Automation Engineer

Morgan McKinley; Athlone; On-site; EUR 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Morgan McKinley is seeking an Automation Engineer (IT/OT) in Ireland to plan and deliver projects spanning enterprise IT and OT environments. You will own work packages, balance safety, quality, cost and schedule, and collaborate across cross-functional teams to achieve compliant, reliable outcomes.

Responsibilities include requirements gathering, solution design for OT systems, and ensuring readiness for handover, with a focus on governance and continuous improvement in delivery.

Qualifications

• Proven experience delivering projects in IT and/or OT environments.
• Strong governance, controls and reporting understanding.
• Experience with stakeholder management across technical and operational groups.
• Pharma lifecycle processes (FDA regulated environment, GAMP) familiarity is a plus.
• Excellent documentation, facilitation, and communication skills.
• Detail-oriented and self-motivated.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end delivery of IT/OT projects from initiation through handover.
• Coordinate with engineering, operations, IT security, vendors and system integrators.
• Lead requirements gathering and solution design for OT systems and IT integrations.
• Ensure safety and compliance requirements are embedded in delivery.
• Manage procurement, SOWs, acceptance criteria, milestones and change control.
• Oversee testing, commissioning, UAT, documentation and handover to support teams.
• Run governance routines and continuously improve delivery.

Skills

IT/OT project delivery

Governance & reporting

Stakeholder management

Documentation & communication

Attention to detail

Problem solving

Tools

Siemens PLC

Schneider SCADA

Ignition

ThinManager

Aveva PI

MES PAS-X

Job description

The Automation Engineer (IT/OT) is responsible for planning and delivering projects that span enterprise IT systems and Operational Technology (OT) environments (e.g., industrial control systems and plant networks). This role is focused on Work Package Ownership activities relating to IT/OT delivery with a project management mindset. The role collaborates with cross-functional teams to deliver safe, compliant, and reliable outcomes—balancing cybersecurity, quality, cost, and schedule.

KEY AREAS OF JOB ACCOUNTABILITY: (list of key objectives and quantifying standards)

• Work Package Ownership of end-to-end delivery of specific IT/OT projects from initiation through handover, including scope, schedule, budget, resources, and benefits realization.
• Coordinate with engineering, operations, maintenance, IT security & infrastructure, vendors, and system integrators to align objectives and delivery plans
• Lead requirements gathering and solution design support for OT systems (e.g., PLC/SCADA/DCS, historian, MES, OT networking) and related IT integrations (e.g., Enterprise applications, cloud/edge, data platforms).
• Ensure safety and compliance requirements are embedded in delivery (e.g., change control, permit-to-work, site access, and operational readiness).
• Manage procurement and vendor performance: statements of work, acceptance criteria, delivery milestones, and commercial change control.
• Testing and commissioning activities (e.g. FAT/SAT), user acceptance testing, documentation (generation, review, approval), training, and handover to support teams.
• Run governance routines where required (steerco, daily/weekly execution cadences) and continuously improve delivery using lessons learned.

Required qualifications:

• Proven experience delivering projects in IT and/or OT environments, ideally involving both (e.g., plant networking, SCADA installations / upgrades, FMS/BMS deployments, data integration, Process equipment deployment and integration).
• Strong understanding of project delivery methodologies and practical application of governance, controls, and reporting.
• Experience with stakeholder management across technical and operational groups, including senior leadership communication.
• Experience of Pharma lifecycle processes (FDA regulated environment, GAMP) including change management, commissioning, cutover, and operational readiness.
• Excellent documentation, facilitation, and communication skills.
• Must be detail oriented and self-motivating

Preferred qualifications:

• Hardware/Software: Experience with PLC & SCADA (Siemens, Schneider), Computerised Equipment, Ignition, ThinManager, Aveva PI, and similar Manufacturing Solution Applications. Experience with MES solutions (PAS-X) an advantage
• Working knowledge of Active Directory application Design, and implementation
• Knowledge of ITIL processes relating to Project and Service Delivery (ServiceNOW)