Digital Automation Staff Engineer

Thermo Fisher Scientific • Carlsbad, CA

10h

About The Position

Thermo Fisher Scientific is seeking a hands-on Digital Automation Staff Engineer to join the Life Sciences Group (LSG) Advanced Engineering team and help build an operations-led automation acceleration capability. The role involves personally building and deploying custom manufacturing software and configuring, integrating, and deploying off-the-shelf solutions across global sites. The work is intended to deliver reusable digital capabilities that reduce operator, quality, and administrative burden.

The position partners with site Operations and process owners to select projects, align workflows before digitization, and define user requirements, acceptance criteria, measurable benefits, and deployment readiness. It designs, codes, tests, and deploys manufacturing applications, reusable services, data pipelines, and user interfaces, including modular capabilities such as digital tier management, electronic work instructions, traceability, and selected MES or electronic batch record functions. The engineer evaluates and integrates software solutions, owns technical integration with equipment and enterprise systems, and collaborates with Factory Automation Engineers and IT.

The role builds secure, supportable solutions; embeds Quality and validation throughout development and release; leads pilot releases, production deployment, troubleshooting, and user training; and establishes source control, release procedures, documentation, and support ownership. It also assesses existing digital assets for reuse, develops reusable modules and reference architectures, measures deployment and manufacturing outcomes, mentors site teams, and improves cross-site deployment playbooks. Candidates near Thermo Fisher facilities in Frederick, Maryland; Austin, Texas; Carlsbad, California; Pleasanton, California; Eugene, Oregon; or Rockford, Illinois are preferred. Remote candidates will also be considered.

Requirements

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Software, Computer, Electrical, Industrial, or Systems Engineering, or equivalent qualified experience.
• At least 7 years in software, digital, or automation engineering, including hands-on custom development and off-the-shelf platform configuration and integration through manufacturing deployment, adoption, and support.
• Strong software engineering skills in modular design, APIs, version control, automated testing, deployment, monitoring, and production troubleshooting.
• Working knowledge of manufacturing workflows, MES/EBR concepts, structured data models, contextualization, and shop-floor/enterprise integration.
• Ability to make sound build/reuse/buy decisions and translate process needs into usable solutions.
• Ability to communicate with operators, engineering, Quality, and IT, including during on-site deployment support.
• Hands-on application development experience with Python, C#, or JavaScript/TypeScript, plus SQL and APIs.
• Hands-on experience with off-the-shelf manufacturing platforms, workflow configuration, extensions, and integration with existing systems.
• Hands-on experience with industrial data brokers, OPC UA, MQTT, unified namespace (UNS), and edge/cloud integration.
• Hands-on experience with user acceptance testing, risk-based validation, access controls, required audit trails, and controlled releases.

Nice To Haves

• At least 2 years supporting multiple sites, preferably in life sciences, biotechnology, medical devices, or another regulated manufacturing environment.

Responsibilities

• Partner with site Operations and process owners to select lighthouse projects, align workflows, and define user requirements, acceptance criteria, benefits, and site readiness.
• Design, code, test, and deploy custom manufacturing applications, reusable services, data pipelines, and user interfaces.
• Deliver modular digital capabilities, including digital tier management, electronic work instructions, traceability, and selected MES or electronic batch record functions.
• Evaluate, configure, extend, and integrate off-the-shelf manufacturing software; decide whether to reuse, build, buy, or outsource based on fit, cost, compliance, supportability, and value.
• Own technical integration with equipment, manufacturing systems, ERP, and other enterprise systems of record.
• Partner with Factory Automation Engineers on equipment connectivity, data definitions, and dependable interfaces; work with IT on approved infrastructure, identity, networking, cybersecurity, enterprise integration, and architecture.
• Build secure, supportable solutions with appropriate access controls, monitoring, backup, recovery, and data integrity.
• Embed Quality and validation from requirements through release; develop risk-based testing and validation evidence, execute site user acceptance testing, and manage controlled changes while preserving independent approval responsibilities.
• Lead pilot releases, production deployment, troubleshooting, and user training.
• Establish source control, release procedures, documentation, and support ownership; iterate based on operator feedback and expand solutions after adoption and supportability are proven.
• Assess existing digital assets for reuse and co-development and transfer knowledge for local support.
• Build reusable modules and reference architectures; collaborate with IT on approved AI and software tools, reviewing and testing generated code.
• Measure deployment time, lifecycle cost, adoption, reliability, and manufacturing outcomes against baselines.
• Share demonstrated wins, mentor site teams, and improve reusable products and cross-site deployment playbooks using lessons learned.

Benefits

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Health incentive programs
• Employee assistance and family support programs
• Commuter benefits
• Tuition reimbursement
• At least 120 hours of paid time off
• 10 paid holidays annually
• Paid parental leave, including 3 weeks for bonding and 8 weeks for caregiver leave
• Accident and life insurance
• Short- and long-term disability
• 401(k) retirement savings plan
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP), with eligible employees able to purchase company stock at a discount
• Variable annual bonus may be available based on company, team, and/or individual performance results

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior