Associate Director – Central Automation Engineering

Eli Lilly and Company; Pleasant Prairie (WI); On-site; USD 123,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Eli Lilly and Company in Wisconsin seeks an Associate Director for Central Automation Engineering to lead the automation team supporting parenteral filling and packaging lines at Lilly Kenosha County. You will drive performance, develop engineers, and ensure reliable control systems, collaborating with global automation and IT groups.

This role requires a BS in engineering, 5+ years in automation, and supervisory experience.

Qualifications

• Minimum B.S. in Engineering or related technical field.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in automation/process control engineering, preferably in pharmaceutical or parenteral manufacturing.
• Previous supervisory experience or demonstrated technical leadership.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the Central Automation team and complete performance reviews.
• Staffing, including recruiting, resource planning, and succession planning.
• Manage the automation portfolio to deliver milestones, projects, and lifecycle commitments.
• Review and monitor financial performance; commit to meeting targets.
• Ensure compliance and cybersecurity/data integrity for automation systems.

Skills

Leadership

People development

Automation expertise

Regulatory knowledge

Cybersecurity/Data integrity

Vendor relations

CGMP knowledge

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related technical field

Tools

Rockwell Automation

Emerson DeltaV

Data historians

Job description

At Lilly, the work is demanding because patients are waiting. We unite caring with discovery to help make life better for people around the world, knowing that every decision, every detail, and every day matters. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, our over 50,000 employees around the globe take on complex challenges to discover and deliver life-changing medicines, strengthen how health is understood and managed, and support the communities we serve. This is hard, urgent, selfless work—but it’s work worth doing. If you’re driven by purpose and ready to bring your best to work that truly matters for patients, we invite you to join us.

Position

The Associate Director – Central Automation Engineering is responsible for the leadership of the Central Automation team supporting daily manufacturing operations at LKC (Lilly Kenosha County), spanning process automation systems, data historians, building management systems, and site infrastructure supporting parenteral filling and packaging lines. The Associate Director is responsible for the productivity and development of employees with the purpose of ensuring that reliable and compliant control applications and systems are used in the manufacturing of drug products at LKC. Additionally, the Associate Director partners to influence and implement within the process control organization and across functional disciplines to support the automation technical agenda, business plan priorities, and compliance objectives, while collaborating closely with Lilly's global automation and IT organizations.

Responsibilities

Administrative Leadership

• Supervise and lead the Central Automation team, including completing performance reviews and development plans
• Staffing, including recruiting, resource planning, and succession planning
• Manage the automation portfolio to deliver team milestones, projects, and lifecycle management commitments
• Review and monitor financial performance; commit to meeting targets
• Manage compliance for infrastructure supporting site automation needs, including data historians, PLCs, HMIs, DCS, and building management systems

Operational Excellence

• Demonstrate a commitment to environmental, health, and safety
• Identify, track, and report key indicators of functional performance
• Ensure team is operating in a state of compliance
• Collaborate with global automation teams and the parenteral network to ensure filling and packaging lines comply with the latest supported software from a cybersecurity and data integrity perspective
• Own and ensure compliance for LKC automation cybersecurity and data integrity

Organizational Capability

• In coordination with automation and compliance consultants, set and reinforce standards for appropriate rigor in automation work products
• Assure focus by engineers and completion of critical assignments with appropriate monitoring and reporting
• Influence the automation functional strategy across the LKC site
• Support day-to-day engineering activities and plan for the 3-6 month horizon
• Be a fully active member of site flow leadership, including participation on management sub-teams
• Interact with regulatory agencies during site inspections as needed

Basic Requirements

• Minimum B.S. in Engineering or related technical field
• Minimum 5 years of experience in automation/process control engineering, preferably in pharmaceutical or parenteral manufacturing
• Previous supervisory experience or demonstrated technical leadership

Additional Preferences

• Experience with highly automated parenteral filling and packaging equipment (e.g., PFS platforms, vial/syringe/cartridge filling lines, device assembly and packaging lines)
• Technical expertise in one or more automation platforms (e.g., Rockwell Automation, Emerson DeltaV, data historians)
• Experience managing relationships with key vendors
• CGMP regulatory knowledge in process or automation engineering
• Established network across Lilly's global automation community
• Strong problem-solving, analytical, and communication skills
• Strong coaching and people development skills

Other Information

• Location: Lilly Kenosha County (LKC), Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin
• Standard business hours (days, M-F) with after-hour and shutdown support as needed
• Minimal travel required
• Tasks require entering manufacturing areas which require wearing appropriate PPE

Lilly is dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities to actively engage in the workforce, ensuring equal opportunities when vying for positions. If you require accommodation to submit a resume for a position at Lilly, please complete the accommodation request form (https://careers.lilly.com/us/en/workplace-accommodation) for further assistance. Please note this is for individuals to request an accommodation as part of the application process and any other correspondence will not receive a response.

Lilly is proud to be an EEO Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender identity, sex, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.

Our employee resource groups (ERGs) offer strong support networks for their members and are open to all employees. Our current groups include: Africa, Middle East, Central Asia (AMECA), Black Employees at Lilly (BE@Lilly), Chinese Culture Network (CCN), EnAble, Evolve, Lilly Indian Network (LIN), Organization of Latinx at Lilly (OLA), Pride (LGBTQ+ Allies), Veterans Leadership Network (VLN) and Women’s Initiative for Leading at Lilly (WILL).

Actual compensation will depend on a candidate’s education, experience, skills, and geographic location. The anticipated wage for this position is

$123,000 - $180,400

Full-time equivalent employees also will be eligible for a company bonus (depending, in part, on company and individual performance). In addition, Lilly offers a comprehensive benefit program to eligible employees, including eligibility to participate in a company-sponsored 401(k); pension; vacation benefits; eligibility for medical, dental, vision and prescription drug benefits; flexible benefits (e.g., healthcare and/or dependent day care flexible spending accounts); life insurance and death benefits; certain time off and leave of absence benefits; and well-being benefits (e.g., employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs and activities).Lilly reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion and Lilly’s compensation practices and guidelines will apply regarding the details of any promotion or transfer of Lilly employees.

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