Senior Automation Engineer I

Lonza•Vacaville, CA

31d•$107,250 - $178,750•Onsite

About The Position

Execute automation projects and Automation roadmap initiatives for systems supporting Cell Culture Plant 1 (CCP1) and Cell Culture Plant 2 (CCP2). Support MAR activities and Vacaville Manufacturing Operations by assisting with tech transfers and capital projects while maintaining the qualified state of PLC and VSC systems.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a related field preferred.
Effective communication to engage and collaborate at all operational levels.
High adaptability to changing operational conditions and requirements, with a proven ability to prioritize and manage key deliverables effectively.

Responsibilities

Deliver robust automation support for site-wide projects in alignment with CCP1 and CCP2 roadmaps to ensure a reliable quality supply and operational excellence.
Maintain, troubleshoot, and optimize critical CCP1/CCP2 automation systems, including MCS, DCS, PLC, and Vendor Supplied Controller (VSC) platforms, to guarantee they remain in a qualified state.
Support Make Assess Release (MAR) activities, capital project execution, and technology transfers from initial design through commissioning and validation.
Partner with cross-functional teams—including manufacturing, engineering, process science, validation, and QA—to engineer and implement "right-the-first-time" automation solutions.
Collaborate with project leads to develop, review, and approve scope definitions, system requirements, control designs, technical drawings, and Change Control assessments.
Perform off-line and on-line coding, debugging, comprehensive startup testing, peer reviews, and software change approvals for seamless system performance.
Provide dedicated troubleshooting and to resolve manufacturing discrepancies, mitigate software issues, and implement corrective action plans.
Provide robust automation support for the testing, startup, commissioning, and validation of system changes and projects, including Change Control assessments and record ownership.
Support ongoing manufacturing by evaluating discrepancies, taking authorized additional actions, providing technical input for investigations, and implementing corrective action plans.
Maintain and troubleshoot plant control systems—including PLCs, DCS, and field I/O devices—to ensure reliable process automation and minimize equipment downtime.