Automation Engineer

Life Science Recruitment; Athlone; On-site; EUR 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Athlone-based award-winning Pharmaceutical organization is seeking Automation Engineers (IT/OT) across Junior, Engineer, and Senior levels to support OT, PLC/SCADA/DCS, MES, and IT integrations.

You will collaborate with Engineering, Operations, Maintenance, IT, Cybersecurity and vendors to deliver projects from initiation through commissioning, with strong emphasis on safety, quality and regulatory compliance in pharma environments.

Qualifications

• Graduate qualification in Automation or related discipline.
• 0–2 years for Junior role and willingness to develop.
• 3–5 years for Automation Engineer; experience delivering projects.
• 5–8+ years for Senior Engineer with leadership experience.
• Pharma/GAMP/FDA-regulated experience is desirable.
• Strong communication and documentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Support or lead IT/OT projects through testing and handover.
• Gather requirements and support OT solution design and implementation.
• Contribute to PLC/SCADA/DCS, MES, and OT networking initiatives.
• Lead FAT/SAT, UAT, commissioning and cutover activities.
• Ensure safety, quality, cybersecurity, and change control compliance.
• Manage vendors and system integrators with SOWs and milestones.
• Maintain project documentation, risks, actions and governance.
• Collaborate on IT/OT integrations and data platforms.
• Contribute to continuous improvement and knowledge sharing.
• Senior level: provide technical leadership and mentoring.

Skills

Ignition

ThinManager

MES/PAS-X

Manufacturing Equipment

OT Networking

IT/OT Integration

Active Directory

ServiceNow/ITIL

Data Platforms

Education

Automation/Electrical/IT Engineering degree

Tools

Ignition

ThinManager

MES/PAS-X

Manufacturing Equipment

OT Networking

IT/OT Integration

Active Directory

ServiceNow/ITIL

Data Platforms

Job description

We’re currently recruiting for an exciting opportunity with an award-winning Pharmaceutical organization based in Athlone. This is an excellent position for anyone who is looking to join a leading multinational who are one of the best at what they do.

We are looking for Automation Engineers (IT/OT) across multiple levels of experience to support the planning and delivery of projects spanning Operational Technology (OT), industrial automation and enterprise IT environments.

Depending on your experience, you may be considered for a Junior Automation Engineer, Automation Engineer, or Senior Automation Engineer position.

These roles offer the opportunity to work across automation and manufacturing systems while collaborating with Engineering, Operations, Maintenance, IT, Cybersecurity, vendors and system integrators.

Responsible for:

• Support or lead the delivery of IT/OT projects and work packages, from initiation through testing, commissioning and handover.
• Work with cross-functional teams to gather requirements and support the design and implementation of OT solutions.
• Contribute to projects involving PLC/SCADA/DCS, historians, MES, OT networking and IT/OT integrations.
• Support or lead FAT/SAT, user acceptance testing, commissioning, cutover and operational readiness activities.
• Ensure appropriate safety, quality, cybersecurity, change control and GAMP/FDA requirements are considered throughout project delivery.
• Support or manage vendors and system integrators, including statements of work, acceptance criteria, milestones and change control.
• Maintain project documentation, actions, risks, issues, schedules and governance requirements.
• Work with IT and OT teams on integrations involving enterprise applications, infrastructure, data platforms and cloud/edge technologies.
• Contribute to continuous improvement, lessons learned and knowledge sharing.
• At Senior level, provide technical leadership, project oversight and mentoring to junior engineers and project teams.

Education and Skills:

Junior Automation Engineer – typically 0–2 years

• Graduate qualification in Automation, Electrical, Electronic, Computer, IT, Engineering or a related discipline.
• Some exposure to automation, manufacturing, IT/OT or control systems.
• Willingness to develop technical and project delivery experience.
• Good communication, documentation and organisational skills.

Automation Engineer – typically 3–5 years

• Proven experience delivering projects or work packages within Automation, OT, manufacturing or IT/OT environments.
• Experience with project delivery, stakeholder coordination, documentation and change management.
• Practical exposure to automation systems such as PLC/SCADA/DCS, MES, historians or plant networks.
• Experience working with vendors, system integrators and cross-functional teams.
• Pharma/GAMP/FDA-regulated experience is highly desirable.

Senior Automation Engineer – typically 5–8+ years

• Proven experience independently leading complex Automation/OT or IT/OT projects.
• Strong experience in work package ownership, project governance, risk, budget, schedule and stakeholder management.
• Strong technical understanding of automation and manufacturing systems.
• Experience leading vendors/system integrators and communicating with senior stakeholders.
• Strong experience with Pharma lifecycle processes, GAMP, commissioning, cutover and operational readiness.
• Ability to provide technical leadership and mentor other engineers.

Technical Skills:

• Ignition
• ThinManager
• MES / PAS-X
• Computerised Manufacturing Equipment
• OT Networking
• IT/OT Integration
• Active Directory
• ServiceNow / ITIL
• Manufacturing and enterprise data platforms