Factory Automation Staff Engineer

Thermo Fisher Scientific • Carlsbad, CA

10h • Remote

About The Position

Thermo Fisher Scientific is seeking a hands-on Factory Automation Staff Engineer to join the Life Sciences Group (LSG) Advanced Engineering team and help build an operations-led automation acceleration capability. The engineer will design, prototype, build, integrate, and deploy automated manufacturing equipment across global sites, turning priority manufacturing problems into reusable solutions that improve safety, quality, capacity, and productivity.

The position partners with site Operations, process owners, Quality, Digital Automation Engineers, Group IT, suppliers, OEMs, and engineering teams worldwide. It covers project selection and requirements definition; equipment design and controls development; prototype construction, testing, and commissioning; site installation, acceptance testing, and production ramp-up; risk-based validation and qualification; secure equipment connectivity; and sustainable handover to production. The engineer also develops reusable designs, controls libraries, component standards, and deployment playbooks, measures results against agreed baselines, shares successful solutions, and mentors site engineers.

The role is preferably based near Thermo Fisher facilities in Frederick, Maryland; Austin, Texas; Carlsbad or Pleasanton, California; Eugene, Oregon; or Rockford, Illinois. Remote candidates will also be considered. The standard schedule is Monday through Friday. The office environment requires some degree of personal protective equipment, such as safety glasses, gowning, gloves, lab coats, or ear plugs.

Requirements

• Bachelor's or master's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Mechatronics, Industrial, or Systems Engineering, or equivalent qualified experience.
• At least 7 years of experience in manufacturing automation, including hands-on equipment design, build, controls programming, and integration through commissioning and sustained production.
• Practical expertise in mechanical systems, electrical controls, and equipment integration, including factory-floor troubleshooting using drawings, code, and diagnostic tools.
• Knowledge of machine safety, maintainability, design reviews, root-cause analysis, and risk-based equipment qualification.
• Sound build-versus-buy judgment and ability to provide technical leadership to suppliers.
• Ability to communicate with operators, engineering, Quality, and IT, and to support global on-site builds and deployments.
• Hands-on experience with CAD, fixtures, prototyping, component selection, and mechanical/electrical documentation.
• Hands-on experience with PLC/HMI programming, industrial robots, servo motion, and industrial networks; platforms may include Rockwell, Beckhoff, or Siemens.
• Hands-on experience with machine vision, sensors, pneumatics, and application-specific equipment such as labeling or liquid-handling systems.
• Hands-on experience with equipment acceptance testing, commissioning, fault recovery, and data interfaces such as OPC UA or MQTT.
• Experience with SCADA systems and manufacturing historians, including equipment connectivity, process monitoring, data collection, and troubleshooting.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with a system integrator, OEM, or equipment-development team, particularly developing equipment for life sciences, biotechnology, or medical-device manufacturing.
• Experience supporting multiple sites.
• Familiarity with SCADA and manufacturing historian platforms such as Ignition.

Responsibilities

• Partner with site Operations and process owners to select priority automation projects and define requirements, acceptance criteria, expected benefits, project costs, deployment times, and lifecycle support needs.
• Design and build automation prototypes for applications such as labeling, pick-and-place, assembly, vision inspection, liquid handling, and material handling.
• Develop mechanisms, fixtures, component selections, and electrical and control designs for each application.
• Program, integrate, and debug PLCs, HMIs, robots, motion systems, sensors, and machine vision systems.
• Assemble and test equipment, troubleshoot mechanical and controls issues, and demonstrate performance using production materials and operators.
• Own system integration and choose between internal builds, reuse, purchased equipment, and outsourced subassemblies based on complexity, economics, risk, and supportability.
• Direct suppliers and OEMs when specialized expertise is required.
• Lead cross-functional design reviews at concept, detailed-design, and pre-release stages; document decisions and actions and resolve risks related to safety, quality, maintainability, and performance.
• Plan and lead equipment installation, site acceptance testing, commissioning, production ramp-up, and operator training; coordinate site resources and manage schedule, cost, and open issues through production handover.
• Partner with Quality to assess equipment risks and define risk-based validation and qualification activities; develop or contribute to protocols and documentation, including IQ/OQ where applicable, aligned with the site validation master plan and Quality approval processes.
• Partner with Digital Automation Engineers and Group IT to define equipment interfaces, production data, and secure connectivity to manufacturing applications within approved architecture and cybersecurity requirements.
• Create reusable machine designs, controls libraries, component standards, and deployment playbooks.
• Collaborate with engineering teams worldwide on proven designs, co-development, sourcing, and knowledge transfer that enables local ownership.
• Establish sustainable handover through drawings, source code, bills of materials, spares, maintenance procedures, training, and a clear support model.
• Measure production results against agreed baselines, improve reliability and cycle time, and share demonstrated results across LSG.
• Mentor site engineers and apply approved AI tools to accelerate engineering, with technical review and testing.

Benefits

• Variable annual bonus may be available based on company, team, and/or individual performance results in accordance with company policy.
• Choice of national medical and dental plans and a national vision plan, including health incentive programs.
• Employee assistance and family support programs, including commuter benefits and tuition reimbursement.
• At least 120 hours of paid time off (PTO) and 10 paid holidays annually.
• Paid parental leave: 3 weeks for bonding and 8 weeks for caregiver leave.
• Accident and life insurance, and short- and long-term disability, in accordance with company policy.
• Competitive 401(k) U.S. retirement savings plan.
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP), offering eligible colleagues the opportunity to purchase company stock at a discount.

What This Job Offers

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