Director, Automation

AbbVie; North Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 160,500 - 305,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/dental/vision insurance

401(k) retirement plan

Paid time off including vacation and holidays

Job summary

A leading pharmaceutical firm in North Chicago is seeking a Director of Automation to provide owner-side leadership for automation architecture and digital systems supporting capital projects exceeding $2B. This role will oversee the design and implementation of automation systems, ensuring compliance with regulatory and data integrity requirements. The ideal candidate will have 15+ years of industry experience, strong leadership capabilities, and proficiency in managing large-scale automation projects. This position offers a competitive salary package and comprehensive benefits.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in biopharmaceuticals as a process lead.
• Proven experience in managing Engineering contractors.
• Ability to mentor the next generation of leaders.

Responsibilities

• Define automation architecture and digital strategy.
• Oversee automation systems' design and implementation.
• Ensure compliance with data integrity and regulatory requirements.
• Monitor project budgets and timelines.

Skills

Leadership in automation projects

Expertise in process control systems

Project management

Cross-functional team management

Negotiation skills

Education

BS in Engineering or equivalent technical degree

Master’s degree in Engineering preferred

Tools

Distributed Control Systems (DCS)

PLC-based control systems

Batch automation systems

SCADA

Job description

• Compensation: USD 160,500 - USD 305,000 - yearly

Job Description

Purpose:

The Director of Automation provides owner-side leadership for automation architecture, process control systems, and digital infrastructure supporting pharmaceutical manufacturing capital projects of total value > $2B. The role serves as the Design Authority for automation and digital systems, ensuring manufacturing control systems, data infrastructure, and digital platforms are designed to meet operational, regulatory, and data integrity requirements. This position ensures effective integration of process automation, facility control systems, and enterprise digital platforms supporting modern pharmaceutical manufacturing. The incumbent is responsible for ensuring that the automation systems are designed, integrated, and implemented in alignment with corporate engineering standards, regulatory expectations, and operational requirements. This role provides technical oversight of specialist contractor engineering activities and ensures that core automation engineering deliverables meet the technical, safety, and operational standards required for pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities. This role shall also ensure effective integration of process design with utilities, automation, commissioning, qualification, and operational readiness activities. The role also supports integration of technology with AI and digital innovation teams such as the Factory of the Future. The incumbent will report to Director, Engineering in the Operations Transformation organization.

Responsibilities:

• Serve as the owner’s senior automation and digital systems leader.
• Define the automation architecture and digital strategy for the project.
• Lead the owner’s automation engineering team.
• Provide oversight for design and implementation of Distributed Control Systems (DCS), PLC-based equipment control systems, Batch automation systems, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), Process control strategies.
• Provide oversight into the design and implementation of environmental monitoring systems and Building automation systems.
• Ensure automation supports reliable manufacturing operations and regulatory compliance.
• Ensure compliance with data integrity and regulatory requirements.
• Oversee development of control narratives and cause-and-effect diagrams.
• Ensure integration between automation systems, equipment vendors, and process control systems.
• Ensure automation supports process control, safety interlocks, and operational efficiency.
• Ensure automation systems comply with corporate cybersecurity and GxP data integrity requirements.
• Implement secure and reliable automation architectures.
• Support automation system testing and commissioning including system integration testing and operational readiness. Ensure automation systems support CQV activities.
• Drive transformation across all phases of the projects to deliver best-in-class technology, efficiency in execution to reduce the overall project line up to 20% from the baseline, introduce AI and digitalization in various aspects of project management and development.
• Monitor and control the cost and schedule of automation vendor driven programs including hardware and software to ensure adherence to project budgets and timeline.

Qualifications

• BS, in Engineering or equivalent technical degree; Master’s degree in Engineering preferred.
• 15+ years of experience as a process lead across multiple platforms and industries but with considerable portion of it in biopharmaceuticals.
• Proven leadership experience in automation projects to support mega-capital projects ($500MM – $1B+).
• Deep knowledge of automation systems, codes and architecture.
• Proven inclusive management and leadership capabilities of large cross-functional teams and the ability to effectively interact and communicate with senior leadership and executives from strategic partners and authorities.
• Demonstrated experience managing Engineering contractors and global equipment vendors.
• Results-oriented leadership with outstanding negotiation skills and risk-based decision making is required.
• Ability to mentor and develop next generation of leaders.
• Travel within the US and outside the US for reviews/workshops/visits to vendor facilities will be required.

Key Stakeholders: ME&C, PDS&T, R&D, Procurement, Global Engineering, EHS, Facilities, AI and Digital Transformation,

Additional Information

Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law:

• The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.
• We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.
• This job is eligible to participate in our long-term incentive programs.

Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company’s sole and absolute discretion until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law.

AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.

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