Sr Principal Engineer, Automation Projects

Baxter International Inc.•Round Lake, IL

1d•Onsite

About The Position

At Baxter, every person deserves a chance to live a healthy life, a founding belief since 1931. The company is redefining healthcare delivery to make a greater impact, driven by a Mission to Save and Sustain Lives. Baxter colleagues are united by a culture of courage, trust, and collaboration, where individuals are empowered to take ownership and make a meaningful impact, striving for efficient operations and accountability for exceptional results. This role offers purpose and pride. The Sr Principal Engineer will provide engineering leadership and project management for manufacturing equipment designed and built internally by Baxter Engineering’s Process Automation team. This involves leading automation projects from concept through design and implementation, applying standard engineering principles to solve complex problems with team input. The role includes planning and leading project work, selecting engineering approaches, and ensuring projects are completed safely, on time, and within budget. Beyond technical leadership, the position supports documentation, provides guidance to technicians, and assists in training others on automation technologies. The Engineering Process Automation team is a collaborative group focused on solving challenging problems to support patient needs in a fast-paced manufacturing environment, often requiring priority adjustments to avoid production disruptions. The team values trust, teamwork, innovation, and continuous improvement, with leadership supporting learning and professional development.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering is required
8 or more years of engineering experience.
Experience using mechanical CAD software (SolidWorks preferred).
Strong verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to lead and work within small, cross‑functional teams.
Ability to develop solutions that balance technical performance, cost, and business needs.
Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S.

Nice To Haves

Experience working in an aseptic processing or cGMP manufacturing environment preferred
Experience developing automated manufacturing equipment

Responsibilities

Lead project teams by defining scope, requirements, schedules, and goals.
Assign project tasks and ensure work is completed as planned.
Work closely with engineers, designers, technicians, manufacturing teams, and outside vendors to support equipment design, procurement, build, and acceptance.
Lead cost estimates for major automation and capital projects.
Track project budgets and manage spending of approved funds.
Support continuous improvement of engineering processes and help advance standard automation practices.
Investigate manufacturing or field issues and develop design improvements.
Provide indirect supervision and technical guidance to technicians working on assigned projects.
Support technical documentation and technology training.
Supports global collaboration through periodic travel to Baxter sites globally.

Benefits

comprehensive compensation and benefits packages
medical and dental coverage that start on day one
insurance coverage for basic life, accident, short-term and long-term disability, and business travel accident insurance
Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP), with the ability to purchase company stock at a discount
401(k) Retirement Savings Plan (RSP), with options for employee contributions and company matching
Flexible Spending Accounts
educational assistance programs
time-off benefits such as paid holidays
paid time off ranging from 20 to 35 days based on length of service
family and medical leaves of absence
paid parental leave
commuting benefits
Employee Discount Program
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
childcare benefits