Automation Engineer
Description
Verista’s 350+ experts team up with some of the world’s most recognizable brands in the pharmaceutical, manufacturing, and food and beverage industries. From compliance to testing, validation, automation, manufacturing and packaging, we bring our clients solutions they can trust – every time.
Verista is currently seeking to expand our team of experienced automation services engineers to support a world-class client in the Kalamazoo, Michigan area. If you are an individual with prior experience integrating automated equipment for high speed manufacturing and packaging equipment within an FDA-regulated client, we are interested in learning more about you.
Job Function
Automation Engineer
This position requires advanced learning; technical precision; and consistent use of independent judgment and discretion. Automation Engineers design, develop, program, test and support automated manufacturing equipment, vision systems, and custom equipment used in Industrial manufacturing and packaging operations.
The Automation Engineer will participate as a professional engineering team member on projects with responsibility for equipment design, programming, start-up, and validation for high speed automated manufacturing and packaging equipment.
Requirements
Primary Duties and Responsibilities
Designing and developing automated equipment with programmable logic controllers (PLCs), Human Machine Interfaces (HMIs), vision inspection systems, and robotics working from project timelines and customer requirements.
Owning and managing development, design, and programming of equipment deliverables to ensure consistent, effective design and implementation.
Completing system configuration and programming including:
Acquire Prism, Spectrum, and OmniView product set-up and configuration
Cognex VisionPro toolset programming
Visual Basic scripting for toolset and HMI parameter configuration
Vision system design including product lighting, camera stand-off, and optical design
Rockwell Allen Bradley RS 500 and RS 5000 PLC programming
Rockwell RSView programming and implementation
Providing engineering level support and guidance in start-up and troubleshooting of automation equipment.
Designing and creation of electrical panels and schematics for equipment.
Managing automation aspects of equipment checkout prior to product or system shipment.
Supervising Installation of equipment to ensure it will work properly and meets specifications.
Completing machine safeguarding and general safety assessments to verify compliance with local and national safety standards.
Managing and completing equipment installation, programming and customer training of vision and custom equipment systems at client sites.
Managing creation and verification of bill of materials (BOM) based upon design and adherence to specifications.
Developing and executing automation based test scripts to verify equipment is working properly and to specifications, including FDA and ISPE guidelines for validation.
Developing technical documentation such as manuals and configuration documentation.
Qualifications
This position requires a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in an Engineering or Scientific Degree.
Preferred area of study in Electrical Engineering, Electrical Engineering Technology, Computer Engineering, or similar study.
Required Knowledge/Experience
1-3+ years’ working with and programming automated equipment including vision technology
1-3+ years’ experience programming, designing, troubleshooting Allen Bradley PLCs
1-3+ years with vision inspection software (any platform)
Exposure to FDA regulated environments including validation experience
Experience designing and building electrical panels, 480V and 120V panels including power, PLC, and an average of 100+ I/O points.
Required Skills
Visual Basic scripting
Cognex VisionPro toolset programming (for equipment engineers)
Programming –Visual Basic
PLC programming
Electrical schematic design and development in AutoCAD or equivalent program
Technical understanding and experience with automated equipment for manufacturing, device assembly, and packaging (PLCs, HMIs, PC based controls).Experience and ability to read, trace and troubleshoot equipment design and start-up using electrical, mechanical, P&ID (piping and instrument) and facility drawings
Required Abilities
Capacity to make independent sound decisions and independently manage priorities
Obvious business maturity and interpersonal skills to be able to effectively communicate and collaborate
Experience with and tolerance for high levels of challenge and change
Experience and capability of effectively communicating requirements (written and orally) with rationale to different levels of the organization (C-Level required for higher level Automation Engineer)
Supervisor Requirements
This position requires a cross-functional working relationship with peer engineers, clients, OEMs, and contractors in orders to meet project goals and deadlines.
This position does not have any direct report responsibilities.
Work Environment and Physical Demands
FLSA professional position paid on salary basis, where project requirements and tight client deadlines may require workweeks in excess of 40 hours (including weekends or holidays)
Work is often performed at our Fishers Headquarters (25% travel) with PPE required at some customer locations and indirect exposure to drug products at some customer locations.
Many client sites require specific safety training and adherence to OSHA requirements.
Work is performed in and around automated equipment, and cabinets in a manufacturing environment which requires standing, crouching, reaching and leaning over to work on and inspect equipment from many angles.
Lifting requirements – 35 lbs. per OSHA requirements
Walking (including in/around automated equipment and electrical cabinets) 1-2 miles is possible (carrying laptop and materials)
