Reliability and Automation Lead

Becton Dickinson; El Paso (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Becton, Dickinson, and Company in United States (TX, El Paso) seeks a Reliability and Automation Lead to drive asset reliability, safety, and lifecycle performance. You will lead controls, automation, and maintenance strategy, guiding a multidisciplinary team to reduce downtime and improve OEE across the site.

The role partners with Operations, PM, Product Lines, Quality and IT/OT to deploy CBM tools, standardize automation assets, and support digitalization initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required in Engineering, Science, Automation, Industrial Management, or related field.
• 5+ years in a highly automated manufacturing environment.
• 3+ years of technical people leadership preferred.
• Knowledge of safety standards, quality systems, and continuous improvement methods.

Responsibilities

• Safety, Behavior & Compliance Champion with zero harm culture and EHS compliance.
• Develop and execute a site-wide Reliability-Centered Maintenance strategy with KPI ownership.
• Own the Automation Master Plan, standards for PLCs, HMIs, SCADA, and cybersecurity posture.
• Provide escalation support for high-complexity automation and equipment failures.
• Lead automation, reliability, and electrical projects with safety, scope, timing and cost adherence.
• Build a high-performing team through coaching, training paths and succession plans.
• Drive continuous improvement programs to reduce downtime and maintenance cost.
• Maintain audit-ready documentation and support audits with evidence.
• Collaborate with Operations, PM, Product Lines, Engineering, and IT/OT stakeholders.

Skills

Advanced troubleshooting

Problem-solving

Automation & controls

Machine design

Reliability engineering

Maintenance systems

Leadership & coaching

Communication & decision-making

Project management & financial acumen

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field

Master's degree preferred

Job description

We are the people who give possibilities purpose BD is one of the largest global medical technology companies in the world. Advancing the world of health™ is our Purpose, and it’s no small feat. It takes the imagination and passion of all of us—from design and engineering to the manufacturing and marketing of our billions of MedTech products per year—to look at the impossible and find transformative solutions that turn dreams into possibilities.

Job Description The Reliability and Automation Lead is accountable for achieving high asset reliability, availability, safety, and lifecycle performance at optimal cost across the site. This role provides strategic and operational leadership for controls and automation systems, reliability engineering, machine design support, and maintenance strategy, including oversight of the tool room and critical spares. The position leads a multidisciplinary team of Controls & Automation Engineers, Reliability Engineers, Vision & Controls Technicians, Machine Designers, and Hourly Technical Associates. By partnering closely with Operations, Product Lines, Preventive Maintenance (PM), Engineering, Quality, EHS, IT/OT, and Finance, the leader ensures reliability‑centered maintenance strategies are deployed, repetitive breakdowns are eliminated, and continuous improvement initiatives deliver measurable gains in OEE, MTTR, MTBF, cost, and safety performance.

Key Responsibilities

1. 1. Safety, Behavior & Compliance Champion a Zero Harm safety culture, ensuring compliance with all site, corporate, and regulatory EHS requirements. Enforce LOTO, electrical safety, machine guarding, ergonomic risk mitigation, and risk‑assessment processes. Conduct safety walks, audits, coaching, and hazard reviews with timely corrective actions. Ensure compliance with quality systems, engineering standards, cybersecurity requirements, and documentation controls.
2. 2. Asset Reliability & Maintenance Strategy Lead development and execution of a site‑wide Reliability‑Centered Maintenance (RCM) strategy aligned with equipment classification and maintenance budget. Own reliability KPIs including MTTR, MTBF, OEE, failure trends, maintenance cost, and asset lifecycle health. Identify weak components and chronic losses; lead structured root‑cause analysis and permanent corrective actions. Coordinate deployment of Condition‑Based Maintenance (CBM) tools and predictive technologies. Drive spare parts optimization, risk‑based spares strategies, and cost reduction initiatives.
3. 3. Controls & Automation Strategy & Governance Own the Automation Master Plan, including modernization, obsolescence management, and standardization. Establish and enforce standards for PLCs, HMIs, SCADA, safety systems, motion/drives, robotics, vision systems, instrumentation, and industrial networks. Govern version control, backups, disaster recovery, access management, and OT cybersecurity posture. Ensure availability, reliability, and maintainability of both legacy and new automation assets.
4. 4. Troubleshooting & Operational Support Provide escalation support for high‑complexity automation and equipment failures. Partner with PM, Product Line, and Operations teams during startups, changeovers, shutdowns, and recovery events. Coach teams in structured troubleshooting and reliability tools to build long‑term capability.
5. 5. Projects, Capital Integration & Digitalization Lead and govern small‑to‑medium automation, reliability, and electrical projects, ensuring safety, scope, quality, schedule, and cost adherence. Oversee I/O lists, cause‑and‑effect matrices, panel designs, FAT/SAT, validation plans, and commissioning activities. Ensure Management of Change (MOC), training, documentation updates, and handover requirements are completed. Support digitalization initiatives including MES, historian integration, connectivity, and data‑driven decision making.
6. 6. Team Leadership & Capability Development Build and sustain a high‑performing technical organization across reliability, controls, automation, and machine design. Provide servant leadership, coaching, and mentorship to exempt and hourly associates. Develop technical training paths, standard work, OPLs, and succession plans. Manage priorities, resource allocation, and on‑call or 24/7 support structures.
7. 7. Continuous Improvement & Operational Excellence Lead and participate in continuous improvement programs (e.g., Kaizen, TPM, AM/PM pillars, C2W or equivalent). Benchmark performance against internal and external sites and apply best practices. Drive initiatives that reduce downtime, maintenance cost, spare parts consumption, and overall operational risk.
8. 8. Quality, Documentation & Audit Readiness Ensure automation and equipment design support quality‑by‑design principles. Maintain accurate, audit‑ready documentation including manuals, drawings, network maps, maintenance plans, validations, backups, and as‑built packages. Support internal, customer, and regulatory audits with timely actions and evidence.
9. 9. Collaboration & Communication Act as a key integrator across Operations, PM, Product Lines, Engineering, Quality, IT/OT, EHS, Finance, and external partners. Communicate asset health, automation risks, reliability priorities, and project status to site leadership. Manage OEM, vendor, and system integrator relationships to ensure alignment and quality execution.

Education & Experience

Education: Bachelor’s degree required in Engineering, Science, Automation, Industrial Management, or related field Master’s degree preferred

Experience: 5+ years in a highly automated manufacturing environment 3+ years of technical people leadership preferred

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities: Required: Advanced troubleshooting and problem‑solving skills Expertise in automation, controls, machine design, reliability engineering, and maintenance systems Strong leadership, communication, and decision‑making skills Knowledge of safety standards, quality systems, and continuous improvement methods Project management and financial acumen

Why Join Us?

To find purpose in the possibilities, we need people who can see the bigger picture, who understand the human story that underpins everything we do. We welcome people with the imagination and drive to help us reinvent the future of healthcare. At BD, you’ll discover a culture in which you can learn, grow and thrive. We believe that when people connect in person, we learn faster, collaborate more deeply, and build a stronger culture. Join us and enjoy a culture where face‑to‑face collaboration supports your learning, your progress, and your success.

To learn more about BD visit https://bd.com/careers.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Becton, Dickinson, and Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We evaluate applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, marital or domestic or civil union status, familial status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetics, disability, military eligibility or veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics.

Required Skills & Optional Skills

Required Skills Optional Skills . Primary Work Location USA TX - El Paso - Northwestern Dr. Additional Locations Work Shift

Our Mission

We are the #MakersofPossible Working together, we make products that patients, families and their healthcare professionals rely on. We do this because we are committed to advancing the world of health™. But it takes the imagination and passion of all of us at BD, from manufacturing to marketing, to look at the impossible and find solutions that turn dreams into possibilities with real‑life health benefits for people today, tomorrow and beyond. We make this happen, together. We are the makers of possible.

Becton, Dickinson and Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We evaluate applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, marital or domestic or civil union status, familial status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetics, disability, military eligibility or veteran status, and other legally-protected characteristics.