Senior Engineer

NES Fircroft; Breda; On-site; EUR 85,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

NES Fircroft is seeking an experienced Senior Automation Engineer in Breda to lead automation for filling, packaging, and related equipment. You will drive design, qualification, testing and optimization, ensuring GMP compliance and cybersecurity readiness across the equipment lifecycle.

Working with Engineering, Maintenance, Quality, and Project teams, you will manage automation deliverables, support NPI activities on site, and ensure robust documentation, FAT, and start-up processes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Automation Engineering, Industrial Information Systems, or a related discipline.
• Minimum 5 years of experience delivering automation solutions within biotechnology/pharma or other regulated manufacturing industries.
• Experience delivering projects independently in cross-functional, global environments.
• Hands-on experience with labelling and packaging equipment.
• Strong knowledge of Industrial PCs, PLCs, HMI systems, SCADA platforms, Cognex Vision Systems.
• Experience operating within GMP-regulated environments.
• Excellent English communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage automation deliverables in line with project timelines and business requirements.
• Support New Product Introduction (NPI) activities on site.
• Participate in equipment testing, FAT, commissioning, qualification, and start-up activities.
• Ensure equipment complies with site automation and cybersecurity standards.
• Provide progress updates to project stakeholders and management.
• Support operational readiness and hypercare during equipment implementation.
• Author and review automation design documentation (URS, FDS, HDS, SDS).
• Support installation, testing, and commissioning of manufacturing equipment.
• Ensure successful integration into manufacturing networks (domain settings, network security, firewalls).
• Implement automation standards for hardware and software systems.
• Support connections to PI Data Historian systems.
• Participate in Data Integrity Assessments and Automation PM assessments.
• Develop backup/restore procedures and Asset Parameter Lists (APLs).
• Deliver automation training to Engineering, Maintenance, and Operations teams.

Skills

Automation engineering

GMP experience

Cross-functional delivery

English communication

Project execution

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Automation Engineering

Tools

PLC systems

HMI systems

SCADA platforms

Cognex Vision Systems

Job description

We are currently seeking an experienced Senior Automation Engineer to join a growing Equipment Automation team within a leading biotechnology manufacturing environment in Breda.

In this role, you will be responsible for the automation aspects of new and upgraded manufacturing equipment across Device Assembly, Inspection, Labelling, and Packaging operations. You will play a key role in ensuring equipment reliability, cybersecurity, compliance, and operational readiness throughout the equipment lifecycle.

Working closely with Engineering, Maintenance, Quality, Manufacturing, and project teams, you will support the design, implementation, qualification, and ongoing optimization of manufacturing equipment.

Key Responsibilities

Project & Automation Delivery

• Manage automation deliverables in line with project timelines and business requirements.
• Support New Product Introduction (NPI) activities on site.
• Participate in equipment testing, Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), commissioning, qualification, and start-up activities.
• Ensure equipment complies with site automation and cybersecurity standards.
• Provide regular progress updates to project stakeholders and management.
• Support operational readiness and hypercare activities during equipment implementation.
• Author and review automation design documentation, including:
• User Requirement Specifications (URS)
• Functional Design Specifications (FDS)
• Hardware Design Specifications (HDS)
• Software Design Specifications (SDS)
• Support installation, testing, and commissioning of manufacturing equipment.
• Ensure successful integration into manufacturing networks, including domain settings, network security, and firewall requirements.
• Implement automation standards for both hardware and software systems.
• Support connections to PI Data Historian systems.

Operational Support & Compliance

• Participate in Data Integrity Assessments.
• Conduct Automation Preventive Maintenance assessments.
• Develop and test backup and restore procedures for configurable equipment.
• Create and maintain Asset Parameter Lists (APLs).
• Develop parameter review and audit trail procedures.
• Advise on automation spare parts strategies.
• Install and maintain required monitoring tools.
• Deliver automation training to Engineering, Maintenance, and Operations teams.
• Update documentation and procedures to ensure sustainable operational support.

Requirements

Hard requirements

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Automation Engineering, Industrial Information Systems, or a related discipline.
• Minimum 5 years of experience delivering automation solutions within the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, or other regulated manufacturing industries.
• Experience independently delivering projects within cross-functional and global environments.
• Hands-on experience with labelling and packaging equipment.
• Strong knowledge of Industrial PCs, PLCs, HMI systems, SCADA platforms, Cognex Vision Systems
• Experience operating within GMP-regulated environments.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Flexibility to occasionally work outside standard office hours when required.
• Already living in a commutable distance to Breda

Nice to have

• Strong automation engineering expertise with the ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining quality standards.
• Excellent stakeholder management and collaboration skills.
• Experience working within matrix organisations and influencing cross-functional teams.
• Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to communicate technical information effectively to a variety of audiences.
• Experience preparing and delivering presentations to stakeholders.
• Creative, practical, and solution-oriented mindset.
• Self-motivated, adaptable, and able to thrive in a dynamic environment.