Automation Engineer

CareerWise Recruitment; Munster; On-site; EUR 65,000 - 101,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

On-site role

Job summary

CareerWise Recruitment seeks an Automation Engineer for an 18-month contract with a Waterford-based pharmaceutical client. The role is fully onsite and provides technical guidance to Process, Maintenance, and Facilities Engineering teams across manufacturing areas including Fill Finish and Packaging.

You will support day-to-day automation, collaborate cross-functionally, and drive continuous improvements to PLC/SCADA systems while ensuring compliance with GAMP lifecycle validation and change

Qualifications

• 3–5 years in pharmaceutical automation, control systems or project engineering.
• Experience with PLC/SCADA systems.
• Knowledge of GAMP lifecycle validation and change controls.
• Experience with packaging operations or sterile vial filling is beneficial but not essential.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day automation support to operational teams to keep systems compliant and reliable.
• Act as automation contact for Fill Finish, Packaging, Projects, Maintenance and Facilities.
• Identify and implement improvements to PLC and SCADA systems and automation workflows.
• Provide guidance to Process, Maintenance and Facilities Engineers on automation issues.
• Ensure automation systems meet regulatory expectations and validation requirements.
• Generate, review and execute automation change controls and validation protocols.

Skills

Automation engineering

Pharma experience

GAMP lifecycle

Validation knowledge

Regulatory compliance

Tools

Siemens PLC

Elau PLC

iFix

Wonderware

Antares Vision

Systech Vision

Job description

An Automation Engineer is required by CareerWise Recruitment for an 18-month contract position with our Waterford based pharmaceutical client. This is a fully onsite position. The role provides technical guidance to Process, Maintenance, and Facilities Engineering teams and acts as the primary automation contact for manufacturing areas including Fill Finish, Packaging, Projects, Maintenance, and Facilities.

THE ROLE

• Automation Support - Provide day-to-day automation support to operational teams, ensuring systems remain compliant, reliable, and aligned with regulatory expectations.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration - Serve as the automation point of contact for Fill Finish, Packaging, Projects, Maintenance, and Facilities.
• Continuous Improvement - Identify, evaluate, and implement opportunities to enhance PLC and SCADA systems, applications, and automation workflows.
• Technical Guidance - Provide expert support and direction to Process, Maintenance, and Facilities Engineers on automation-related issues.
• Compliance & System Integrity - Ensure automation systems are maintained in a compliant state, including adherence to GAMP lifecycle validation requirements.
• Change Control & Validation - Generate, review, and execute automation change controls and validation protocols.
• Strong technical knowledge with operational and/or project engineering experience across all phases of the GAMP lifecycle.
• Proficiency in control system change control, validation protocol development, and execution.

REQUIREMENTS

• 3-5 years of experience in a pharmaceutical automation, control systems, or project engineering role.
• Experience with PLC systems (Siemens, Elau advantageous).
• Experience with SCADA systems (iFix, Wonderware, Utility MS, EMS).
• Experience with vision systems such as Antares or Systech; packaging serialisation experience is a distinct advantage.
• Experience with packaging operations or sterile vial filling is beneficial but not essential.

Established in 1999, CareerWise Recruitment specialises in recruitment of management and technical professionals for the life sciences, ICT, engineering, food and agri sectors.

We operate out of multiple locations in Ireland and have offices in Cork, Shannon, Galway, Mayo and Dublin.