Utilities Automation Lead, Owner's Representative (Pharma Greenfield)

Location: Illinois, about an hour south of Chicago

Salary: 170-210k

Schedule: Mostly on site in Illinois, around 67 to 75%, with some remote flexibility

This is a role for a pharma automation engineer who has sat on the owner's side of a big capital build and wants the next one to be bigger.

A global plasma and biologics manufacturer is putting up a major greenfield facility in Illinois. They need an owner's representative to lead the automation oversight for all of the utility systems on the project, clean and dirty. You would be the person holding the equipment vendors and the automation integrator to the standard, from design and procurement through submittals, construction and commissioning support. The utilities automation runs on Rockwell.

The hiring company is a top tier name in plasma therapeutics with a long track record of large US manufacturing operations. This is a multi year capital program, so the work is steady and the scope is real. You are not delivering one package, you are governing the whole utilities automation thread.

What you'll do

You will lead automation oversight across the utilities scope, working on the owner's team rather than for a vendor. Day to day that means reviewing vendor and integrator automation design, managing submittals and technical review, keeping the automation scope coherent across packages, and staying close to the build as it moves through construction and into commissioning. The platform is Rockwell, so you are reviewing Studio 5000 and FactoryTalk based designs and knowing when they are right and when they are not.

You will bring specific knowledge of WFI systems and WFI distribution, and you will be comfortable across both clean utilities and dirty utilities. You will support the CQV effort without owning it. This is an oversight and governance role, not a hands on programming seat and not a validation seat.

What you'll need

You will have strong pharmaceutical or biologics industry experience in a GMP environment, and a Rockwell automation background. You will have real utilities experience, clean and dirty, and specific experience with WFI systems and distribution. Ideally you have worked as an owner's representative or owner's engineer, or have otherwise overseen vendors and integrators on a capital project rather than only executing scope yourself.

You do not need to tick every box. If you are a strong pharma utilities automation engineer who knows WFI and Rockwell and has some owner's side exposure, it is worth a conversation. US work authorization is required for this role and sponsorship is not available.

Why this role is worth considering

Greenfield pharma builds at this scale do not come around often, and owning the automation oversight for the full utilities scope on one is a genuine career marker.

Reasons engineers join include:

- Owner's side authority across the entire utilities automation scope, not a narrow package

- A large, multi year capital program with a long runway

- Deep utilities and WFI work in a top tier biologics environment

- Rockwell platform depth in high stakes regulated manufacturing

- A build you will point to for years

The working setup

This is a heavily on site role in Illinois, in the region of 67 to 75%, with some remote flexibility around that. It is not a remote role. A Midwest or Chicago area base is the easiest fit, and candidates who are willing to relocate or commit to heavy weekly travel to Illinois will be considered.

The kind of person who will do well

This suits an engineer who wants to be close to a major build and is comfortable holding vendors and an integrator to account. If you want a fully remote schedule, or you are a validation specialist rather than an automation owner, or you have pharma experience but have only ever delivered a single package from the integrator side, this probably will not be the right role.

If you have pharma utilities automation experience, know WFI and Rockwell, and want to own the automation oversight on a landmark greenfield, it is worth a conversation.

Pay: $160,000.00 - $215,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Kankakee, IL 60901