Sr. Principal Process Engineer

Baxter International Inc.•Round Lake, IL

2d•$128,000 - $176,000•Onsite

About The Position

This role supports process and automation improvements within a manufacturing site. The engineer will collaborate with Manufacturing, Operational Excellence, and Quality to drive improved performance of production equipment. The position is responsible for delivering equipment that supports process reliability, Industry 4.0 initiatives, and plant-wide efficiency, while ensuring process design and operation consistently meet Engineering and Quality standards.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Chemical, or related field preferred).
Must not be allergic to Penicillin/Cephalosporin.
8+ years of relevant engineering experience in a manufacturing environment.
Strong understanding of regulatory compliance, safety standards, and validation practices.
Demonstrated success with automation platforms, including Optimize automated systems for high reliability, minimal operator intervention, and stable performance across varying production conditions.
Proven ability to reduce human error by simplifying interfaces, designing fail‑safes (poka‑yoke), and creating processes that naturally guide correct actions.
Experience improving alarm nuance alerts by eliminating nuisance alerts, prioritizing actionable alarms, and using data to enhance operator response and situational awareness.
Strong technical capability across motion control, VFDs, pneumatics/hydraulics, plus mechanical aptitude.
Experience applying structured risk‑reduction tools (FMEA, failure‑mode prevention), Industry 4.0 technologies (AI vision, robotics), and methodologies like Six Sigma, DFSS, and VOC.

Nice To Haves

Experience with Serialization and SCADA is a plus.

Responsibilities

Support daily operations by improving control systems, addressing obsolescence, and increasing equipment reliability.
Develop and implement improvement strategies aligned with site priorities and long‑term business objectives.
Troubleshoot and optimize automated equipment to boost throughput, uptime, and repeatability.
Map process flows and critical control points to enable data‑driven decision‑making.
Advance digital transformation through automation, data integration, and Industry 4.0 technologies.
Use Lean, Six Sigma, and statistical tools to remove bottlenecks and enhance process capability.
Lead or support root‑cause analysis and problem‑solving for project‑specific challenges.
Execute continuous improvement initiatives focused on safety, quality, and operational efficiency.
Develop and update SOPs, protocols, and work instructions to align with process and equipment changes.
Lead NCR/CAPA investigations and drive effective corrective and preventive actions.
Manage change controls for equipment and process modifications.
Deliver training and provide ongoing technical support to production teams.
Act as an SME for equipment troubleshooting and process performance improvements.
Guide cross‑functional teams and vendors while providing technical leadership on complex engineering initiatives.