Description of Role: Automation Software Engineer

We are seeking an Automation Software Engineer to join our team extended team in India to produce and commission automation projects for our equipment in the pharmaceutical industry. The scope of this position covers all aspects of control systems engineering from requirement specification through design, test and commissioning and will likely involve some travel overseas.

The role will be working as part of a team based in the GEA Vadodara office to deliver control systems to support the GEA UK Projects group and to also provide global support to other GEA Pharma Systems companies as required. The role involves working in an ISO 9001 quality environment and complying with industry expectations for documentation and quality expectations.

Key Responsibilities/Duties:

Your duties will include, but not be limited to - reviewing and establishing the project scope and deliverables, design and write PLC, HMI and SCADA control system software, produce required documentation (e.g. functional design specifications, software specifications, manuals), documented software testing, carry out testing and acceptance with customer, provide support for the on-site commissioning and qualification of the equipment, commissioning of systems, train customer maintenance and operator staff, implement changes on site to electrical panels when required.

About the Job:

GEA is a leading supplier of stand-alone machines and fully integrated production lines for the Dispensing, Transporting, Charging and Discharging, Mixing, Granulating, Drying, Coating, Pelletizing, Tablet Pressing and Tablet Inspection for the Pharmaceutical Industry.

For more than 50 years, GEA Pharma Systems UK (Aeromatic-Fielder) has supplied Processing Equipment for blending, granulating, drying, pelletizing and coating for the pharmaceutical industry. This includes small capacity systems designed for R&D as well as industrial size plants for batch production of pharmaceutical compounds under cGMP conditions.

Using proven standard components, GEA can supply both simplicity and flexibility in plant design. User selected process options, cleaning equipment, control systems and PAT technologies combine in a system to meet process requirements exactly. This approach ensures that qualification and validation procedures are kept to a minimum.

Qualifications & Experience:

The successful candidates will have a proven background in control systems-related software design for process/equipment control in the Life Sciences industry or a similar process control industry.

Experience in the following areas are considered essential – Siemens TIA PLC programming using LAD/STL, Allen Bradley Control Logix PLCs, Siemens TIA HMI configuration, control system testing and fault finding, VBA, MS Windows 10/11. A good working knowledge of standard software products is assumed i.e. Microsoft Office.

Experience with or knowledge of the following areas would be considered an advantage - Siemens Step 7 PLC Programming using LAD/STL, Siemens WinCC Flexible HMI configuration, iFIX SCADA, VB, MS SQL, electrical hardware design, commissioning and qualification activities and some understanding of Life Science industry regulatory requirements i.e. GAMP, FDA.

Ideally the applicant should possess the following:

• Relevant Higher Qualifications in Electrical / Electronic / Process Design / Automation / Software
• Five plus years of relevant software design experience
• Highly motivated, with excellent communication and organization skills.

• Creative approach to problem solving, and work well under pressure
• Experience of commissioning and fault finding on industrial equipment
• Experience of Automation project delivery across the entire project lifecycle
• Travelling - 20% (Local & International Travel)