OSD Manufacturing Expertise Automation Engineer

Job Summary

Horizon Controls Group is seeking an
experienced Oral Solid Dosage (OSD) Manufacturing Expertise Automation Engineer
to support the design, integration, optimisation, and lifecycle management of
automation systems within a highly advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing
environment.

This role requires a strong combination of
automation engineering capability and deep manufacturing process expertise
within Oral Solid Dosage operations. The successful candidate will provide
technical leadership across OSD process automation, supporting both capital
projects and operational manufacturing systems while ensuring compliance with
GMP, data integrity, and Lilly engineering standards.

The position will focus heavily on automation.
Solutions supporting tablet manufacturing, coating technologies, spray drying
operations, and integration of critical utility systems including CIP, purified
water systems, and process tanks.

Key
Responsibilities

• Provide
  automation engineering expertise for Oral Solid Dosage manufacturing
  processes across production and project environments.
  
• Lead
  the design, development, configuration, and optimisation of automation
  systems supporting OSD manufacturing equipment and utilities.
  
• Support
  automation strategies for tablet presses, coating systems, spray drying
  technologies, and associated material handling processes.
  
• Develop
  and maintain PLC, HMI, batch, and process control logic to ensure safe,
  compliant, and efficient manufacturing operations.
  
• Collaborate
  closely with manufacturing, process engineering, CQV, quality,
  maintenance, and digital teams to support production readiness and process
  optimisation.
  
• Support
  integration of manufacturing equipment with utilities and site-wide
  automation infrastructure, including CIP systems, purified water systems,
  tanks, and process utilities.
  
• Participate
  in automation architecture reviews, process hazard assessments, FAT/SAT
  execution, commissioning, qualification, and startup activities.
  
• Troubleshoot
  complex automation and process control issues within live manufacturing
  operations.
  
• Support
  data integration, historian systems, MES interfaces, and manufacturing
  reporting solutions where applicable.
  
• Develop
  and review technical documentation including functional specifications,
  control narratives, IO lists, test protocols, and change controls.
  
• Ensure
  all automation activities comply with GMP, GAMP5, ISA-88, ISA-95,
  cybersecurity, and data integrity requirements.
  
• Contribute
  to continuous improvement initiatives focused on process efficiency,
  reliability, and operational excellence.
  

Required
Technical Expertise

OSD
Manufacturing Process Knowledge

The successful candidate must demonstrate
strong hands-on understanding and automation support experience within the
following process areas:

• Tablet
  Presses and Coating Systems
  Experience supporting automated tablet compression equipment, coating
  systems, recipe management, batch sequencing, and process optimisation
  within OSD manufacturing environments.
• Spray
  Drying Processes
  Strong process and automation understanding of spray drying operations,
  including process control strategies, temperature and airflow control,
  material handling, and process monitoring. This is considered a key requirement for the role.
• Utilities
  Integration
  Experience integrating manufacturing systems with process utilities
  including CIP systems, purified water systems, process tanks, skids, and
  associated utility automation infrastructure.

Requirements

Required
Experience & Qualifications

• Degree
  in Automation, Electrical, Chemical, Process, Pharmaceutical, or related
  Engineering discipline.
  
• Significant
  automation engineering experience within pharmaceutical or regulated
  manufacturing environments.
  
• Strong
  expertise supporting OSD manufacturing processes and associated process
  equipment.
  
• Hands-on
  experience with PLC, SCADA, HMI, batch control systems, and industrial
  automation platforms.
  
• Proven
  capability in automation system design, troubleshooting, commissioning,
  and operational support.
  
• Strong
  understanding of GMP, GAMP5, ISA-88, ISA-95, and pharmaceutical validation
  requirements.
  
• Experience
  supporting commissioning, FAT/SAT, IQ/OQ, and startup activities.
  
• Ability
  to work effectively across multidisciplinary projects and operational
  teams.
  
• Strong
  analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills.
  

Preferred
Experience

• Experience
  supporting large-scale pharmaceutical manufacturing projects.
  
• Exposure
  to MES systems, historian platforms, or digital manufacturing initiatives.
  
• Experience
  within continuous manufacturing or advanced process control environments.
  
• Familiarity
  with data analytics, process optimisation, or Industry 4.0 technologies.
  
• Previous
  experience in greenfield pharmaceutical facility projects.
  

Key
Competencies

• Deep
  OSD manufacturing process expertise
  
• Strong
  automation and controls engineering capability
  
• Technical
  leadership and stakeholder collaboration
  
• High
  attention to quality and compliance
  
• Strong
  troubleshooting and root cause analysis skills
  
• Continuous
  improvement and innovation mindset