Automation Engineer

The RFT Group; Leinster; On-site; EUR 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The RFT Group is seeking an Automation Engineer for a Pharma Manufacturing site in Ireland. You will support project delivery and maintenance of PLC/DCS systems, aligning with global automation standards and site SOPs.

The role involves improvements, safety and efficiency initiatives, and collaboration across QA, IS Compliance, and manufacturing teams. Candidates should have 4+ years in automation within pharma or similar industries, with Rockwell and Siemens experience and a solid grounding in

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s/Master’s in a related field with professional experience
• 4+ years in automation engineering maintaining/upgrading PLC/DCS
• Experience with Rockwell and Siemens control systems
• Knowledge of cGxP and H&S requirements in manufacturing

Responsibilities

• Maintain and upgrade PLC/DCS control systems
• Design and implement hardware/software solutions per SOPs and standards
• Collaborate with QA, IS Compliance and Site Engineering teams
• Plan changes with Manufacturing to minimize production disruption
• Troubleshoot faults and support CAPA and validation activities
• Perform preventive and planned maintenance and change control tasks

Skills

PLC programming

GAMP/GEP knowledge

Troubleshooting

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in relevant field

Master’s Degree or higher diploma

Tools

Rockwell Studio 5000

Rockwell WinCC

Rockwell FT View SE

Siemens TIA Portal

Siemens PCS7

Job description

Automation Engineer, Pharma Manufacturing

Our client, a Life Science Manufacturing company based in the midlands of Ireland, now have approval for an additional Automation Engineer role operating as part of the global automation engineering team. The primary responsibility for this hire is to provide project and maintenance support of the midlands manufacturing site.

The successful candidate will carry out improvement activities, provide maintenance support for existing Manufacturing Process Control Systems and develop, support new Process Control, Safety Systems deployments primarily across the local manufacturing site, and supporting global manufacturing sites when required.

In this role, you will ensure the activities carried out are aligned with global automation and site specific standards in the design, delivery and deployment.

Responsibilities

Ensure that deployed systems are available for Manufacturing, maintained, and their qualified status is not compromised.

Assist in design and implementation of Hardware and Software solutions, in accordance with SOPs and the Automation standards.

Cooperate with the Site Engineering, QA and IS Compliance departments to ensure production continuity and fast problem resolutions. Tasks such as audits, CAPAs and validation testing are completed on time successfully and as priority, in particular:

Plan with the Manufacturing team, ensuring all system changes are communicated ahead of time and that production schedule is accounted for.

React and respond quickly to reports of Manufacturing system faults, troubleshoot in collaboration with Manufacturing and the other Engineering disciplines.

Assist in the development software and hardware configuration to remediate system faults or errors, improve efficiency and safety, as requested and in response to CAPA or Error report actions.

Carry out preventative and planned maintenance activities on time and suggests/identifies maintenance requirements where needed.

Carry out system modifications in accordance with the appropriate Change Control procedure.

Actively identify & pursue process quality, efficiency, and safety improvements.

Required/Preferred Education and Licenses

Bachelor’s Degree, Master’s Degree or Higher National Diploma, with relevant professional experience

4+ years’ experience in similar Automation Engineer role maintaining and upgrading PLC or DCS control systems, with ideally working knowledge of GAMP and GEP.

Proven experience of PLC based unit operation including graphical interface and data collection. Awareness of integrated process control (batch processing / continuous production).

Demonstratable experience of Rockwell (Win CC, Studio 5000, FT View SE etc.), Siemens (TIA portal, PCS7).

Good demonstrable knowledge of Distributed Control and Safety Systems and/or PLC applications.

To maintaining cGxP and H&S knowledge applicable to the job.

Experienced in installing, configuring and updating Process Control System software (Rockwell, Siemens).