DeltaV Automation Engineer

Title : Sr/Lead DeltaV Automation Engineer

Location - Muskegon, MI (Onsite)

Cognizant

JD :

• This is a remote position open to any qualified applicant in the United States.
• We are open to considering remote candidates who are willing to travel frequently to client sites at Muskegon MI.

Travel Requirement :

The travel requirements include an initial three weeks to overlap with another senior engineer. Subsequently, the schedule is anticipated to be two weeks of travel to Muskegon MI followed by three weeks remote, then another two weeks of travel followed by three weeks remote, and so forth. This cycle will continue for approximately 3-4 months. Afterward, there will be about one or two months remote while closing out activities.

Role Responsibilities:

• Technical ownership for the project
• Act as the primary automation representative in cross-functional program leadership meetings, ensuring alignment between automation, process engineering, digital/MES, and quality teams
• Serve as the key point of contact for client stakeholders and senior leadership regarding automation scope, progress, and risk mitigation
• Collaborate with Program technical offices to ensure the automation solution is aligned with the overall program automation philosophy and standards
• Provide technical leadership to the multiple area leads working on their project for the respective area/node and ensure that applicable standards are followed
• Collaborate with project managers to define automation budgets, resource needs, and vendor engagement strategies.
• Ensure consistency of the automation deliverables (requirements, functional specifications, control strategies, phases, and recipes, etc.)
• Participate in P&ID and lead control strategy design
• Lead in defining the software components that need to be created or modified
• Communicate progress, issues, and needs to automation project manager for the entire workstream/all areas
• Lead input, review, and approve of functional requirements and specifications
• Lead design of Parameter and Recipe Specification philosophy
• Responding to system integrator technical queries
• Lead and collaborate on the development of software testing strategies
• Identification of any remediation effort required on process control software
• Identify and analyze risks of technical nature particular to the area and planning responses
• Maintain compliance with training requirements
• Provide training and support to junior engineers and other team members.
• Champion the adoption of emerging technologies, tools, and methodologies that improve automation efficiency, reliability, and maintainability.

Requirements:

• Bachelor s degree in Engineering or equivalent experience.
• 12+ years of automation experience in the pharmaceutical industry, with a strong preference for API/bulk manufacturing environments.
• Proven experience leading cross-functional automation teams on large-scale pharmaceutical projects or programs.
• Demonstrated ownership of full project lifecycle from design through commissioning and validation.
• Deep expertise in DeltaV DCS, including architecture, configuration, and deployment.
• Experience with other OT systems is a plus.
• Strong understanding of GMPs, regulatory compliance, and computer system validation (CSV) principles.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Experience in mentoring and developing junior engineers and technical leads.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and stakeholders in a dynamic project environment.

SKILLS:

• Strategic thinker with a proactive and ownership-driven mindset.
• Strong leadership and team-building capabilities.
• Skilled in cross-functional collaboration, especially with MES, digital, and process engineering teams.
• Advanced problem-solving and risk management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to define and enforce technical standards across teams.
• Proficient in writing and reviewing protocols, specifications, and validation documents.
• Experience with issue tracking systems and managing remediation efforts.
• Ability to drive continuous improvement and innovation in automation practices.
• Comfortable presenting to executive stakeholders and facilitating technical workshops.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize and delegate effectively.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor s or Graduate degree in Engineering (Chemical, Electrical, Computer) or equivalent experience.
• Minimum 12 years of hands-on automation experience in the pharmaceutical or biopharmaceutical industry, with a strong focus on DeltaV platform implementation.
• Proven experience leading process automation projects in regulated Pharma/Biotech environments.
• Strong understanding of ISA-88 batch control standards and GAMP guidelines.
• Deep familiarity with the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) and Agile methodologies in automation contexts.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams, mentor engineers, and drive technical decision-making.
• Clear understanding of automation compliance requirements, including GMP and validation principles.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to collaborate across engineering, quality, and digital/MES teams