Merck KGaA Posted August 15, 2026

Automation & Controls Specialist

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States FULL_TIME
Manufacturing & CMC

Merck KGaA is the source of truth for this posting and owns the application process. We surface normalized context and market comparison you won't find on the original listing.

About this opportunity

Work Your Magic with us!  Start your next chapter and join MilliporeSigma.

Ready to explore, break barriers, and discover more? We know you’ve got big plans – so do we! Our colleagues across the globe love innovating with science and technology to enrich people’s lives with our solutions in Healthcare, Life Science, and Electronics. Together, we dream big and are passionate about caring for our rich mix of people, customers, patients, and planet. That's why we are always looking for curious minds that see themselves imagining the unimaginable with us.

This role does not offer sponsorship for work authorization. External applicants must be eligible to work in the US.

Your Role:

The Automation and Controls Specialist at the Milwaukee, WI site is responsible for designing, programming, and implementing control strategies to optimize manufacturing processes using advanced automation technologies.  This role requires proficiency in configuring and troubleshooting systems such as PLCs, SCADA, DCS, and HMI. While the role focuses on Smart Manufacturing and CapEx projects implementation, day-to-day it may also support diagnosis and resolution of issues related to control systems throughout the Milwaukee Site.  Job duties include:

  

Understands business and operational needs and identifies opportunities to apply automation, robotics, and mechatronic technologies to improve efficiency and reliability.

Designs, programs, implements, and optimizes automation, control, and robotic systems including PLCs, SCADA, DCS, HMI, motion control, and electromechanical equipment.

Diagnoses, upgrades, and optimizes automation, robotics, and control systems to drive maximum throughput, equipment reliability, and operational stability.

Collaborates with multidisciplinary teams and external partners to lead the successful transfer, validation, and implementation of automated solutions across Production, QC, and Technical Services.

Works independently with substantial discretion while aligning decisions with engineering standards and company policies.

Contributes to prototype development, system testing, and documentation of automation and mechatronic innovations.

Manages end-to-end automation projects and timelines, mentors junior staff, maintains strict technical documentation, and ensures full compliance with safety and quality regulations.

Serves as the primary automation and controls representative in technical and vendor meetings while independently leading projects of modest complexity.

Introduces new automated processes in collaboration with quality, regulatory, safety, and production teams.

Supports product and process launches by ensuring automation readiness and providing troubleshooting and optimization.

Serves as a technical liaison between automation, maintenance, engineering, and other technical groups.

Upholds strict safety regulations for all automation systems while providing hands-on training and mentorship to engineers, technicians, and production teams.

Applies iterative and agile methodologies to automation and controls projects to improve development speed and outcomes.

Develop and validate sustainable robotic packaging and inspection systems under ISO 9001, smoothly transferring operations to designated teams via comprehensive training, SOPs, and cross-departmental technical support.

Monitors emerging automation, AI, and robotics trends to develop long-term project concepts with internal innovation teams while actively managing vendor relationships to support operational excellence.

Physical Attributes:

Maintains a strong safety profile while working in environments requiring PPE and a keen awareness of chemical, electrical, and mechanical hazards.

Who You Are

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Mechatronics, Computer or Controls Engineering

4 + years of academic or industrial experience

OR

Master’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Mechatronics, Computer or Controls Engineering

2 + years of academic or industrial experience

Preferred Qualifications:

Proficiency in hardware and software design, programming, and implementation across PLCs, SCADA, DCS, HMIs, motion controls, and automation languages (such as Python, MATLAB, C/C++, and PLC languages).

Deep experience diagnosing and root-causing issues within complex automation, electromechanical equipment, and control systems, with secondary skills in CAD, prototyping, and fabrication.

Skilled in simulation tools, Design of Experiments (DOE), and tuning methodologies to optimize system performance under strict ISO 9001 and safe work guidelines.

Proven capability to independently plan and execute projects (even with ambiguity), maintain rigorous technical documentation, and rapidly learn emerging mechatronic/AI technologies.

Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills used to present technical performance updates to leadership, collaborate cross-functionally, and train production or technical teams.

RSREMD

Pay Range for this position: $97,800.00 - $146,700.00

The offer range represents the anticipated low and high end of the base pay compensation for this position. The actual compensation offered will be determined by factors such as location, level of experience, education, skills, and other job-related factors. Position may be eligible for sales or performance-based bonuses. Benefits offered by the Company include health insurance, paid time off (PTO), retirement contributions, and other perquisites. For more information click here .

What we offer: We are curious minds that come from a broad range of backgrounds, perspectives, and life experiences. We believe that this variety drives excellence and innovation, strengthening our ability to lead in science and technology. We are committed to creating access and opportunities for all to develop and grow at your own pace. Join us in building a culture of inclusion and belonging that impacts millions and empowers everyone to work their magic and champion human progress!

Apply now and become a part of a team that is dedicated to Sparking Discovery and Elevating Humanity!

Job details

Seniority
Not listed
Function
Manufacturing & CMC
Therapeutic area
Not listed
Location
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
Employment type
FULL_TIME

How this role compares

Computed from every other active Manufacturing & CMC role in our database, not just this employer's listings.

We currently track 1793 comparable Manufacturing & CMC roles across 130 biopharma companies.

1793Comparable roles tracked
1703Currently active
130Companies hiring similar roles
47Countries represented

Salary context

526 of 1793 peers report a salary range (USD, annualized)

Peers share this role's job function. This posting doesn't list a seniority level, so peers aren't narrowed by seniority either -- the range below may span more levels than usual.

This roleSubject $97,800/yr – $146,700/yr
Lowest disclosed · Senior Scientist II – CMC Developmental Sciences · AbbVie $0/hr – $0/hr (≈ $0–$0/yr)
Highest disclosed · Technical Operator, Packaging - 2nd Shift · Mylan Technologies, Inc. $37,000/yr – $800,000/yr
Peer group range $0 – $418,500 (median $135,233)

Where these roles are based

Top locations among the 1793 comparable roles

United States894
India117
Germany101
France74
Singapore70
Ireland64

+ 41 more countries

Seniority mix

789 of 1793 peers have a known seniority level

Senior258
Manager203
Associate82
Principal82
Director62
Associate Director61
Senior Director25
Intern/Fellow/Postdoc11
Executive/VP5

Therapeutic area mix

6 of 1793 peers have a known therapeutic area; the rest are genuinely unlabeled, not hidden

Vaccines & Infectious Disease4
Oncology1
Rare Disease1

Similar opportunities

The closest matches from our peer group, ranked by how similar they are, not how well you'd qualify for them -- treat this as market context, not a guaranteed shortlist; a weak match is labeled as one below.

40%similar
AstraZeneca New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
Same function Same country
40%similar
AstraZeneca Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America Director
Same function Same country
40%similar
AstraZeneca New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
Same function Same country
40%similar
40%similar
Lilly Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America Associate
Same function Same country
40%similar
Lilly Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America Senior Director
Same function Same country

Notify me about similar jobs

Get an email when we spot other openings like this one – same job function, comparable seniority, roles you'd actually want to see.

How we calculate "similar"

No black box, no LLM guesswork: a deterministic score built from four normalized attributes. Here's this role's own peer group at different match levels, so you can see the mechanism, not just the result.

Every comparison starts from the same 100-point budget: 25 for working in the same function, 40 for the same therapeutic area, 20 for the same or adjacent seniority, 15 for the same country. A dimension we can't confirm on both sides contributes nothing, never a guess, never a free pass.

40%
Scientist II, LC Development, Biologics Analytical Development
AstraZeneca · New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America · Seniority not listed
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
40%
Director, Global Regulatory Affairs – Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls (CMC), Platform Innovation – Synthetic Peptides and Oligonucleotides
Lilly · Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America · Director
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
40%
Senior/Principal Scientist, Bioprocess Purification Development
Lilly · Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America · Principal
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
40%
Senior Principal Scientist - Bioanalytical Research
Lilly · Louisville, Colorado, United States of America · Principal
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
Unmatched or unknown dimensions score exactly the same: 0 points, never a partial guess. A role we know almost nothing about beyond its function bottoms out at 25%; it never inflates to 100% just because there's little to compare against. Seniority uses a defined ladder (Associate → Manager → Associate Director → Senior → Principal → Director → Senior Director → Executive/VP) so "Director" and "Senior Director" count as adjacent, but "Director" and "Executive/VP" do not.