Automation Commissioning Engineer

The role
Our client is commissioning and qualifying a vaccine manufacturing expansion project and is looking for experienced commissioning engineers who can work independently in the field.

This is not a technician role. You will understand what the process is meant to do, test the DeltaV process and cleaning phases against the design documents, spot where the code or configuration does not match the intended behaviour, and work with the automation team to get it fixed and retested.

Key responsibilities

Field commissioning and testing

• Execute hands-on field commissioning and testing of DeltaV process phases and cleaning phases (CIP/SIP) on upstream and downstream process equipment.
• Perform dry runs, water runs and functional testing of sequences, phases, interlocks, alarms and control loops.
• Verify that equipment and automation behave as intended across normal, abnormal and failure scenarios.
• Work safely and independently in the field, coordinating with operations, engineering and vendors.

Design documents and process understanding

• Read and interpret Design Specifications (DS), Functional Specifications (FS), P&IDs, control narratives and sequence descriptions.
• Understand the process intent behind each phase and use it to judge whether the system performs correctly.
• Challenge gaps or inconsistencies between design documents and the as-built system.

Issue identification and resolution

• Identify coding and configuration errors during testing and commissioning.
• Document issues clearly, raise discrepancies or punch items, and communicate them to the automation team with enough detail to fix them quickly.
• Retest corrections and track issues through to closure.

Documentation and handover

• Execute and record commissioning test protocols and evidence in line with GMP and Good Documentation Practice.
• Support the transition from commissioning into qualification and handover to operations.
• Report progress, open issues and risks to the project team.

Essential requirements

• Degree in chemical, bioprocess, mechanical or automation engineering, or a related discipline.
• Hands-on commissioning experience on biopharmaceutical or vaccine process equipment in a GMP environment.
• Strong process understanding of upstream and/or downstream unit operations and cleaning cycles (CIP/SIP).
• Practical experience testing and commissioning Emerson DeltaV process and cleaning phases.
• Able to read DS/FS documents and P&IDs and understand the intended process behaviour.
• Able to spot automation errors during testing and communicate them clearly to automation engineers.
• Self-sufficient and comfortable working independently in the field.

Advantageous

• Centrifuge experience.
• Ultrafiltration / diafiltration (UF/DF, TFF) experience.
• Vaccine manufacturing or brownfield expansion experience.
• Experience with electronic validation systems such as Kneat.