Senior Controls / Automation Engineer

Indianapolis, IN | Local Project Travel | 6+ Years Experience

About the Role

An established automation and engineering systems integrator is seeking a Senior Controls / Automation Engineer to support technically complex projects within pharmaceutical and regulated manufacturing environments.

This is a hands-on engineering position for someone who can independently own controls projects while remaining heavily involved in PLC/HMI programming, troubleshooting, commissioning, and qualification. The role offers exposure to different systems and projects rather than maintaining the same production equipment day to day, with an opportunity to develop toward technical leadership and engineering management.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, modify, and troubleshoot PLC and HMI applications for pharmaceutical manufacturing systems
• Work primarily with Rockwell / Allen-Bradley controls platforms, with exposure to additional automation technologies
• Support automation projects from initial engineering and programming through installation, startup, commissioning, and qualification
• Integrate new equipment and OEM systems into existing manufacturing environments
• Troubleshoot PLC logic, interlocks, I/O, communications, drives, instrumentation, and related controls issues
• Perform functional testing and support equipment qualification activities
• Work within established GMP procedures and controlled engineering processes
• Support automation documentation associated with system changes, testing, commissioning, and qualification
• Coordinate with engineering, manufacturing, validation, maintenance, and other technical stakeholders
• Provide technical direction and problem-solving support during project execution and equipment startup
• Take ownership of assigned projects while managing technical priorities and deliverables
• Serve as a senior technical resource for less-experienced engineers
• Work directly with customers and project stakeholders to understand requirements and deliver automation solutions
• Travel locally to project and customer facilities in the Indianapolis area as required

Qualifications

• 6+ years of controls, automation, or related engineering experience
• Strong pharmaceutical manufacturing automation experience
• Hands-on PLC programming experience with Rockwell / Allen-Bradley platforms
• Experience developing or modifying HMI applications
• Strong understanding of industrial controls and automated manufacturing equipment
• Experience working within GMP or similarly regulated production environments
• Experience supporting commissioning, startup, testing, and equipment qualification
• Ability to independently troubleshoot complex controls and automation issues
• Experience taking automation projects through multiple stages of the engineering lifecycle
• Strong technical communication and customer-facing skills
• Ability to independently manage engineering responsibilities while collaborating with multidisciplinary project teams
• Interest in mentoring engineers and progressing toward greater technical or people leadership responsibility

Experience with the following is beneficial:

• Siemens PLCs
• DeltaV
• Equipment Integration
• IQ / OQ
• Validation & Qualification
• Change Control
• Industrial Networking
• Drives & Instrumentation
• Motion Control
• Vision Systems / Robotics

Why Consider This Opportunity?

• Move from maintaining a single manufacturing environment into a project-focused engineering role
• Work across varied pharmaceutical automation and controls projects
• Remain hands-on with PLC/HMI programming, troubleshooting, and commissioning
• Gain exposure to projects from engineering and programming through startup and qualification
• Work within a team with strong experience in regulated manufacturing and automation
• Take meaningful ownership of technical projects and customer relationships
• Expand your experience across different equipment, systems, and automation technologies
• Work primarily on projects within the Indianapolis area, with approximately 20% local travel depending on project needs
• Straight-time overtime available for approved hours beyond the standard workweek
• Performance-based bonus opportunity of approximately 5–10%
• Clear opportunity to develop toward technical leadership, mentoring, and engineering management

This opportunity is particularly well suited to an experienced pharmaceutical automation engineer who wants to remain technically hands-on while gaining broader project exposure, customer responsibility, and a path toward engineering leadership.

Interested in Learning More?

For more information, please contact James Hanson at Engtal, who is managing the search:

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