Principal Automation Engineer – Rockwell / Allen-Bradley

European Tech Recruit; Limerick; On-site; EUR 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

European Tech Recruit in Limerick, Ireland is seeking a Principal Automation Engineer to lead Rockwell/Allen-Bradley automation within a highly regulated biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility. The role offers ownership of critical automation systems and positions you as the site's subject matter expert for Rockwell technologies.

You will design, implement and optimise ControlLogix, Studio 5000, FactoryTalk View SE/ME and FactoryTalk Historian, manage automation projects from concept to

Qualifications

• Degree in Engineering, Science or related technical discipline.
• 8+ years' experience with validated automation systems in regulated manufacturing.
• Extensive hands-on experience with Rockwell/Allen-Bradley platforms.
• Strong GMP, GAMP 5, 21 CFR Part 11, CSV and data integrity knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Act as site SME for Rockwell/Allen-Bradley PLC and HMI systems, providing guidance and troubleshooting.
• Lead automation projects from concept through commissioning and handover.
• Design, develop, maintain and optimise automation solutions using ControlLogix, Studio 5000, and FactoryTalk.
• Manage change controls and ensure GMP compliance.
• Collaborate with Manufacturing, Engineering, Quality, IT/OT and external vendors.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to junior engineers.
• Participate in on-call support as required.

Skills

Rockwell Automation

PLC

HMI

GMP Manufacturing

Education

Engineering degree

Tools

ControlLogix

Studio 5000

FactoryTalk View SE/ME

FactoryTalk Historian

Job description

Principal Automation Engineer – Rockwell / Allen-Bradley

Location: Limerick, Ireland

Industry: Pharmaceutical / Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing

Specialism: Rockwell Automation | PLC | HMI | GMP Manufacturing

The Opportunity

We are currently recruiting for an experienced Principal Automation Engineer to join a leading biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Limerick.

This is a senior technical position offering the opportunity to take ownership of critical manufacturing automation systems, lead complex engineering projects and act as the site's subject matter expert for Rockwell / Allen-Bradley technologies.

The successful candidate will play a key role in maintaining, developing and optimising automated manufacturing systems within a highly regulated GMP environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as the site subject matter expert for Rockwell / Allen-Bradley PLC and HMI systems, providing technical guidance, diagnostics and troubleshooting.
• Lead automation engineering projects from concept and design through execution, commissioning and handover.
• Design, develop, maintain and optimise automation solutions using ControlLogix, Studio 5000, FactoryTalk View SE/ME and FactoryTalk Historian.
• Lead complex technical investigations, root cause analysis and troubleshooting activities to resolve manufacturing automation issues.
• Manage automation change controls, ensuring compliance with GMP requirements, internal procedures and data integrity standards.
• Review and approve automation design documentation, software architecture, technical assessments and validation test plans.
• Work closely with Manufacturing, Engineering, Quality, IT/OT and external vendors to deliver reliable automation solutions.
• Identify and implement continuous improvement initiatives to enhance equipment performance, reliability and manufacturing efficiency.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to junior engineers and oversee external automation contractors.
• Participate in out-of-hours on-call support when required.

Essential Requirements

• Degree in Engineering, Science or a related technical discipline.
• Minimum 8 years' experience working with validated automation systems in a regulated manufacturing environment.
• Extensive hands-on experience with Rockwell / Allen-Bradley automation platforms, particularly ControlLogix, Studio 5000 and FactoryTalk View.
• Strong understanding of GMP, GAMP 5, 21 CFR Part 11, CSV, data integrity and change control.
• Proven experience leading automation projects and managing complex technical challenges.
• Strong troubleshooting capabilities across PLC, HMI and manufacturing control systems.
• Experience working within pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical or similarly regulated manufacturing environments.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management and technical leadership skills.

Desirable Experience

• FactoryTalk Historian
• Ignition SCADA
• SEEQ
• Splunk
• MS SQL
• Manufacturing data integration and analytics platforms

Why Consider This Opportunity?

This position offers the opportunity to work with advanced automation technologies in a technically challenging pharmaceutical manufacturing environment.

You will have significant responsibility for automation system performance, technical decision-making and the delivery of engineering improvements, while working alongside experienced multidisciplinary teams.

The role would suit an established Senior Automation Engineer, Lead Automation Engineer or Rockwell Automation Specialist looking to take the next step into a principal-level position.

Apply

For further information or a confidential discussion, please contact:

Adam Chapman

Business Development Manager

European & USA Tech Recruit

Email: [e-mail]

All enquiries will be treated confidentially.