Principal Automation Engineer
Location: Hillsboro, Oregon, USA (Hybrid – Office space available)
Employment Type: Full-Time
Industry: Biotech / Pharmaceutical
Seniority Level: Mid-Senior
Salary Range: $94,200 – $175,000 (Base) + Bonus Eligible
Relocation: Available
Visa Sponsorship: Yes
Travel: Occasional
Security Clearance: Not Required
Make an Impact in Life-Saving Manufacturing
Join a world-class drug product & finished goods manufacturing team that reliably delivers millions of units of life-saving medicine every year. This is your opportunity to work on cutting-edge automation and process technologies in a mission-critical environment supporting both commercial and pipeline products.
What You’ll Do
As a Principal Automation Engineer, you'll be central to the commissioning, qualification, and ongoing optimization of highly complex manufacturing systems. You’ll troubleshoot, innovate, and lead engineering efforts that ensure continued delivery of essential medicines.
Responsibilities
Commission and qualify new automation systems
Monitor, troubleshoot, and optimize existing systems to support 24/7 operations
Develop solutions and lead change management efforts for recurring automation issues
Collaborate across engineering, manufacturing, and quality teams
Participate in and lead investigations with cross-site impact
Support and mentor junior automation engineers
Define user requirements and lead design reviews for new equipment
Review and approve test protocols and documentation
Identify and recommend SOP and work instruction improvements
What You Bring
Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering or related discipline
Strong working knowledge of PLCs, SCADA systems, HMIs, and thin clients
Proven experience troubleshooting complex automation systems
Experience integrating automation controls into manufacturing environments
Track record of integrating electrical and mechanical systems
Availability for rotational 24/7 on-call support
Preferred Qualifications
Experience in GMP biopharma manufacturing, ideally sterile fill/finish
Expertise in Rockwell Automation technologies
Familiarity with servo drives, robotics, vision systems, SCADA, BAS, MES, DeltaV
Skilled in reading and interpreting electrical schematics and P&ID drawings
Knowledge of change control processes and Good Documentation Practices (GDP)
Strong background solving complex problems within cross-functional teams
Compensation & Benefits
Base Salary: $94,200 – $175,000 (based on experience & location)
Annual Bonus: Discretionary, based on performance
Relocation Assistance: Available
Benefits Package: Includes health insurance, retirement plans, PTO, and more (full details available upon request)
Interview Travel: Reimbursed
Ideal Candidate Snapshot
7–10 years of automation or process engineering experience
Proven success in GMP-compliant environments
Experience supporting and enhancing automation in commercial drug product manufacturing
Background in vial sterile filling operations is a strong plus
Interested?
Apply now to help power the future of biopharmaceutical manufacturing. This is more than a job — it’s a mission to deliver better health outcomes around the world.