Automation Engineer - Leiden, The Netherlands

Contract Duration: 12 Months (Initially via Agency, transitioning to Direct Employment)

As an Automation Engineer, you will initially serve as a Technical System Owner designee, collaborating with a dedicated team to redesign, implement, and commission Building/Environmental Monitoring, SCADA, and Pharmaceutical automated skids.

You will focus on maintainability and sustainability throughout the project and address any potential risks to these aspects. Post-project, you will work alongside project members and system owners to ensure ongoing automation support and maintenance. In the second phase, you and your ES Base Business colleagues will support and maintain the facility at an industrial automation level.

Key Responsibilities:

• Project Phase: Collaborate with users, HVAC/PLC/SCADA engineers, system owners, and operators.
• Ensure automation platforms remain compliant with procedures, work instructions, and regulatory GxP requirements throughout the system lifecycle.
• Guarantee reliable availability of automation systems and their data.
• Troubleshoot, identify root causes, and propose solutions (potentially including 24/7 on-call support).
• Develop and lead technical strategic plans.
• Contribute to budget requests for OPEX and CAPEX expenses to local and global management.
• Supervise and lead modifications and projects.
• Ensure user requirement specifications and applicable objectives are met daily.
• Manage vendors, subcontractors, and technical integrators.
• Review, develop, and execute commissioning protocols, test plans, reports, and documentation to implement, maintain, operate, and validate cG(x)P automated systems.
• Drive innovation and adoption of new technologies.

Experience and Skills:

• Proven knowledge of general automation infrastructures and Siemens S7 & TIA Portal (PLC).
• Experience with Wonderware ArchestrA (SCADA), DeltaV (DCS), Honeywell (Building Automation), and Priva TC (Building Automation) is advantageous.
• Strong organizational skills, with the ability to work independently, coordinate tasks, and initiate work with minimal direction under stress.
• Demonstrated communication skills and excellent interpersonal abilities across all organizational levels.
• Ability to work independently, flexibly, and collaboratively, with effective business negotiation skills.
• Fluency in English and Dutch (one language fluently required).
• Decisive, pragmatic, and persevering with a can-do mentality.
• Insight into process automation and organizational processes.
• Ability to understand relationships and differing interests within a complex organization.
• Capacity to create solutions and paths forward, even without a standard process.

Preferred Experience:

• Experience in a GxP regulated environment and knowledge of current Good Automated Manufacturing Practices (GAMP).
• Familiarity with industrial automation technology standards and validation within the pharmaceutical industry.
• A minimum HBO/Bachelor's degree in industrial automation or a relevant engineering discipline is preferred.