Sr. Automation Engineer - Upstream/Media
About this opportunity
Ready to help power the next generation of life-changing therapies? As a Sr. Automation Engineer - Upstream/Media, you will play a critical role in supporting the automation systems that drive upstream manufacturing and media preparation operations. You'll serve as a technical leader within a GMP environment, partnering with cross-functional teams to optimize process performance, enhance system reliability, and deliver automation solutions that enable consistent, compliant production. This is an exciting opportunity to combine technical expertise, innovation, and project leadership while helping shape the future of advanced biopharmaceutical manufacturing.
Location: This position will be located in Durham, NC and will be an onsite role.Novartis is unable to offer relocation support for this role: please only apply if this location is accessible for you.Key Responsibilities:Lead automation support for upstream manufacturing and media process control systems.Serve as the technical SME for DCS, BMS, MES, and associated control systems.Drive automation project execution from concept through implementation and operational handoff.Oversee integration of third-party equipment into site automation and manufacturing platforms.Develop URS, FS, and design specifications to support compliant system delivery.Collaborate with cross-functional teams to establish priorities, timelines, and project objectives.Support new product introductions and upstream process implementation within GMP manufacturing.Investigate automation-related non-conformances and implement effective corrective actions.Execute change controls, system upgrades, and continuous improvement initiatives.Provide technical support for manufacturing operations, including participation in on-call rotations.Essential Requirements:Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical discipline.8+ years of automation experience within GMP pharmaceutical or biopharmaceutical manufacturing environments.Hands-on experience supporting DCS platforms, preferably Emerson DeltaV.Proven expertise with PLC, SCADA, HMI, and manufacturing automation systems.Strong knowledge of validation practices, GMP regulations, FDA requirements, and 21 CFR Part 11.Experience applying ISA-88 principles and developing automation standards within regulated environments.Demonstrated project leadership experience, including management of contractors and external partners.Strong troubleshooting, communication, and technical writing skills with the ability to solve complex challenges.Novartis Compensation and Benefit Summary:The salary for this position is expected to range between $108,500 and $201,500 annuallyThe final salary offered is determined based on factors like, but not limited to, relevant skills and experience, and upon joining Novartis will be reviewed periodically. Novartis may change the published salary range based on company and market factors.Your compensation will include a performance-based cash incentive and, depending on the level of the role, eligibility to be considered for annual equity awards.US-based eligible employees will receive a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, life and disability benefits, a 401(k) with company contribution and match, and a variety of other benefits. In addition, employees are eligible for a generous time off package including vacation, personal days, holidays and other leaves.#LI-Onsite
Job details
How this role compares
Computed from every other active Manufacturing & CMC role in our database, not just this employer's listings.
We currently track 485 comparable Senior Manufacturing & CMC roles across 78 biopharma companies.
Salary context
189 of 485 peers report a salary range (USD, annualized)
Peers share this role's job function and a matching or adjacent seniority level -- not necessarily the same therapeutic area or country.
Where these roles are based
Top locations among the 485 comparable roles
+ 26 more countries
Seniority mix
485 of 485 peers have a known seniority level
Therapeutic area mix
2 of 485 peers have a known therapeutic area; the rest are genuinely unlabeled, not hidden
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.
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.
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.