Senior Engineer (Automation)

Roche • South San Francisco, CA

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About The Position

Located in South San Francisco, the Senior Automation Engineer is a pivotal member of the Clinical Supply Center team, responsible for maintaining and enhancing the Distributed Control System (DCS) within a state-of-the-art bioprocess facility. This facility supports GMP production for Phase 1 through early Phase 3 clinical trials, utilizing a modern "ballroom" design and single-use technologies. The role demands a highly collaborative professional who can offer data-driven insights to impact decision-making while navigating a fast-paced, digital manufacturing environment. Beyond technical expertise, the ideal candidate possesses an entrepreneurial spirit and an agile mindset, thriving in a culture where success is defined by collective team performance and the ability to manage ambiguity. The Senior Automation Engineer serves as the primary subject matter expert for the DeltaV Distributed Control System (DCS), overseeing its integration and lifecycle management across all facility areas, including the ballroom, cell banking, and utilities. This role combines operational support with long-term strategic planning, requiring the engineer to coordinate production activities while continuously improving systems to deliver higher value. Beyond maintenance, the position drives innovation by leveraging emerging technologies such as AI, machine learning, and robotics to solve complex technical challenges and challenge the status quo within global standards. Success in this role depends on a proactive, professional attitude and the ability to maintain strong partnerships with internal customers. Because this is a GMP manufacturing environment, the engineer must strictly adhere to compliance, safety, and SOP requirements while remaining flexible enough to adapt to shifting priorities and demanding production schedules.

Requirements

• B.S. Degree in Engineering or related discipline with 2-8 years of experience in pharmaceutical/biotech (0-6 years of experience with Master’s Degree).
• Ability to execute automation projects in a GMP environment.
• Understand current GMP requirements and regulations.
• Strong strategic thinker.
• Possess excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Strong problem solving and critical thinking skills.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with Automation projects is highly desirable.
• Experience with DeltaV is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Strong behaviors aligned with Pharma Technical (PT) expectations including Lean/Agile, inclusion, collaboration, speaking up, decision making and continuous improvement.
• Ability to work in an agile and ambiguous environment
• Commitment to quality and excellence.
• Growth mindset with a passion for taking on challenges in order to deliver business value while developing.
• Entrepreneurial spirit within a GMP environment.
• Ability to challenge the status quo in order to deliver value.

What This Job Offers

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