Automation Engineer

Piper Companies is seeking an Automation Engineer to support a large-scale pharmaceutical manufacturing expansion for a leader in the life sciences industry for a 12-month onsite contract opportunity based out of Clayton, NC. This Automation Engineer will provide hands-on automation and controls support for finished product production and packaging operations within a highly regulated environment, working primarily on-site during an active construction and startup phase.

Responsibilities of the Automation Engineer include:

· Provide day-to-day automation support for fill/finish assembly and packaging equipment, including troubleshooting controls, interfaces, and integrated systems.

· Support startup and commissioning activities by executing and documenting SAT, IO, and operational testing aligned with project schedules.

· Collaborate with cross-functional engineering, IT/OT, and global project teams to ensure systems meet internal standards and regulatory expectations.

· Assist with integration and performance of PLC, SCADA, MES, serialization, vision, and data historian platforms across multi-vendor production lines.

· Act as an automation subject matter resource during system changes, issue resolution, and optimization efforts throughout the project lifecycle.

Qualifications for the Automation Engineer include:

· Hands-on experience supporting automated manufacturing or packaging equipment in a regulated pharmaceutical, biotech, or medical device environment.

· Working knowledge of PLC platforms such as Rockwell, Siemens, Schneider, or B&R, along with HMI and SCADA systems.

· Experience with multi-vendor packaging lines and OEM equipment commonly used in fill/finish operations.

· Strong understanding of IT/OT integration, including industrial networking, cybersecurity concepts, and connectivity to enterprise systems.

· Familiarity with MES, serialization, vision systems, and manufacturing data platforms is strongly preferred.

· Ability to work on-site full time and adapt to extended or adjusted work hours as required by project needs.

· Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Automation, Computer Science, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent industry experience.

Compensation for the Automation Engineer:

Salary Range: $125,000-$155,000/year

Comprehensive Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, sick leave if required by law, and 401K

This job opens for applications on 4/8/26. Applications for this job will be accepted for at least 30 days from the posting date.

Keywords: automation engineer, fill finish, pharmaceutical manufacturing, PLC programming, SCADA, MES, IT OT integration, industrial automation, controls engineering, packaging lines, serialization, vision systems, cybersecurity, data historian, system integration, commissioning, SAT, validation, process control, manufacturing systems, regulated environment, life sciences engineering, onsite automation support.

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