Automation Engineer

Douglas Control and Automation; Cork; On-site; EUR 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Douglas Control and Automation seeks an experienced Automation Engineer for a secondment role in Co. Cork. You will deliver automation projects from concept to commissioning in a regulated manufacturing setting, coordinating with system owners, vendors, and contractors.

Role requires a minimum of three years' automation project experience, strong cGMP/SDLC knowledge, and proven project management. Familiarity with SCADA, PLCs, and SQL is a plus, with emphasis on compliance and validation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or related technical discipline.
• Minimum of three years' experience delivering automation or control systems projects in industrial or regulated environments.
• Strong knowledge of cGMP requirements, SDLC practices, and Lean, Six Sigma, or MPS.
• Proven project management capabilities to coordinate multiple workstreams.
• Excellent analytical, troubleshooting, facilitation, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to define technical requirements and develop business cases.

Responsibilities

• Perform feasibility assessments, concept development, and cost estimates.
• Support and manage change control activities per site procedures.
• Monitor milestones, deliverables, and execution for successful completion.
• Create and maintain detailed project schedules and timelines.
• Coordinate communication between stakeholders, suppliers, contractors, and project teams.
• Develop URS for automation projects with system owners and business reps.
• Work with IT to define infrastructure for automation systems and virtual environments.
• Engage automation system integrators and manage FAT, SAT, UAT activities.
• Prepare and approve validation/document lifecycle docs (FDS, RTM, QAP, IOQ).
• Provide SME on automation standards and validation practices.

Skills

Project management

cGMP knowledge

SDLC practices

Lean Six Sigma

Analytical skills

Decision making

Stakeholder coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Tools

SCADA systems

PLC

SQL databases

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Automation Engineer to join our secondment team based in Co. Cork. In this role, you will support the successful delivery of automation projects for our client, managing the full project lifecycle from initial concept and design through to implementation, commissioning, validation, and project close-out. You will work closely with cross-functional teams, system owners, vendors, and contractors to deliver both GxP and non-GxP automation and control system projects within a regulated manufacturing environment.

Key Responsibilities:

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Perform initial feasibility assessments, concept development, and project cost estimates.
• Support and manage project-related change control activities in accordance with site procedures.
• Monitor project milestones, deliverables, and overall execution to ensure successful completion.
• Create, maintain, and oversee detailed project schedules and timelines.
• Coordinate communication and activities between internal stakeholders, external suppliers, contractors, and project teams.
• Develop User Requirements Specifications (URS) for automation projects in collaboration with system owners and business representatives.
• Work with the IT department to define and request the infrastructure required to support automation systems, including virtual environments, network hardware, and associated IT resources.
• Coordinate and manage the engagement of automation system integrators.
• Oversee automation project execution, including software development, Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), site installation, commissioning, startup support, Site Acceptance Testing (SAT), and User Acceptance Testing (UAT).
• Prepare, review, execute, and approve validation and lifecycle documentation within the electronic document management system, including FDS, RTM, QAP, QASR, FAT, SAT, and IOQ documentation.
• Provide subject matter expertise on company automation standards, validation practices, hardware and software platforms, and associated business processes to ensure compliance and consistency across projects.

Skills & Experience:

Essential Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical discipline.
• Minimum of three years' experience delivering automation or control systems projects within an industrial or regulated environment.
• Strong knowledge of cGMP requirements, Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) practices, and continuous improvement methodologies such as Lean, Six Sigma, or Manufacturing Performance Systems (MPS).
• Proven project management capabilities with the ability to coordinate multiple workstreams and deliver projects successfully.
• Excellent analytical, troubleshooting, facilitation, and decision-making skills.
• Demonstrated ability to assess business needs, define technical requirements, develop business cases, and recommend practical process or technology-based solutions.

Preferred Experience

• Hands-on experience with industrial automation platforms and technologies, including Building Management Systems (BMS), PLCs, HMIs, SCADA applications, process control systems, SQL databases, and plant historian platforms.
• Familiarity with client/server architectures used in manufacturing automation environments.
• Experience with building services and facility systems such as environmental monitoring, fire detection, and access control.
• Working knowledge of regulatory requirements including 21 CFR Part 11, data integrity principles, and computerized system validation.
• Previous experience delivering automation projects within a GMP-regulated manufacturing or pharmaceutical production environment.