Automation Engineer

Business Introduction

We manufacture and supply reliable, high-quality medicines and vaccines to meet patients’ needs and drive our performance.

Our network of 37 medicines and vaccines manufacturing sites delivered 1.7 billion packs of medicines and 409 million vaccine doses in 2024 to help make a positive impact on the health of millions of people. Our supply chain is not just core to our operations; it’s vital to bringing our innovations to patients as quickly, efficiently and effectively as possible. Technology is transforming how we manufacture medicines and vaccines, enabling us to increase the speed, quality and scale of product supply.

We need the very best minds and capability to help us on our journey to make more complex products, harnessing the power of smart manufacturing technologies including robotics, digital solutions and artificial intelligence to deliver for patients.

You will execute the major elements of the site Automation Strategy and provide Lead Process Automation expertise (Pharmaceutical Fill/Finish/Packaging) to the Zebulon site within a multi-disciplinary and extended team of Automation, Instrumentation, IT, Control engineers, external contractors and consultants. To successfully deliver compliant (financial, regulatory (e.g. cGMPs), GAMP) instrumentation, automation, business and control systems for new and existing pharmaceutical facilities, Building Management Systems and Environmental Monitoring Systems at Zebulon.

• Maintain a detailed and expert knowledge of current and future automation technologies and be the site expert in a minimum of 3 of the following disciplines:
  Field Instrumentation, PLC, SCADA, Historians, Manufacturing Execution Systems, Virtualization and Integration Technologies – middleware, OPC, XML.
• Responsible for the delivery of high value automation projects to meet business requirements in terms of functionality, cost, quality and time.
• Provide process automation expertise and lead safety assessments where appropriate. Ensure compliance with all roles related GSK policies, procedures and local codes.
• Interface and build robust partnerships with key site functions including Production, Technical, Planning, Engineering and Quality to ensure technology designs deliver agreed benefits. Participate on area extended management teams as necessary and actively manage automation group requests from the business for support or new projects.
• Interface and partner with the GSK community of Shared Services, Centers of Excellence and other sites to contribute, share, and leverage technology and maintain standards as appropriate.
• Ensure performance management systems are in-use (Standard work) to manage individual priorities and responsibilities.
• Deliver measurement and control of Quality Critical Attributes (QCA) and help develop the associated Process Critical Control Points (PCCP) through use of appropriate control systems to ensure predictable and stable process operations.
• Provide training and support for onsite Users / Engineers in Automation technologies and applications.
• Provide subject matter expertise to regulatory inspections and interact with auditors as necessary.

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Instrumentation, Controls, Computer Science, or a related technical field, or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years detailed experience delivering Automation technology within the pharmaceutical industry.
• Experience with hands‑on programming and trouble‑shooting skills for Automation, Instrumentation and IT systems.
• Experience interfacing with operational and senior management within the organization.
• Experience with SCADA, MES integration, or industrial communications (Ethernet/IP, Modbus, OPC).

• Understanding of FDA PAT initiatives and the impact on the Pharma industry.
• Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing experience;
  Black Belt or Green Belt desirable.
• Technical expertise in several scientific and engineering automation areas including ISA standards, P&, instrumentation and electrical wiring diagrams, communication networks, control panels, HMI, MES (Propack, Aspentech), SCADA (RSViewSE,…