Every day, colleagues at Pfizer around the world work to improve and advance well-being, prevention, treatment, and chances of recovery from the serious diseases of our time. We’ve been working to make a difference for everyone who relies on us for more than 170 years.
As we develop medicines and vaccines and expand our business globally, we are always on the lookout for new talent. We are currently looking for you in Freiburg as:
Automation Senior Engineer (m/f/d)
On Site at Freiburg im Breisgau
The Automation Senior Engineer (m/f/d) is a member of the Site Digital & Automation Team and is responsible for the run state support, lifecycle maintenance, and continuous improvement of site automation and digital systems supporting manufacturing operations.
This role provides hands on technical expertise to ensure production continuity, system reliability, validated state, and regulatory compliance. The role works in close collaboration with Operations, Engineering, and Core Digital & Automation partners.
Responsibilities
Automation Operations & Production Continuity
· Provide day‑to‑day operational and technical support for production‑critical automation and digital systems.
· Act as a key technical point of contact for Operations, Manufacturing, and Engineering partners for run‑state automation systems.
· Support investigations, deviations, and unplanned events by providing automation subject matter expertise and technical root‑cause analysis.
· Support NPI projects, new equipment introductions, and the transition of systems from project delivery into BAU operations.
Automation Maintenance, Lifecycle Support
· Maintain automation systems in a validated and compliant state, ensuring adherence to GMP, GAMP, and formal change‑management requirements.
· Develop, update, and review automation lifecycle documentation including requirements, design specifications, SOPs, and periodic reviews.
· Ensure statutory and regulatory maintenance requirements are met and support regulatory audits and inspections as required.
Incident, Crisis & Business Continuity Support
· Participate in real‑time incident response for automation and digital systems, including fault diagnosis, escalation, and recovery support.
· Collaborate with site, network, and core Digital & Automation support teams to restore system availability and minimise production impact.
· Support site Business Continuity Plans (BCP) execution and testing
· Operate in alignment with site SLAs and response targets
· Document incidents, root causes, and resolution actions
· Engage and coordinate with vendors as required
Control Systems & Automation Infrastructure Management
· Provide hands‑on technical support across the automation lifecycle for DCS, PLC, SCADA, HMI, and PC‑based production systems.
· Design, test, deliver and manage automation software across its lifecycle, from initial introduction through to retirement, in line with site coding standards and good engineering practices.
· Implement system and software changes using formal change‑control and validation processes.
· Support the specification, supplier engagement, development, installation, and commissioning of automation system upgrades.
Process Automation & Continuous Improvement
· Contribute to automation and manufacturing systems continuous improvement initiatives using Lean / Six Sigma methodologies.
· Apply strong analytical and problem‑solving skills to improve system reliability, data integrity, and operational performance.
· Participate as a technical contributor in cross‑functional problem‑solving and standardisation initiatives.
· Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives within assigned systems or areas
Key Attributes, Skills & Competencies
· Strong understanding of business processes and operational acumen within manufacturing environments
· Expert knowledge of manufacturing automation systems including DeltaV DCS, PLCs, SCADA, and PC‑based platforms.
· Strong understanding of automation lifecycle management and experience in supporting audits in regulated / validated GMP environments.
· Proven troubleshooting and root‑cause analysis skills in operational manufacturing environments.
· Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with cross‑functional teams.
Preferred Qualifications, Experience & Certifications
· Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical, Electronic, Automation, Mechatronic, Chemical, or Computer Science Engineering.
· Significant hands‑on experience supporting automation control systems in pharmaceutical or GMP manufacturing environments.
· Strong knowledge of GAMP guidelines applicable to validated computer systems.
· Experience supporting automation projects, vendor interaction, and lifecycle documentation activities.
Together, we stand for:
Breakthroughs that change patients' lives – To fulfill our company purpose, our actions are guided by a values-driven corporate culture. Pfizer’s values are: Courage, Excellence, Equity & Joy.
Courage: A bold approach to achieving our goals is reflected in our company-wide strategy of digital transformation. Our flat hierarchies enable short decision-making paths.
Excellence: We focus on what truly matters, take responsibility, measure progress, and collaborate with trust. Together, we embrace an agile way of working that encourages our colleagues to balance their personal and professional lives while driving personal development.
Equity: We believe that diverse experiences are valuable, which is why every opinion is heard and appreciated. These experiences and perspectives enrich the entire company. We foster a diverse and inclusive work environment where colleagues engage in various Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) groups such as Empowered Women, LGBT*IQ, DisAbility, and X-Gen.
Joy: When we find meaning in our work, we also receive a lot in return. We achieve this by taking pride in our contributions, appreciating one another, and sharing this joy and recognition. Our BRAVO Award program offers a meaningful way to do so. Our employees also benefit during working hours from a comprehensive occupational health management program called “Pfizer in Balance.”
We believe in participation and actively involve our employees in our social engagement. This helps create a shared understanding of values and enables everyone to embody and promote them in their daily work. Opportunities to get involved socially include our Engagement Days, online mentoring for refugees, and much more.
Of course, we offer fair compensation according to the IGBCE collective agreement, as well as attractive retirement benefits and many other perks.
For more information, please visit our website: Arbeiten bei Pfizer Deutschland
Work Location Assignment: On Premise
„Breakthroughs that change patients’ lives“ - Unser klares Unternehmensziel ist es, Durchbrüche zu erreichen, die das Leben von PatienInnen verändern. Sie sind der Sinn unseres Tuns. Wenn Sie Teil dieser Vision sein wollen und die gleiche Leidenschaft teilen, ist Pfizer der ideale Ort, um eine Karriere zu beginnen oder um eine erfolgreich fortzusetzen.
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