Sr. Principal Process Engineer

Baxter International Inc.; Round Lake (IL); On-site; USD 128,000 - 176,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

US Benefits

Job summary

Baxter International Inc. is seeking an experienced engineer to support process and automation improvements at a manufacturing site.

You will collaborate with Manufacturing, Operational Excellence, and Quality to drive performance, reliability, and efficiency across production equipment in line with Engineering and Quality standards. Responsibilities include enhancing control systems, applying Lean and Six Sigma, leading change controls, developing SOPs, and guiding cross‑functional teams on

Qualifications

• Requires a Bachelor's degree in Engineering.
• 8+ years of relevant manufacturing engineering experience.
• Onsite, full‑time role with less than 10% travel.
• Strong understanding of regulatory compliance, safety standards, and validation practices.
• Automation platforms experience and Industry 4.0 technologies.

Responsibilities

• Support daily operations by improving control systems and equipment reliability.
• Develop and implement improvement strategies aligned with site priorities.
• Troubleshoot and optimize automated equipment to boost throughput and uptime.
• Map process flows and critical control points for data‑driven decisions.
• Advance digital transformation through automation and data integration.
• Lead or support root‑cause analysis and problem solving.
• Develop and update SOPs and work instructions.
• Lead NCR/CAPA investigations and drive corrective actions.

Skills

Automation platforms

Industry 4.0

Lean Six Sigma

Troubleshooting

Cross-functional

Regulatory compliance

Motion control

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Tools

Serialization

SCADA

VFDs

Job description

At Baxter, we believe every person—regardless of who they are or where they are from—deserves a chance to live a healthy life. It was our founding belief in 1931 and continues to be our guiding principle. We are redefining healthcare delivery to make a greater impact today, tomorrow, and beyond.

Our Baxter colleagues are united by our Mission to Save and Sustain Lives. Together, our community is driven by a culture of courage, trust, and collaboration. Every individual is empowered to take ownership and make a meaningful impact.

Your role at Baxter

In this role, you will support process and automation improvements within a manufacturing site. You will collaborate with Manufacturing, Operational Excellence, and Quality to drive improved performance of production equipment. You will be responsible for delivering equipment that supports process reliability, Industry 4.0 initiatives, and plant‑wide efficiency, while ensuring process design and operation consistently meet Engineering and Quality standards.

What you’ll be doing

• Support daily operations by improving control systems, addressing obsolescence, and increasing equipment reliability.
• Develop and implement improvement strategies aligned with site priorities and long‑term business objectives.
• Troubleshoot and optimize automated equipment to boost throughput, uptime, and repeatability.
• Map process flows and critical control points to enable data‑driven decision‑making.
• Advance digital transformation through automation, data integration, and Industry 4.0 technologies.
• Use Lean, Six Sigma, and statistical tools to remove bottlenecks and enhance process capability.
• Lead or support root‑cause analysis and problem‑solving for project‑specific challenges.
• Execute continuous improvement initiatives focused on safety, quality, and operational efficiency.
• Develop and update SOPs, protocols, and work instructions to align with process and equipment changes.
• Lead NCR/CAPA investigations and drive effective corrective and preventive actions.
• Manage change controls for equipment and process modifications.
• Deliver training and provide ongoing technical support to production teams.
• Act as an SME for equipment troubleshooting and process performance improvements.
• Guide cross‑functional teams and vendors while providing technical leadership on complex engineering initiatives.
• Provide direct oversight of employees.

What you’ll bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Chemical, or related field preferred).
• Must not be allergic to Penicillin/Cephalosporin.
• 8+ years of relevant engineering experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Onsite, full‑time role with less than 10% travel.
• Strong understanding of regulatory compliance, safety standards, and validation practices.
• Demonstrated success with automation platforms, including optimizing automated systems for high reliability, minimal operator intervention, and stable performance across varying production conditions.
• Proven ability to reduce human error by simplifying interfaces, designing fail‑safes (poka‑yoke), and creating processes that naturally guide correct actions.
• Experience improving alarm nuance alerts by eliminating nuisance alerts, prioritizing actionable alarms, and using data to enhance operator response and situational awareness.
• Strong technical capability across motion control, VFDs, pneumatics/hydraulics, plus mechanical aptitude; experience with Serialization and SCADA is a plus.
• Experience applying structured risk‑reduction tools (FMEA, failure‑mode prevention), Industry 4.0 technologies (AI vision, robotics), and methodologies like Six Sigma, DFSS, and VOC.

We understand compensation is an important factor as you consider the next step in your career. The estimated base salary for this position is $128,000 - $176,000 annually. The range is intended to reflect an anticipated salary range for the position. Pay may differ based on market data, location, skills, experience, and other factors. This position may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses. For more information, please speak to the recruiter if you are selected for an interview.

Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.

US Benefits at Baxter (except for Puerto Rico)

Baxter offers comprehensive compensation and benefits packages for eligible roles, including medical and dental coverage starting day one, basic life, accident, short‑term and long‑term disability, and business travel accident insurance. Financial and retirement benefits include an Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) and a 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan (RSP) with employee contributions and company matching. Additional benefits include Flexible Spending Accounts, educational assistance programs, paid holidays, paid time off ranging from 20 to 35 days based on length of service, family and medical leaves of absence, paid parental leave, commuting benefits, an Employee Discount Program, an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and childcare benefits.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Baxter is an equal‑opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, disability/handicap status or any other legally protected characteristic.

Reasonable Accommodations

Baxter is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities globally. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need an accommodation for any part of the application or interview process, please let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.

Recruitment Fraud Notice

Baxter has discovered incidents of employment scams, where fraudulent parties pose as Baxter employees, recruiters, or other agents, and engage with online job seekers in an attempt to steal personal and/or financial information. To learn how you can protect yourself, review our Recruitment Fraud Notice.