Senior Automation Engineer

Zoetis Spain SL; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Zoetis, the world leader in animal health, seeks a Senior Staff Engineer-Automation for its Lithia Springs, GA site. You will manage on-site industrial controls systems, including BMS, PMS, EMS, PCS, and IT/OT architecture, ensuring GMP compliance and Zoetis standards.

Responsibilities include architecture design, life-cycle management, vendor coordination, and training program development to uplift team capabilities and operations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical, chemical, automation engineering or related field.
• 6 years managing automation systems experience, especially in pharma/biotech.

Responsibilities

• Gatekeep system architecture standards and support installation of instrumentation and control systems.
• Maintain Automation master plan for the site.
• Manage lifecycle and change control for automation systems.
• Provide maintenance support for instruments and control systems.
• Develop training programs for instrumentation and control systems.
• Manage vendor and consultant contracts with technical specifications.
• Interface with users and management to ensure standards compliance.
• Provide technical expertise during regulatory audits and SOPs.

Skills

PLC programming

SCADA systems

DCS

Instrumentation

Automation engineering

Communication

IT/OT concepts

Project management

English proficiency

Education

Bachelor's degree in electrical/automation engineering

Tools

ISA-88

ISA-95

GAMP

Job description

What’s it like to work for Zoetis, the world leader in animal health? Zoetis means something a little different to every colleague, but at our core, our purpose ‘to nurture the world and humankind by advancing care for animals,’ is what unites us in all our roles. We’re a global animal health company dedicated to serving veterinarians, livestock producers and people who raise and care for farm and companion animals in more than 100 countries. And we’re excited to become a part of the Douglasville, GA, community as we build our newest manufacturing facility to support our growing monoclonal antibody and vaccine portfolios.

Position Summary:

We are seeking an experienced and dynamic Senior Staff Engineer-Automation to support the management of all on-site industrial controls systems BMS, PMS, EMS and PCS infrastructure and RLAN IT/OT architecture, both new and existing. The successful candidate will play a critical role in the development, implementation, and maintenance of instrumentation and control systems, ensuring compliance with Zoetis standards, GMP, and non-GMP requirements.

Position Responsibilities:

• Gatekeep standards for new system architecture design, and support the installation of instrumentation and control systems, including building automation systems, data systems, process control, DCS, and utility PLCs in harmony with Zoetis standards.
• Support maintaining Automation master plan for the entire site to manage and support Automation base.
• Support managing the life cycle and change control process for all automation control systems at the site to ensure compliance and operational efficiency.
• Provide support to maintenance teams for troubleshooting instruments and control systems.
• Develop training programs for instrumentation and control systems to enhance the skills of the team.
• Support managing vendors and consultants, ensuring that contracts contain appropriate technical specifications and are delivered according to requirements.
• Stay abreast of developments in instrumentation and control technology and standards, applying relevant advancements to enhance operations.
• Interface with users, peers, and management to ensure appropriate input and integration of local and corporate standards.
• Provide technical expertise during regulatory audits to ensure compliance with industry standards.
• Author, review, revise, or approve Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) as required.
• Support the entire implementation of essential automation infrastructure from conception to completion.
• Provide support for Factory Acceptance Test and Site Acceptance Test for all automation.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, chemical engineering, automation engineering, or a related field is required. Advanced technical degrees will be considered a plus.
• 6 years managing automation systems experience in automation engineering, particularly in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology sectors is required.

Technical Skills and Competence Required:

• Demonstrated experience in the design, implementation, and maintenance of automation systems within a GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) environment.
• Proficiency in PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) programming, SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) systems, DCS (Distributed Control System), and other automation technologies.
• Knowledge of industry standards such as ISA-88, ISA-95, and GAMP (Good Automated Manufacturing Practice).
• Familiarity with regulatory requirements, including FDA regulations, cGMP (current Good Manufacturing Practice), and other relevant guidelines governing the pharmaceutical industry.
• Technical Experience leading and managing automation projects from concept through commissioning, ensuring adherence to project timelines and budgets.
• Understanding of equipment and system validation processes, including IQ (Installation Qualification), OQ (Operational Qualification), and PQ (Performance Qualification).
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, as Senior Automation Engineers often collaborate with cross‑functional teams, vendors, and management.
• Ability to troubleshoot complex automation issues, identify root causes, and implement effective solutions.
• Basic understanding of IT/OT (Information Technology/Operational Technology) digital concepts, with the ability to integrate automation systems EMS, DCS, PCS and BMS into broader digital frameworks.
• Life-cycle management of Automation Systems.
• Efficient Project Management skills.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills for concise and practical presentations.
• Implementation, testing, and qualification of automation for large‑scale projects.
• Proficiency in English, both written and oral.
• Computer proficiency with email; internet/online training; working knowledge of Microsoft Office, including Word and Excel; familiarity with manufacturing software programs.
• Demonstrated commitment to achieving business results in a manner consistent with Zoetis Core Beliefs and Mission Elements.

Physical Position Requirements

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a colleague encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Candidate position is site based in Lithia Springs GA (Atlanta). Must be able to sit, walk or stand for long periods of time. Repetitive motions and substantial movement of the wrist, hands, and fingers. Must be able to reach above shoulder level, bend/stoop, kneel, push/pull, and handle/grip frequently. Must be able to work scheduled 40 hours with the ability to work overtime as needed. General work hours are from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm in an office setting. Must be able to lift and carry up to 25 lbs. Use of necessary personal protective equipment is also required. Full time Regular Colleague Any unsolicited resumes sent to Zoetis from a third party, such as an Agency recruiter, including unsolicited resumes sent to a Zoetis mailing address, fax machine or email address, directly to Zoetis employees, or to Zoetis resume database will be considered Zoetis property. Zoetis will NOT pay a fee for any placement resulting from the receipt of an unsolicited resume. Zoetis will consider any candidate for whom an Agency has submitted an unsolicited resume to have been referred by the Agency free of any charges or fees. This includes any Agency that is an approved/engaged vendor but does not have the appropriate approvals to be engaged on a search.

Notice: Zoetis Recruiters will contact candidates via email from an address ending in @zoetis.com and may also initially connect with candidates through LinkedIn, including LinkedIn InMail. Zoetis does not use Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, or other web‑based/generic email domains to communicate about job opportunities, interviews, or offers of employment. If you receive a recruitment‑related email message claiming to be from Zoetis that does not come from @zoetis.com, please treat it as suspicious. For your security, do not reply, click links, open attachments, share personal or financial information, or send money in response to unexpected or questionable recruitment communications.

Zoetis is committed to equal opportunity in the terms and conditions of employment for all employees and job applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, gender identity or gender expression, national origin, disability or veteran status or any other protected classification. Disabled individuals are given an equal opportunity to use our online application system. We offer reasonable accommodations as an alternative if requested by an individual with a disability. Please contact Zoetis Colleague Services at [e-mail] to request an accommodation. Zoetis also complies with all applicable national, state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment as well as employment eligibility verification requirements of the Immigration and Nationality Act. All applicants must possess or obtain authorization to work in the US for Zoetis. Zoetis retains sole and exclusive discretion to pursue sponsorship for the acquisition or maintenance of nonimmigrant status and employment eligibility, considering factors such as availability of qualified US workers. Individuals requiring sponsorship must disclose this fact. Please note that Zoetis seeks information related to job applications from candidates for jobs in the U.S. solely via the following: (1) our company website at www.Zoetis.com/careers site, or (2) via email to/from addresses using only the Zoetis domain of “@zoetis.com”. In addition, Zoetis does not use Google Hangout for any recruitment related activities. Any solicitation or request for information related to job applications with Zoetis via any other means and/or utilizing email addresses with any other domain should be disregarded. In addition, Zoetis will never ask candidates to make any type of personal financial investment related to gaining employment with Zoetis.

At Zoetis, our purpose is to nurture our world and humankind by advancing care for animals. As a Fortune 500 company and the world leader in animal health, we discover, develop, manufacture and commercialize vaccines, medicines, diagnostics and other technologies for companion animals and livestock. We know our people drive our success. Our award‑winning culture, built around our Core Beliefs, focuses on our colleagues’ careers, connection and support. We offer competitive healthcare and retirement savings benefits, along with an array of benefits, policies and programs to support employee well‑being in every sense, from health and financial wellness to family and lifestyle resources.