Senior Engineer, Automation

AbbVie

AbbVie

Other Engineering
Worcester, MA, USA
Posted on Apr 3, 2025

Company Description

AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas – immunology, oncology, neuroscience, and eye care – and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Tik Tok.

Job Description

The Sr. Automation Engineer will be responsible for identifying and developing automation technologies and Manufacturing control systems to improve site productivity and quality and safety performance. In this dynamic role the Sr Automation Engineer will ensure the success of Drug product manufacturing through an extensive understanding and solid background in engineering, configuration, programming, installation, commissioning, maintenance and troubleshooting of process controls, automation, electrical devices and field instrumentation technologies. The Sr Engineer will design, develop, and deliver innovative solutions enabling the advancement of AbbVie’s Clinical and Commercial Drug Substance manufacturing processes.

Our environment offers high viability and growth oriented approach.

Responsibilities include

  • Support a Safe working environment by aligning with all pertinent environmental health, safety & maintenance program practices, rules, and regulations.
  • Provide technical leadership for Day-to-day operational shift support for Upstream and Downstream Drug Substance manufacturing.
  • Experience in change control, nonconformance, corrective & preventative actions, and Commissioning & Qualification activities.
  • Experience with the following product platforms.
    • Rockwell PLC Platform
    • Emerson DeltaV
  • Day-to-day Operational Support:
    • 24 x 7 Onsite/On Call: Rotational Support
    • Trouble shooting Support to Mfg.
  • Be an authority for Upstream and Downstream Unit operations by
    • Leading advanced trouble shooting activities in partnership with the Plant Engineering & Maintenance teams to enhance manufacturing uptime through the highest reliability of Automation systems.
    • Being responsible for driving continuous improvement in partnership with Plant Engineering, Maintenance, Manufacturing, Process engineering and OPex to drive operational efficiencies.
  • Responsible for collaborating within the AbbVie network to learn, implement and share Continuous improvement opportunities within the Drug Product manufacturing AbbVie Global network.
  • Responsible for maintaining AbbVie Enterprise Cyber Resiliency compliance through quarterly OS patching of automation systems, servers & workstations.
  • Lead and support Capital projects. This role involves the application of advanced automation engineering principles in the design, specification, construction, startup, commissioning and qualification of process equipment and systems for capital projects of significant scope and complexity. Demonstrated understanding of project life cycles is preferred
    • Candidate should be familiar with engineering processes from initial conceptualization through project turnover to operations. Responsible for developing & maintaining Engineering Specifications, documents, drawings, and Standard Operational Procedures (SOP) including Administrative SOPs and Job Aids.
    • As System owner, provide AbbVie User requirements to OEMs/System Integrators during the development of process control applications applying Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), Human Machine Interfaces (HMI) and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition systems (SCADA), and development of Batch Reports using Manufacturing Execution System (MES) platform like POMS.
  • Conversant with industry standards on quality and regulatory compliance requirements such as 21 CFR Part 11 (Data Integrity, User Security, System Disaster Recovery, Data Backup & Restore).
  • Executive presence & communicate complex automation topics in the simplest business language at various partner forums in the workplace
  • As a System SME, be accountable and responsible to provide the necessary support during the internal and external regulatory audits.

#LI-AL1

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field is required.
  • Minimum 10 years experience developing and maintaining automation software and equipment and PLC systems in a manufacturing environment; AI and machine learning experience, including experience with new technology development for new product introductions.
  • Direct experience with system development and validation, including development of system specifications (DS, FS, URS) and risk-based validation strategies, and validation protocol development and execution.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of 21 CFR Part 11 requirements for automated systems in the pharmaceutical or medical device industries.
  • Demonstrated problem solving skills and innovative thinking to develop and implement untested solutions.
  • Ability to provide technical program leadership, including external vendor management and lead cross-functional team including internal and external resources.

Additional Information

Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law: ​

  • The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.​

  • We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.​

  • This job is eligible to participate in our short-term incentive programs. ​

  • This job is eligible to participate in our long-term incentive programs​

Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law. ​

AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives, serving our community and embracing diversity and inclusion. It is AbbVie’s policy to employ qualified persons of the greatest ability without discrimination against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy), physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, status as a protected veteran, or any other legally protected group status.

US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html

US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more:

https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/reasonable-accommodations.html