Senior Manager Automation Lead

Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine•Raritan, NJ

1d•$122,000 - $212,750•Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking a Senior Manager, Automation to lead automation engineering, operational technology (OT), and control systems for the Raritan CAR T manufacturing site. This role combines people leadership with deep technical expertise in industrial control systems, integration, commissioning, and regulated system validation. The Senior Manager will own automation strategy, architecture, deployments, validation, and lifecycle support to ensure safe, compliant, and efficient manufacturing operations that meet product quality and delivery objectives.

Requirements

Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree is required, focused degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or related technical discipline and/or Master’s degree preferred.
Minimum 10 years’ experience in industrial automation, control systems, and OT/IT integration; minimum 5 years in regulated pharma/biotech manufacturing.
Demonstrated experience implementing and validating automation and control systems in GMP environments.
Strong hands-on knowledge of PLC/DCS programming and architectures (examples: Rockwell, Siemens, or equivalent), SCADA/HMI platforms, industrial networking (Ethernet/IP, PROFINET), and field instrumentation.
Solid understanding of GxP requirements, 21 CFR Part 11 concepts, and regulatory expectations for automated systems.
Experience managing multi-disciplinary automation projects from concept through sustained operation, including vendor management and budget responsibility.
Strong leadership and stakeholder management capabilities.

Nice To Haves

Direct experience with cell therapy, ATMP, or biologics manufacturing automation.
Experience integrating control systems with MES, LIMS, ERP (e.g., SAP), WMS, and clinical systems.
Familiarity with robotics and automated material handling solutions.
Knowledge of ISPE GAMP5 guidance and industrial cybersecurity frameworks.

Responsibilities

Provide direct leadership and development for a team of automation and OT engineers; establish hiring priorities, performance objectives, and a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
Define and drive the site automation strategy and roadmap: standards, reference architectures, design patterns, and governance aligned to manufacturing and quality requirements.
Lead delivery of automation projects from requirements through design, programming, factory and site acceptance testing, commissioning, CSV (IQ/OQ/PQ), and handover to operations.
Responsible for architect, specify, and oversee the configuration and deployment of PLC/DCS, SCADA/HMI, and field instrumentation/I/O to support CAR‑T and Lenti process.
Accountable for the site process historian—ensuring continuous, secure, validated capture and availability of time‑series process and event data to support traceability, operations, analytics, and regulatory compliance.
Ensure integration of control systems with enterprise and manufacturing systems (MES, LIMS, ERP/WMS) through robust, validated interfaces while maintaining chain-of-identity and chain-of-custody requirements.
Responsible for OT cybersecurity and network segmentation consistent with company policy; partner with corporate IT/cyber teams for secure OT/IT convergence.
Lead vendor selection, contract technical evaluation, and vendor oversight during implementation and sustainment.
Collaborate closely with Manufacturing, Quality, MSAT, and Engineering to define requirements, prioritize automation initiatives, and ensure operational readiness.
Represent the automation function during regulatory inspections and audits.
Monitor automation performance and support continuous improvement, and lifecycle management.

Benefits

Vacation –120 hours per calendar year
Sick time - 40 hours per calendar year; for employees who reside in the State of Colorado –48 hours per calendar year; for employees who reside in the State of Washington –56 hours per calendar year
Holiday pay, including Floating Holidays –13 days per calendar year
Work, Personal and Family Time - up to 40 hours per calendar year
Parental Leave – 480 hours within one year of the birth/adoption/foster care of a child
Bereavement Leave – 240 hours for an immediate family member: 40 hours for an extended family member per calendar year
Caregiver Leave – 80 hours in a 52-week rolling period10 days
Volunteer Leave – 32 hours per calendar year
Military Spouse Time-Off – 80 hours per calendar year
Consolidated retirement plan (pension)
Savings plan (401(k))