastructure.
• Review system architecture, network structures, domain integration and communication interfaces.
• Define and assess user access permissions, backup processes and system administration requirements.
• Support GMP documentation, qualification and technical project deliverables.
• Work with automation technologies including Siemens, DeltaV, SCADA, OPC, SQL and historian systems.

Requirements

• Background in Automation Engineering, Control Systems Engineering or a related technical discipline.
• Experience with industrial automation systems, ideally Siemens, DeltaV or SCADA/DCS platforms.
• Understanding of systems integration, industrial networks and automation infrastructure.
• Ability to interpret technical specifications and work with equipment suppliers.
• Interest in engineering consultancy, technical design and integration rather than exclusively PLC programming.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work with multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• German language skills are required for customer-facing projects.

Preferred Background

• Previous experience within pharmaceutical, biotechnology or other regulated manufacturing environments.
• Familiarity with GMP requirements, qualification documentation and validation activities.
• Experience with URS, functional risk assessments, FAT/SAT or automation-related qualification.
• Exposure to SQL, OPC, virtual machines, user management, PI/historian systems or network architecture.
• Experience integrating automated manufacturing equipment into existing production environments.

Junior candidates - with strong automation fundamentals and an interest in developing within pharmaceutical engineering are encouraged to apply.

Senior candidates - should ideally bring 10+ years of relevant experience, with the ability to independently manage technical interfaces and complex integration activities.

If you're an Automation Engineer looking to move beyond traditional PLC programming into technical consultancy and systems integration within the Swiss pharmaceutical industry, I'd be keen to hear from you.