Lead Automation Engineer – Manufacturing & OT

Perrigo; New York (NY); On-site; USD 130,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Perrigo is seeking an experienced Automation Engineer at our Bronx site to lead a skilled automation team, own manufacturing automation systems, and drive reliability improvements. You’ll direct PLC/SCADA/HMI projects, collaborate with cross-functional teams, ensure regulatory compliance, and contribute to digital transformation efforts.

This role emphasizes leadership, problem solving, and continuous improvement in a fast-paced, FDA-regulated environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Automation Engineering, Controls Engineering, or related technical discipline.
• 7-10 years of automation, controls, or manufacturing systems experience.
• Previous supervisory, team lead, or people management experience.
• Strong experience with Allen-Bradley/Rockwell PLCs, HMIs, industrial networks, and automated manufacturing systems.
• Experience leading troubleshooting and reliability improvement efforts.
• Experience working within an FDA-regulated or cGMP manufacturing environment.
• Strong communication, leadership, and project management skills.

Responsibilities

• Directly supervise and develop Automation team.
• Establish priorities and allocate automation resources to support production and site objectives.
• Provide coaching, mentoring, training, and performance management for automation personnel.
• Develop technical competency and succession plans for automation team members.
• Manage automation contractors, system integrators, and external service providers.
• Establish and enforce site automation standards and best practices.
• Serve as the site owner for manufacturing and packaging automation systems.
• Support PLC, HMI, SCADA, BMS, vision, serialization, aggregation, and data collection systems.
• Develop and maintain automation standards across the site.
• Maintain backups, disaster recovery plans, and lifecycle management of automation systems.
• Ensure automation systems remain compliant with cGMP, FDA, and data integrity requirements.
• Participate in change control activities.
• Author or review automation-related validation documentation.
• Support IQ/OQ/PQ activities as needed.
• Ensure systems comply with FDA, cGMP, and data integrity expectations.
• Support audit and regulatory inspections.
• Lead and support the Automation portion of the site capital plan, including scope development, budget input, prioritization, and execution support.
• Support equipment upgrades, new product launches, and process improvements.
• Develop modernization roadmaps for obsolete PLCs, HMIs, drives, and control systems.
• Identify opportunities for automation enhancements that improve efficiency, quality, safety, and reliability.
• Support implementation of predictive monitoring and condition-based technologies.
• Support digital transformation initiatives such as RedZone, electronic batch records/cards, POMS, MES, data collection tools, and other manufacturing technology platforms.
• Identify and develop automation and digital improvement opportunities that improve efficiency, quality, compliance, data visibility, and equipment reliability.
• Maintain industrial control networks and communications infrastructure.
• Support managed switches, Ethernet/IP, Modbus, serial communications, and wireless automation devices.
• Partner with Corporate IT on cybersecurity and network architecture initiatives.
• Troubleshoot connectivity between automation systems and enterprise systems.
• Serve as the site point of support for OT systems, including equipment connectivity, automation network infrastructure, data interfaces, and manufacturing system integrations.
• Partner with Corporate IT on OT cybersecurity, network architecture, system access, hardware lifecycle, and technology standards.
• Participate in validation & compliance activities.

Skills

Leadership

Troubleshooting

Project management

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering / Automation Engineering / Controls Engineering / Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Allen-Bradley PLCs

Rockwell HMIs

Industrial networks

Job description

Perrigo is seeking an experienced Automation Engineer at our Bronx site to lead a skilled automation team, own manufacturing automation systems, and drive reliability improvements. You’ll direct PLC/SCADA/HMI projects, collaborate with cross-functional teams, ensure regulatory compliance, and contribute to digital transformation efforts.

This role emphasizes leadership, problem solving, and continuous improvement in a fast-paced, FDA-regulated environment.