Senior Automation Engineer

Steris Corporation - Plymouth, MN

Full-time - Senior

Plymouth, MN

10,001+ employees

Miscellaneous Manufacturing

About the position

At STERIS, we help our Customers create a healthier and safer world by providing innovative healthcare and life science product and service solutions around the globe. The Senior Automation Architect, Consumables is responsible for defining the automation and systems integration strategy serving Steris' Consumables manufacturing operations in Mentor, OH, St Louis, MO, and Plymouth, MN. This role involves assessing current operations process flow as well as business system and human resources interactions for opportunities to automate or reduce manual input and interaction using robotic, conveyance, and software and virtual reality technologies. The Senior Automation Architect will develop the automation strategy, technology roadmap, and define action plans needed to execute these strategies. Additionally, the role requires assessing and managing the external supply base, identifying suitable partners, and developing key relationships with automation and technology suppliers. The individual will manage the long-term technology program for key operational areas and drive the completion of projects contributing to the overall strategy across the global operational footprint. Collaboration with the STERIS Advanced Technology (ATO) group and the manufacturing sites is essential to find the most efficient, cost-effective, automation-driven, and data-collective solutions. The position involves several key duties, including strategy development and implementation. The Senior Automation Architect will evaluate current manufacturing processes at the Mentor, St Louis, and Plymouth sites against current and future product demand and equipment maintenance needs to determine proper priority. This evaluation will help identify opportunities to streamline flow and reduce human interaction, thereby simplifying processes, reducing processing time, and improving performance across various operational and financial metrics. The individual will also develop and communicate a long-term implementation strategy, including prioritization of opportunities, timing, projected costs, targeted technology partners, and internal resource requirements. Furthermore, the role includes overseeing the specification development process, establishing maintenance, service, and qualification protocols of technology systems, and ensuring thorough documentation and site preventative maintenance is completed. The Senior Automation Architect will lead vendor selection and capital appropriation request processes, as well as all engineering, purchase, fabrication, installation, and factory acceptance phases of the project implementation process. Identifying necessary skills and developing training programs for operators and technicians to maintain installed equipment is also a critical responsibility. Finally, the individual will develop and implement methods to monitor and measure the effectiveness of implementations and lead corrective actions as necessary.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate current manufacturing processes at the Mentor, St Louis and Plymouth sites against the current/future product demand and equipment maintenance needs to determine proper priority.
• Assess the Consumables operations footprint to identify opportunities to streamline flow and reduce human interaction to simplify processes, reduce processing time, and improve performance.
• Develop and communicate the long-term implementation strategy, including prioritization of highest leverage opportunities, timing, projected costs, targeted technology partners and internal resource requirements.
• Work with Advanced Technology (ATO) to develop standard ways of working for program management of technology projects and programs.
• Oversee the specification development process, establish maintenance, service, and qualification protocols of technology systems, and ensure thorough documentation and site preventative maintenance is completed.
• Lead the vendor selection and capital appropriation request processes.
• Lead all engineering, purchase, fabrication, installation and factory acceptance phases of the project implementation process.
• Identify the skills necessary and develop training programs for operators and technicians to maintain installed equipment.
• Develop and implement methods to monitor and measure the effectiveness of implementations; lead corrective actions as applicable.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in engineering.
• 10-15 years of experience in advanced engineering areas, automation of manufacturing lines, conveyance systems, PLC/machine interface, software solutions, and chemical or fluid packaging experience.
• 5 years of project management and reporting experience.
• Demonstrated positive impact to the business that translated to clear, bottom line results by implementing step-function changes.
• Experience with and demonstrated skills in analyzing business needs, determining appropriate solutions and/or opportunities, developing lean implementation strategies, and deploying them.
• Experience with deploying pilot programs of new/disruptive technology.
• Successful experience with effectiveness across multi-site operations (global experience is helpful).
• Experience managing internal and external partners on significant capital programs ($1M+).

Nice-to-haves

• Excellent knowledge and proficiency in manufacturing automation technology methods, techniques, and strategies.
• Strong analytical, creative problem solving, critical thinking, and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated ability in capital business case development.
• Experience integrating automation technology into Lean / Continuous Improvement operating system.
• Excellent presentation skills with the ability to effectively communicate ideas, goals and results.
• Strong ability to influence team members to shift to new methods.
• Demonstrated ability as a collaborative, innovative and strategic thinker who is decisive and results oriented.
• Ability to handle multiple projects and time demands with a high level of urgency and personal integrity.