{"id":1159556,"url":"https://alion.io/job/abbvie-director-global-automation-engineering-2","title":"Director, Global Automation Engineering","company":{"id":3660,"name":"AbbVie","domain":"abbvie.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/abbvie","size_band":"5000+","is_staffing_agency":false,"is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"SmartRecruiters","truth_index":{"grade":"B","score":80,"open_postings":49,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":1,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":13,"computed_at":"2026-09-24T05:45:00Z"}},"role":"Leadership","role_family":"Leadership","seniority":"head","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"hybrid","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Durham, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":182000,"max":346000,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":346000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":20,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-09-23T16:24:54Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-09-23","last_verified_at":"2026-09-24T17:26:17Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":1,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":1},"description":"About AbbVie\nAbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.\n Position Summary\nThe Director, Global Automation Engineering is AbbVie's enterprise-wide authority for automation architecture, process control systems, and digital infrastructure across the global manufacturing network. This executive-level role carries full financial accountability for approximately $100 million in annual automation operating spend and provides strategic and technical leadership to a high-performing, enterprise-distributed team of automation and capital project engineers.\nThe Director is accountable for the development and execution of AbbVie's enterprise automation strategy, governing automation investments for a portfolio exceeding $3 billion over a five-year horizon. This leader establishes, owns, and continuously advances AbbVie's Factory of the Future automation vision - embedding its requirements into every new capital project and site modernization program to ensure consistent, compliant, and cutting-edge automation solutions are delivered across the enterprise.\nThe role serves as Design Authority for all automation and digital systems enterprise-wide, providing governance over standards, specifications, vendor qualification, and operational readiness throughout the full project lifecycle. As a member of AbbVie's senior engineering leadership community, this role exerts direct influence on enterprise technology direction, regulatory strategy, and long-range digital transformation.\nKey Responsibilities\n1. Strategic Automation Leadership\nServe as AbbVie's enterprise automation authority and senior-most engineering leader for automation, process control, and digital infrastructure across all manufacturing sites globally.\nDefine, own, and continuously evolve AbbVie's Factory of the Future automation strategy, ensuring its requirements are embedded in every new capital project, site modernization program, and technology investment decision.\nExercise Design Authority for automation and digital systems across the enterprise manufacturing network, ensuring all technical decisions align with enterprise strategy, regulatory requirements, and industry best practices.\nProvide owner-side leadership for automation architecture, process control systems, and digital infrastructure supporting pharmaceutical manufacturing capital projects with a total portfolio value exceeding $3 billion.\nDrive enterprise-wide harmonization of automation standards, specifications, and engineering practices across all AbbVie manufacturing sites, eliminating fragmentation and reducing compliance risk.\nDeliver executive-level technical direction on automation technology selection, platform architecture, and long-range digital infrastructure roadmaps in support of enterprise business objectives.\n2. Capital Project Ownership & Oversight\nLead and provide owner-side oversight for automation scope across AbbVie's enterprise capital project portfolio, with full financial accountability for approximately $200 million in automation capital spend.\nDefine automation deliverables, design requirements, and technical specifications for all capital projects, ensuring alignment with GxP, cybersecurity, and data integrity requirements from project inception through operational handover.\nGovern the selection, qualification, and performance management of automation vendors, system integrators, and engineering contractors enterprise-wide across all capital programs.\nEnsure Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), Site Acceptance Testing (SAT), commissioning, qualification, and verification (CQV) activities are executed to the highest quality and regulatory standards at every project site.\nOversee operational readiness and startup support for automation systems on all major capital projects, ensuring seamless transition from project completion to sustained manufacturing operations.\n3. Technical Systems Ownership & Governance\nOwn end-to-end automation architecture and enterprise-wide technical governance for Distributed Control Systems (DCS), Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), batch automation, SCADA, OSI-PI / data historian platforms, Environmental Monitoring Systems (EMS), Building Automation Systems (BAS), and associated digital infrastructure.\nProvide strategic oversight of cybersecurity programs for Operational Technology (OT) environments enterprise-wide, ensuring compliance with AbbVie cybersecurity policy, OT/IT convergence frameworks, and applicable regulatory requirements.\nChampion data integrity across all automated systems, ensuring design, validation, and lifecycle management practices meet current regulatory expectations including FDA 21 CFR Part 11, EU Annex 11, and GAMP 5.\nLead the development and governance of enterprise automation standards, specifications, User Requirement Specifications (URS), Functional Design Specifications (FDS), and engineering best-practice libraries applicable across all sites.\nDrive integration of automation systems with enterprise digital platforms, Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), ERP, and cloud-based data solutions in support of AbbVie's Factory of the Future strategy.\n4. People Leadership & Organizational Development\nBuild, lead, develop, and retain a high-performing enterprise team of automation engineers, capital project engineers, and site automation leads operating across a matrixed, globally distributed organization.\nFoster a culture of technical excellence, continuous improvement, innovation, and accountability throughout the enterprise automation function.\nEstablish clear performance expectations, structured development pathways, and robust succession plans to ensure long-term organizational capability and resilience.\nMentor and coach engineers at all career stages, with particular emphasis on cultivating next-generation automation leadership talent across the enterprise network.\nManage enterprise-level resource planning, workload allocation, and staffing strategies to meet the dynamic demands of a large global capital portfolio.\n5. Governance, Standards & Compliance\nOwn and maintain AbbVie's enterprise automation standards program, ensuring specifications and engineering guidelines are current, compliant, and consistently applied across every manufacturing site.\nProvide enterprise-wide governance and audit support for automation systems, including readiness for internal audits, regulatory inspections (FDA, EMA, and other global health authorities), and third-party assessments.\nLead the development of enterprise automation training programs and competency frameworks to build and sustain capability across the full global manufacturing network.\nOversee enterprise procurement strategy and support sourcing activities for automation hardware, software, and services, ensuring value delivery, quality assurance, and supply continuity.\nEnsure all automation activities are executed in full compliance with applicable GxP regulations, ISPE guidelines, ISA standards, and AbbVie Quality System requirements.\n Education\nBachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related engineering or scientific discipline is required.\nMaster's degree or equivalent advanced qualification in a relevant engineering or technical field is preferred.\nExperience\nMinimum 20 years of progressive experience in automation engineering, with a demonstrated track record of increasing leadership responsibility across enterprise-scale organizations.\nSignificant experience within the biopharmaceutical or pharmaceutical manufacturing industry is required; experience spanning both biologics and small molecule manufacturing environments is strongly preferred.\nProven experience leading automation scope on large-scale capital projects ($50M+) in an owner-side or engineering leadership capacity across multiple sites or business units.\nDemonstrated experience managing enterprise-wide, matrixed engineering teams across multiple sites and time zones.\nExtensive hands-on and leadership experience with DCS, PLC, batch automation, SCADA, OSI-PI, EMS, BAS, and related process control technologies.\nDeep knowledge of GxP regulatory requirements, data integrity frameworks (21 CFR Part 11, EU Annex 11), and CQV / commissioning practices in a pharmaceutical manufacturing environment.\nDemonstrated experience in OT cybersecurity strategy and enterprise-wide implementation within regulated manufacturing environments.\nTrack record of defining or making material contributions to digital transformation and Factory of the Future initiatives within a global manufacturing organization.\nCompetencies & Skills\nExecutive presence with a strong ability to influence, communicate, and engage at all organizational levels, including C-suite and regulatory authorities.\nStrategic thinker with the ability to translate complex technical challenges into clear, actionable enterprise roadmaps.\nProven financial acumen and experience managing large capital budgets and enterprise automation program spend.\nExceptional people leadership skills with a demonstrated ability to build, inspire, and retain world-class technical teams across a distributed organization.\nStrong vendor and stakeholder management capabilities in a complex, matrixed, enterprise-wide environment.\nHigh personal standards for quality, compliance, and operational excellence.\nKey Stakeholders\nInternal Stakeholders; Stakeholder\nNature of Engagement\nVP, Global Engineering & Technology\nDirect reporting line; strategic alignment, enterprise program oversight, and investment governance\nSite VPs / General Managers\nPrimary internal customers; enterprise automation strategy deployment and capital project delivery at site level\nGlobal Capital Projects Leadership\nJoint ownership of enterprise capital project automation scope, schedule, and budget accountability\nManufacturing Operations Leadership\nAlignment on operational readiness, system performance, reliability, and continuous improvement priorities\nQuality & Regulatory Affairs\nAutomation leadership for GxP compliance, data integrity standards, and regulatory inspection readiness\nIT / OT Security\nCoordination on enterprise cybersecurity strategy, OT/IT convergence architecture, and digital platform integration\nGlobal Procurement / Supply Chain\nAutomation vendor strategy, preferred supplier agreements, and enterprise procurement governance\nMEC, PDST, R&D, EHS, Facilities, AI & Digital Transformation\nCross-functional enterprise collaboration on capital projects, automation standards, and innovation initiatives\nExternal Stakeholders\nStakeholder; Nature of Engagement\nAutomation Vendors & System Integrators\nEnterprise-level technical oversight, qualification management, and performance governance across the capital portfolio\nRegulatory Authorities (FDA, EMA, and other Health Authorities)\nInspection readiness; direct engagement as enterprise technical subject matter expert as required\nIndustry Bodies (ISPE, ISA, and others)\nExternal benchmarking, industry standards development, and enterprise thought leadership\nApplicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law:\nThe compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pa...","description_format":"text","description_chars":13247,"description_truncated":true,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":20,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[{"language":"English","level":"All levels","optional":false}]},"benefits":["Vision insurance"],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Pharmaceuticals","Clinical Research","Information Security"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-09-23T23:04:51Z"}],"liveness":{"score":63,"band":"ok","label":"Likely open","p_open":1,"p_active":0.632,"p_room":1,"age_days":0,"expected_fill_days":13,"reasons":["conf:3","stale_co","velocity","win:early","comp:brand"],"computed_at":"2026-09-24T05:45:00Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":346000,"is_top_pay":true},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/abbvie-director-global-automation-engineering-2","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/abbvie-director-global-automation-engineering-2.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-09-24T23:37:29Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","usage":{"tier":"crawler","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":1819,"day_limit":5000,"remaining_today":3181,"minute_limit":60,"resets_at":"2026-09-25T00:00:00Z"}}}