Senior Principal Engineer - Automation Engineering – Process, Lab & Enterprise Systems Integration-Lilly Medicine Foundry

Scorpion Therapeutics; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Scorpion Therapeutics seeks an experienced Automation Engineer to lead and mentor the process control team in support of GMP manufacturing and capital projects. You will collaborate on DeltaV and Rockwell PLC systems, oversee lab analytics integrations, and ensure compliant, validated automation across sites.

The role emphasizes developing control strategies, supporting commissioning and qualification, and driving continuous improvement within a biopharma manufacturing environment.

Qualifications

• B.S. in Engineering or Science; 8+ years automation engineering/biopharma engineering/operations/manufacturing.
• Experience commissioning/qualifying/supporting analytical and automation-controlled lab equipment.

Responsibilities

• Provide automation support for one or more operating areas across site and/or for capital projects; support right-first-time facility startup and ongoing manufacturing operations.
• Ensure reliable and compliant control applications and systems are used in manufacturing; mentor employees and provide technical expertise across process control organization and functional disciplines.
• During project delivery/startup (2025-2029), collaborate to build new organization systems and business processes supporting GMP operations and site culture.
• Support DeltaV- and Rockwell-controlled process PLC equipment for Lab/Admin building and Laboratory analytical systems, including administration/configuration, analytical integration, and recipe setup/maintenance.
• Mentor process control team; implement/coordinate process control work; develop and implement the Automation Engineering Project Plan.

Skills

Automation engineering

Biopharma operations

Lab systems knowledge

Regulatory GMP knowledge

Project collaboration

Education

B.S. in Engineering or Science

Tools

DeltaV

Rockwell PLC

LIMS

MES

ELN

LabVantage

OSI PI

Job description

Responsibilities

• Provide automation support for one or more operating areas across site and/or for capital projects; support right-first-time facility startup and ongoing manufacturing operations.
• Ensure reliable and compliant control applications and systems are used in manufacturing; mentor employees and provide technical expertise across process control organization and functional disciplines.
• During project delivery/startup (2025-2029), collaborate to build new organization systems and business processes supporting GMP operations and site culture.
• Support Foundry DeltaV- and Rockwell-controlled process PLC equipment for Lab/Admin building and Laboratory analytical systems, including administration/configuration, analytical integration, and recipe setup/maintenance.

Key Objectives/Deliverables

• Mentor process control team (design, controls philosophy, implementation, commissioning).
• Implement/coordinate process control work.
• Develop and implement the Automation Engineering Project Plan.

Operational Excellence

• Lead/oversee Site Area leads and System Integrator (functional requirements, design specs, DCS application software, test specs); conduct design reviews and attend FATs.
• Own lab/analytical equipment administration strategy (user access, data management/integration, backup/restore); supervise third-party execution and set configuration standards.
• Partner on Empower, LIMS (LabVantage), MES, and ELN integration touchpoints.
• Lead/mentor analytical systems support engineers; lead automation engineers supporting commissioning; provide project status updates.
• Develop functional requirements/control strategies; perform DCS software design/coding/config/testing; design/tune/troubleshoot control loops; implement/support plant historians.
• Maintain validated state of control systems via validation strategies/documentation; provide automation support for capital projects (new product introductions); promote automation for productivity/efficiency/compliance.

Organizational Capability

• Set standards/rigor for automation work products; plan/prioritize; continuous improvement; influence peers/partners; strong communication.
• Knowledge of GMP, regulatory requirements, and computer system validation.

Basic Requirements

• B.S. in Engineering or Science; 8+ years automation engineering/biopharma engineering/operations/manufacturing; experience with laboratory/analytical systems and system integration.
• Experience commissioning/qualifying/supporting analytical and automation-controlled lab equipment (e.g., UHPLC/chromatography, mass spectrometers, single-use bioreactors, RX-10 controls, Rockwell PLC autoclaves/parts washers).
• Authorized to work in the United States full-time; company does not sponsor visas.

Additional Preferences

• Greenfield automated manufacturing site experience using SCADA/DCS/MES/LIMS/site historian (DeltaV, Rockwell, Syncade, LabVantage, OSI PI).
• Experience facilitating and driving organizational-level decisions.