Laboratory Automation/Transformation Lead

Catalyx; Cork; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Total Rewards package

Visa assistance

Equal Opportunity Employer

Job summary

Catalyx in Cork, Ireland, is seeking a Senior Lab Automation Digital Laboratory Transformation Lead to drive digitalisation of pharmaceutical lab operations and connect LIMS/ELN/SDMS with automation platforms.

This on-site role requires collaboration with scientists, IT, QA, and vendors across time zones, with frequent travel to Switzerland to support customer sites.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher inEngineering, Automation, CS, Life Sciences or Pharmaceutical Sciences.
• 7+ years in regulated lab environments with laboratory automation experience.
• Hands-on experience with LIMS, ELN, SDMS, and data flows/interfaces.
• Strong LabWare LIMS design, configuration, integration, validation experience.
• Knowledge of GxP, 21 CFR Part 11/EU Annex 11, CSV/CSA.
• Experience creating URS, FDS, traceability, FAT/SAT protocols and test plans.
• Proven collaboration with scientists, IT/OT, QA, validation teams and vendors.
• Experience leading multi-vendor lab automation or digital transformation programs.

Responsibilities

• Define and drive digital laboratory transformation and architecture.
• Integrate laboratory instruments, automation platforms and digital systems.
• Manage vendor partners and oversee delivery against scope and milestones.
• Develop CQ plans, write and review test plans and validation documents.

Skills

Lab automation

Digital transformation

Vendor management

Stakeholder leadership

LIMS integration

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher in Engineering or Life Sciences

Tools

LabWare LIMS

Job description

Catalyx is seeking a Digital Laboratory Transformation Lead to join our team in Cork and support work on our customer site in Switzerland.

Who We Are

Catalyx is a machine vision and automation company that integrates technology and people to help global manufacturers and logistics companies achieve next‑generation levels of quality and throughput. For over thirty years, the minds behind Catalyx have been at work maximizing operational processes across highly regulated industries by inventing new technology applications and supporting companies with technical experts. With 9 global offices, over 550 team members, and 3,000 projects under our belt (and counting), we have the capabilities and reach to solve unique process problems at scale - and the vision to keep doing what’s never been done before. For more information visit www.catalyx.ai.

The Role

Catalyx is a trusted partner in delivering world‑class lifecycle services to regulated and high‑risk end markets. With a relentless commitment to innovation and excellence, we partner with life science and other highly regulated organisations, to empower them to enhance efficiency, and drive success. As part of this commitment, we are continuously developing our on‑site teams to support the advancement of customer operations.

Location: Cork with frequent travel to Switzerland

Environment: Automated pharmaceutical laboratories

Working model: Primarily customer-site based

We are seeking an experienced Sr. Lab Automation Digital Laboratory Business Analyst / SME to support the digitalisation, automation, and integration of pharmaceutical laboratory operations across drug discovery, development, and testing environments in Switzerland.

The role will bridge laboratory operations, automation, and IT, helping define and deliver scalable solutions that connect laboratory instruments, automation platforms, and digital systems, including LIMS, ELN, and SDMS, to improve data flow, reduce manual hand‑offs, and increase operational efficiency.

This highly customer‑facing role will serve as a key technical and business interface between scientists, IT, QA, internal stakeholders, and automation delivery partners. The successful candidate will combine strong lab automation and digital laboratory expertise with the communication, influencing, and project leadership skills required to translate laboratory needs into scalable technical solutions and drive successful implementation.

Responsibilities

Digital Laboratory Transformation

• Help define requirements for network architecture segmentation, LIMS/SDMS/ELN, Scientific Layer, AI/ML use cases, and systems integration framework requirements.
• Review vendor‑partner produced design architecture, interface documents, functional specifications, configurations.
• Serve as External SME and Primary Point of Contact for the customer across the vendor‑partner landscape.
• Assess the current laboratory business processes, technology, automation and systems landscape.
• Map laboratory workflows, systems and data flows.
• Identify gaps, manual interfaces and opportunities for integration.
• Identify and prioritise opportunities based on business value, technical feasibility and customer needs.
• Drive implementation of agreed digital and automation initiatives.

Automation Technology Integration

• Work across laboratory automation, instruments and digital systems.
• Understand how automation platforms and laboratory systems interact.
• Identify opportunities to integrate instruments, automation, LIMS and other laboratory systems.
• Translate laboratory requirements into clear technical requirements.
• Work closely with automation engineers and technical specialists.
• Ensure solutions are scalable and aligned with the customer's existing technology environment.

Vendor Management

• Act as the primary interface between the customer and the implementation vendor‑partners.
• Manage the vendor's delivery against agreed scope, milestones, quality and timelines.
• Provide clear direction and priorities to the offshore team.
• Coordinate activities across different time zones and teams.
• Review technical architecture, design deliverables and ensure they meet customer expectations.
• Challenge and manage vendor performance where required.
• Escalate issues appropriately and drive resolution.
• Ensure effective communication between the customer, vendor and wider project team

Documentation, Commissioning Qualification (CQ)

• Help maintain and update project documents including URS, User Stories, Functional Specifications, lab digitalization strategy documents.
• Help define CQ plan, coordinate FAT/SAT expectations, write integrated test plans as needed.
• Create and maintain requirements traceability matrix, design review outputs.
• Review vendor‑partner produced Test Plans and Test Protocols.
• Primary Point of Contact with vendor‑partner for FAT/SAT.

Skills And Experience

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Engineering, Automation, Computer Science, Life Sciences, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or a related technical discipline.
• 7+ years of relevant experience within pharmaceutical, biotechnology, life sciences, or other regulated laboratory environments, including significant experience with laboratory automation and digital laboratory transformation.
• Demonstrated hands‑on experience with laboratory systems and instrument integration, including LIMS, ELN, SDMS, scientific instruments, automation platforms, and associated data flows/interfaces.
• Strong LabWare LIMS experience is required, including proven involvement in the design, configuration, integration, implementation, and/or validation of LabWare solutions.
• Strong understanding of laboratory workflows and processes across analytical, development, QC, testing, or RD laboratory environments.
• Experience defining or reviewing technical architecture, system interfaces, integration requirements, functional specifications, and data flows for laboratory environments.
• Working knowledge of GxP-regulated environments, GAMP 5, computerized system validation (CSV/CSA), data integrity, and 21 CFR Part 11 / EU Annex 11 expectations.
• Experience developing and reviewing URS, functional/design specifications, requirements traceability, FAT/SAT protocols, test plans, and qualification/validation documentation.
• Proven experience working directly with scientists, laboratory users, IT/OT, automation engineers, Quality/Validation teams, and third‑party technology vendors.
• Previous experience leading or coordinating complex, multi‑vendor laboratory automation or digital transformation programs is required.

Why Join Catalyx?

At Catalyx we understand that our people are our greatest asset. For this reason and many others, we take care of them. The team in Catalyx benefits from a Total Rewards package. This includes great personal benefits and professional growth opportunities.

Catalyx is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where all individuals are valued, respected, and supported. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We encourage applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of background, and strive to create a welcoming environment for everyone.

At Catalyx, we are committed to attracting the best global talent. We proudly support our international employees by offering assistance with Critical Skills Visa applications for eligible candidates.