Automation Engineering Technician (2nd Shift)

GSK; Zebulon (NC); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

GSK in Zebulon, NC is seeking an experienced technician to design and improve control systems for manufacturing equipment. This role requires close collaboration with various teams and values hands-on problem solving.

The ideal candidate will have significant experience in industrial control systems, strong communication skills, and an associate degree or equivalent experience. The position is entirely onsite, with a focus on maintaining safety and quality standards.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of hands-on experience with industrial control systems.
• Experience with instrumentation, sensors, and control loop tuning.
• Ability to learn quickly and adapt to rapid changes in technology.

Responsibilities

• Provide on-floor production support to resolve equipment issues.
• Develop and implement equipment improvements.
• Support continuous evaluation of maintenance strategies.

Skills

PLC programming

Instrumentation and control systems

Problem solving

Teamwork

Communication skills

Education

Associate degree in controls, instrumentation, or electrical

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Tools

SAP

Windows Active Directory

Job description

Position Summary

You will design, maintain and improve control and instrumentation systems for manufacturing equipment. You will work closely with production, maintenance, automation and engineering teams. We value hands‑on problem solving, clear communication and a focus on safety and quality. This role offers technical growth, exposure to modern manufacturing systems, and the chance to support work that helps get ahead of disease together.

Responsibilities

• Provide daily on‑floor production support to value stream areas experiencing engineering/automation or instrumentation and controls equipment issues or failure.
• Work with maintenance, engineering and production staff in developing and implementing a variety of equipment improvements, primarily in the areas of OEE, reliability engineering, safety, or process and/or quality improvements.
• Work with maintenance staff in continuously evaluating corrective, preventative and predictive maintenance strategies on production equipment and systems by participation in continuous improvement projects.
• Develop technical documentation including e-pips, Change Control Request, technical specifications, training documents, etc as directed by maintenance supervisor.
• Provide mentoring and support to maintenance staff as required.
• Support capability development of engineering techs (ET) by participating in skills assessments and training sessions.

Work Type

This role is site based and requires 100% on site activities. 2nd shift Monday through Friday.

Basic Qualification

• Associate degree, technical certificate, or equivalent experience in controls, instrumentation, electrical or related field.
• 3+ years hands‑on experience with industrial control systems, including PLC programming.
• Experience with instrumentation, sensors, actuators and control loop tuning.
• Experience supporting commissioning, start‑up or validation activities in a regulated environment.
• Experience using maintenance or enterprise systems (for example SAP) to document work and parts.

Preferred Qualification

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or related discipline.
• Technical expertise in P&ID nomenclature, instrumentation and electrical wiring diagrams.
• Proficient in SAP (work orders, history, maintenance plans).
• Good knowledge of cGMPs, and experience in an FDA regulated environment.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Bachelor's in science in Engineering.
• Experience within Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, Civil/Structural, Instrumentation & Controls.
• Technical knowledge of this technology and ability to problem solve.
• Works well on team, flexibility, time management, task prioritization, strong communication skills, self‑motivated.
• Ability to learn quickly, think creatively and apply new skills given rapid change in technology.
• Knowledge of industrial communication protocols (Modbus, Ethernet/IP, DeviceNet, ControlNet, BACnet, OPC UC, etc.).
• Experience with software such as Kepware, Wireshark, Patch Manager, Service Now, Panorama, Tenable.IO, VMware, ESXi host management and familiar with Nutanix or other hyperconverged environments.
• Experience administering Windows Active Directory, Network Services (IP, DHCP, DNS and WINS), group management.
• Experience with serialization systems; experience with MES solutions; experience with laboratory automation; experience with databases.
• Experience working in a regulated/GMP environment.
• Experience working onsite with local teams and remotely with global teams.
• Knowledge of industrial cybersecurity standards.
• Availability for on‑call as required.

Equal Opportunity Employer

GSK is an Equal Opportunity Employer. This ensures that all qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), military service or any basis prohibited under federal, state or local law.