Manufacturing Automation Engineer (Senior Specialist) – Animal Health Milton Keynes, UK – Onsite

Job Description

Manufacturing Automation Engineer (Senior Specialist) – Animal Health

Milton Keynes, UK – Onsite Role

We have a new opportunity for a Manufacturing Automation Engineer who will work as a member of the Global Animal Health IT team at the Animal Health Manufacturing sites in the UK.

Based in Milton Keynes as a fulltime onsite role, you will support:

• The operation and configuration management of Operational Technology Hardware and Software for the manufacturing business.
• The operation and modernisation of core Shopfloor systems to provide better standardisation and resiliency at Milton Keynes, Newbury and Graveley to drive business strategies and analytics.

You will report to the Site Digital Technology Lead for UK Animal Health Manufacturing and have management responsibility for a small team of employees, contractors, and third parties.

This role also partakes in an IT on-call rota with other IT team members to provide 24-hour support to the manufacturing operations for critical systems.

What you will do:

• Implement, test, troubleshoot and continuously improve automation and control systems in manufacturing operations to increase production quality, efficiency and volume
• Diagnose and resolve system malfunctions through review of control system schematics, specifications, and use of appropriate software and test equipment
   
• Develop and define control system applications for various machinery and equipment using technologies or platforms such as ladder logic programming for programmable logic controllers (PLCs), human machine interfaces (HMIs) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA)

• Partner with local business leadership and project teams to scope for Automation and IT aspects of capital projects, bringing knowledge of Automation technologies and the Manufacturing Systems Architecture
• Work closely with various project implementation teams that include TOPS, Platform Leads, Automation Engineers and Architecture and Infrastructure teams for overall solution implementation
• Understand and educate local project teams on automation standards as they relate to technology selection, system configuration, SDLC (System Development Life Cycle), validation, hardware, software environments and business processes
• Support the site Digital Technology Lead, in providing expertise technical knowledge/advice to IPT/ COE’s on computerised/automation systems
• Perform Automation System maintenance, including system backup, disaster recovery, and ensure automation systems remain in a validated state
• Escalate any ongoing automations issues to the Site Digital Technology Lead, in a timely manner through Tier meetings
• Perform automation change controls and CAPA investigations to ensure that changes are raised and closed on time following the required quality standards
• Prepare and perform automation related test plans, and documentation, ensuring documentation meets required regulatory standards. Develops Automation SOPs, Job Aids and procedures
• Develop and update Automation training packages, and conducts Automation training

What you will have:

Qualifications & Experience

• Preferred Bachelor's degree or higher in software engineering, computer science or related field
• Significant related work experience with demonstrated ability to deliver IT solutions, preferably within Pharmaceutical Manufacturing but other regulated manufacturing industries also valuable
• Required previous working experience analysing and defining business problems, developing business cases, and identifying appropriate process and technological solutions
• Systems Development Lifecycle Methodology (SDLC) and implementing solutions in GxP regulated environment and Data Integrity
• Preferred Experience with Change Controls and Deviations in the pharmaceutical Industry

Technical Skills

• Required experience supporting and troubleshooting EMS, BMS and SCADA Systems with Siemens, Rockwell and Allen Bradley components
• Preferred Knowledge of interfacing to manufacturing automation systems
• Required understanding of Windows Operating systems (inc. Servers), SQL Server, network infrastructure, firewalls and data historians

Interpersonal Competencies/Skills:

• Ability to work in a global matrix organisation across multiple geographic regions and engage with software vendors and third-party solutions integrators
• A team player who places great emphasis on collective achievements and team diversity and eagerness to observe our company’s leadership behaviours
• A skilled line manager, supervisor, mentor who can guide a team of direct reports/contractors.
• Excellent problem-solving skills.

Closing date for applications: Friday 17th April

Required Skills:

Audit Management, Business Case Development, Business Process Improvements, Business Process Management (BPM), Capital Projects, Computer Science, Data Management, IT Financial Management, Manufacturing Compliance, Network Infrastructures, Problem Management, Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), Project Implementations, Quality Management, Real-Time Programming, Regulatory Requirements, Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), Systems Development Lifecycle (SDLC)

Preferred Skills:

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully 
Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company.  No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails. 

Employee Status:

Regular

Relocation:

VISA Sponsorship:

Travel Requirements:

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Not Applicable

Shift:

Valid Driving License:

Hazardous Material(s):

Job Posting End Date:

04/17/2026

*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.