Head of Automation & Digital Manufacturing

AstraZeneca plc; Dublin; Hybrid; EUR 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

AstraZeneca plc in Dublin seeks a senior leader to set the automation, OT and digital manufacturing agenda for a biologics site. You will lead a multidisciplinary team, shaping multi-year roadmaps and partnering across Manufacturing, Quality, IT and Engineering to ensure safety, compliance and resilience.

You will champion Industry 4.0, AI-enabled tools, data backbone and cyber-security while enabling a flexible, multi-product facility and rapid NPIs for both BDS and packaging operations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Automation, Electrical, Electronic, Computer, Software or Control Engineering; advanced degree desirable.
• Typically 10+ years in GMP pharma or similarly regulated manufacturing with large automation teams.
• Experience delivering automation roadmaps, lifecycle, budgets, vendors and multi-stakeholder programmes.
• Broad knowledge of PLC, MCS, MES, HMI, historian, industrial networks and OT infrastructure.
• Strong understanding of automation architecture, security, data integrity and validation readiness.
• Ability to apply data, analytics and AI to engineering opportunities in a compliant way.
• Strong project/programme management and cross-functional leadership.
• Lean mindset with capability to drive improvements and value delivery.

Responsibilities

• Own and execute site Automation, OT and Digital Manufacturing strategy with multi-year roadmaps.
• Provide strategic and technical leadership for PLC, HMI, historian, MCS, MES interfaces and OT networks.
• Establish and govern standards for automation architecture, configuration, ownership and documentation.
• Ensure systems are available, secure, validated and inspection-ready with 24-7 support.
• Develop flexible OT systems for multi-product manufacturing and NPIs.
• Lead systemic issue resolution through risk assessment, root cause analysis and CAPAs.
• Drive OT cybersecurity improvements with IT and global teams, including monitoring and recovery.
• Identify opportunities to use AI, analytics, digital twins and manufacturing intelligence.
• Ensure validation, data integrity and ethical compliance for digital/AI solutions.
• Lead automation workstreams for capital projects and technology transfers.
• Approve lifecycle governance, vendor designs and testing approaches.
• Manage supplier/OEM relationships and long-term support strategies.
• Develop budgets, workforce plans and KPIs for safety, quality and reliability.
• Mentor and develop leaders and teams; foster cross-functional collaboration.
• Build partnerships and escalate critical events to senior stakeholders.
• Champion lean, sustainability and safe working practices.

Skills

Automation

Industrial networks

Cybersecurity

Digital analytics

AI awareness

Leadership

GMP experience

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Automation/Engineering

Tools

DeltaV

MES interfaces

HMI

SCADA

MCS

Windows OT infra

PLC

Job description

Introduction to role: Are you ready to set the automation and digital manufacturing agenda for a modern biologics site where operational excellence directly supports life-changing medicines? In this role, you will shape and deliver the site’s Automation, OT and Digital Manufacturing roadmap at College Park, Dublin—leading a multidisciplinary team and partnering across Manufacturing, Quality, Validation, IT and Engineering to keep our operations safe, compliant, resilient and future-ready.

You will be the steward of our control systems and data backbone, championing Industry 4.0 capabilities, advanced analytics and AI-enabled tools that improve safety, quality, supply reliability and cost. Your leadership will enable a flexible, multi-product facility and faster new product introductions, ensuring systems are inspection-ready and cyber-secure while unlocking intelligent insights for better decisions.

Working closely with our sister site in Athlone, you will align technology choices, priorities and approaches, and share core subject matter expertise to scale what works. Do you want to lead high-performing teams to build adaptable OT systems, accelerate digital adoption and deliver measurable impact for patients and the business?

Accountabilities:

• Automation and Digital Strategy: Own and execute the site Automation, OT and Digital Manufacturing strategy, including multi-year roadmaps for capability, lifecycle, obsolescence, resilience, compliance, cybersecurity and investment.
• Technical Leadership: Provide strategic and technical leadership for PLC, HMI, historian, Manufacturing Control Systems Delta V (MCS), Manufacturing Execution System (MES) interfaces, industrial networks, OT infrastructure and related manufacturing systems.
• Architecture and Standards: Establish and govern standards for automation architecture, integration, compatibility, configuration management, system ownership, documentation and technical decision-making.
• System Reliability and Compliance: Ensure manufacturing systems remain available, secure, supportable, validated and inspection-ready, with effective administration, access control, backup, recovery, on-call support and business continuity arrangements; provide 24-7 Front Line Support to manufacturing OT systems.
• Flexible OT and NPI Enablement: Develop flexible OT systems that are adaptable to future needs and enable a flexible multi-product manufacturing facility and seamless, accelerated introduction of NPIs to both BDS and packaging operations.
• Issue Resolution and CAPA: Lead systemic resolution of complex automation issues through risk assessment, structured problem-solving, root cause analysis, investigations, change controls and effective CAPAs.
• OT Cybersecurity: Be responsible for the site OT cybersecurity improvement plan with IT and global teams, including segmentation, privileged access, patching, vulnerability management, monitoring, incident response and recovery controls.
• Advanced Analytics and AI: Identify and prioritize opportunities to use AI, analytics, predictive maintenance, digital twins and manufacturing intelligence to improve reliability, yield, cycle time, cost, energy performance and decision-making.
• Validation and Ethical Compliance: Ensure digital and AI solutions meet applicable validation, data integrity, security, ethical and GxP requirements, and build team capability through practical use cases, coaching and structured learning.
• Capital Projects and Technology Transfers: Lead automation and digital workstreams for capital projects, capacity expansions, equipment upgrades, technology transfers and new product introductions from concept through handover.
• Design and Lifecycle Governance: Approve automation strategies, architecture, functional requirements, vendor designs, testing approaches and lifecycle support models, ensuring delivery to agreed scope, schedule, cost, quality and compliance.
• Supplier and OEM Management: Lead strategic system integrator, supplier and OEM relationships, including technical performance, work you’re doing, safety, risk and long‑term support.
• Financial and Workforce Planning: Develop and lead operating and capital budgets, workforce plans, external service strategies, business cases and KPIs for safety, quality, supply, cost, people, compliance, reliability, cybersecurity and digital adoption.
• People Leadership and Capability: Lead, mentor and develop managers, engineers, specialists and partner resources, maintaining clear goals, development plans, succession plans and targeted upskilling for critical capabilities.
• Collaborator Partnership and Escalation: Build strong multi-functional and global partnerships, communicate complex issues clearly, influence senior stakeholders and act as the senior site escalation point for critical automation and manufacturing systems events.
• Safety, Lean and Sustainability: Maintain a safe and secure work environment and champion lean thinking, continuous improvement and sustainability opportunities enabled through automation and digital technology.

Essential Skills/Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Automation, Electrical, Electronic, Computer, Software or Control Engineering, Computer Science, or a related discipline. An advanced degree is desirable.
• Typically 10 or more years of relevant experience in GMP pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical or similarly regulated manufacturing environments. - Substantial experience leading large automation, manufacturing systems, digital or OT teams, including direct people leadership of diverse teams of FTEs and Outsourced Service Providers.
• Demonstrated experience developing automation roadmaps, handling system lifecycles and delivering complex technology or capital programmes. - Experience handling budgets, suppliers, systems integrators and multi-disciplinary stakeholders in a regulated environment.
• Broad knowledge of PLC, MCS, MES, HMI, historian, industrial networks, Windows‑based OT infrastructure, vision, motion control and manufacturing system integration.
• Strong understanding of automation architecture, process control, compatibility, integration, security, cybersecurity and lifecycle management. - Working knowledge of cGMP, GAMP, computer system validation, data integrity, electronic records and signatures, change control and inspection readiness.
• Ability to apply data, analytics, AI and digital technologies to engineering opportunities in a responsible, compliant and value‑focused manner.
• Strong project and programme management capability across planning, risk, schedule, budget, vendor governance and benefits realisation.
• Strategic thinking and business acumen: Connects technology, data and business trends to shape practical plans, priorities, investment decisions and measurable outcomes. Connects with Industry 4.0 trends and aligns site strategic plans with anticipated changes in industry and regulations.
• Results and execution focus: Creates actionable short- and long‑term plans, anticipates risk, removes obstacles and builds team capability to deliver.
• Digital fluency and stewardship: Leads adoption of digital tools and practices while promoting responsible, secure and compliant use.
• Communication, collaboration and influence: Communicates with clarity, facilitates alignment and constructively influences stakeholders with different perspectives.
• Adaptability and change orientation: Identifies barriers and enablers, leads structured change and remains resilient as priorities and technologies evolve. - Talent development and engineering breadth: Builds inclusive teams and applies broad understanding across automation, process, maintenance, validation, projects and manufacturing operations.
• Lean mindset: Consistently enables the application of lean approaches to utilises data to identify and action improvements to the overall efficiency and effectiveness of processes. Takes a lead in problem solving (level zero and PPS) based on risk/ impact assessment and analysis of data and identifies/ drives proactive cross‑area process interventions. Utilises the Tier process to manage daily operations, escalations, alignment of resources and enable agility to respond to changing day‑to‑day priorities.
• Customer Focus: Demonstrates a strong connection to the needs of internal customers, supports short‑term requirements and achieves alignment on medium, to long term priorities.

Desirable Skills/Experience:

• An advanced degree in a relevant discipline.
• Experience aligning standards and platforms across multiple manufacturing sites.
• Proven deployment of AI, advanced analytics, predictive maintenance and digital twins at scale within validated GMP environments.
• Experience leading automation scope on greenfield or brownfield capital expansions and major technology transfers.
• Professional certifications in cybersecurity, automation or program management (for example, ISA/IEC, CISSP, PMP).

When we put unexpected teams in the same room, we unleash bold thinking with the power to inspire life‑changing medicines. In‑person working gives us the platform we need to connect, work at pace and challenge perceptions. That’s why we work, on average, a minimum of three days per week from the office. But that doesn’t mean we’re not flexible. We balance the expectation of being in the office while respecting individual flexibility. Join us in our unique and ambitious world.

Why AstraZeneca:

Here, purpose meets pragmatism: we bring unusual combinations of talent together to solve tough problems, using cutting‑edge automation, Industry 4.0 tools and responsible AI to improve how medicines are made and delivered. You will collaborate in a culture that values kindness alongside ambition, where your decisions in OT, cybersecurity and digital manufacturing translate into safer, more reliable supply for people with serious and often rare conditions. With the scale to invest and the agility to move, you will build capabilities that matter, learn from exceptional peers and see your impact ripple from the shop floor to patients worldwide.

Date Posted

09-Oct-2026

Closing Date

29-Oct-2026

Our mission is to build an inclusive and equitable environment. We want people to feel they belong at AstraZeneca and Alexion, starting with our recruitment process. We welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of characteristics. We offer reasonable adjustments/accommodations to help all candidates to perform at their best. If you have a need for any adjustments/accommodations, please complete the section in the application form.