Director, Head of Automation Engineering

About This Role

The Director, Head of Automation Engineering is accountable for the strategy, delivery, and operational excellence of automation and control systems across manufacturing, laboratory, office, and site infrastructure environments. This role leads a highly skilled engineering team, owns the Site Automation small-capital portfolio, and represents automation in large capital projects and technology transfers.

As a core member of the Site Leadership Team (SLT), the role shapes site strategy, escalates enterprise risks, and ensures automation systems are compliant, reliable, and aligned with business objectives. This position is also an extended member of the PO&T Global Engineering & Facilities Leadership Team.

What You'll do

• Lead and continuously refresh the Site Automation Roadmap, translating strategy into executable plans with measurable outcomes.

• Provide operational leadership and computerized system ownership for automation systems supporting manufacturing, laboratories, and infrastructure, including SCADA/MES, PLCs, and data historians, with accountability for full asset lifecycle management.

• Manage and develop a high-performing Automation Engineering team including hiring, performance management, succession planning, and retention.

• Own the lifecycle delivery of control systems, from design and implementation through commissioning, qualification, and validation (CQV).

• Support technology transfers and production readiness by ensuring automation systems meet schedule, quality, and regulatory requirements.

• Actively participate in SLT forums, escalating risks, and bringing options-based recommendations to governance.

• Forecast, manage, and optimize operating budgets and small-capital automation investments; represent automation in larger capital programs.

• Interface with Quality, IT, Security, Regulatory, and Validation organizations to ensure alignment with Quality Management System (QMS) directives and global engineering standards.

• Present automation strategies, system designs, and compliance evidence to internal governance bodies and external regulators.

• Maintain business continuity programs, including Business Impact Assessments, system criticality assessments, and emergency response/recovery exercises.

• Ensure a sustainable 24×7 automation support model with appropriate training, documentation, and audit readiness.

• Minimum 12 years in pharmaceutical, biotech operations, or relevant field, with at least 5 years leading technical engineering teams.

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or relevant field from an accredited college or university.

• Hands-on experience implementing and supporting SCADA, PLCs, and industrial data systems (e.g., historians).

• Strong working knowledge of S88, S95, GAMP, CSV, and related regulatory and engineering standards.

• Proven delivery of control systems through design, installation, commissioning, qualification, and validation.

• Experience presenting automation systems and compliance approaches to health authorities and regulatory inspectors.

• Demonstrated ability to manage operating budgets, forecast spend, and oversee small-capital automation portfolios.

• Experience establishing and executing emergency responses, recovery planning, and system risk assessments.

• Ability to clearly translate complex technical and compliance topics for senior leaders and regulators.

• Ability to work onsite at Biogen's Pharma location in RTP.

• Experience supporting multiple technology transfers or site expansions under aggressive manufacturing timelines.

• Working knowledge of AVEVA/Wonderware, Allen Bradley/Rockwell, and Delta V.

• Prior membership on SLT or equivalent senior governance body.

• Experience operating within global engineering, quality, and automation standards frameworks.

• Demonstrated success building diverse, high-engagement teams with strong retention and succession coverage.

• Track record of delivering automation roadmaps with measurable outcomes and enterprise alignment.

• Strong change-management capability in regulated, matrixed organizations.

• Experience implementing or improving 24×7 automation support and on-call models.

• Medical, Dental, Vision, & Life insurances
• Fitness & Wellness programs including a fitness reimbursement
• Short- and Long-Term Disability insurance
• A minimum of 15 days of paid vacation and an additional end-of-year shutdown time off (Dec 26-Dec 31)
• Up to 12 company paid holidays + 3 paid days off for Personal Significance
• 80 hours of sick time per calendar year
• Paid Maternity and Parental Leave benefit
• 401(k) program participation with company matched contributions
• Employee stock purchase plan
• Tuition reimbursement of up to $10,000 per calendar year
• Employee Resource Groups participation