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Senior Principal Engineer - Automation Engineering – Process, Lab & Enterprise Systems Integration-Lilly Medicine Foundry

Eli Lilly and Company
August 07, 2026
On-site
Indianapolis, IN
IT
Responsibilities:
- Provide automation support for one or more operating areas across site and/or for capital projects; support right-first-time facility startup and ongoing manufacturing operations.
- Ensure reliable and compliant control applications and systems are used in manufacturing; mentor employees and provide technical expertise across process control organization and functional disciplines.
- During project delivery/startup (2025–2029), collaborate to build new organization systems and business processes supporting GMP operations and site culture.
- Support Foundry DeltaV- and Rockwell-controlled process PLC equipment for Lab/Admin building and Laboratory analytical systems, including administration/configuration, analytical integration, and recipe setup/maintenance.

Key Objectives/Deliverables:
- Mentor process control team (design, controls philosophy, implementation, commissioning).
- Implement/coordinate process control work.
- Develop and implement the Automation Engineering Project Plan.

Operational Excellence:
- Lead/oversee Site Area leads and System Integrator (functional requirements, design specs, DCS application software, test specs); conduct design reviews and attend FATs.
- Own lab/analytical equipment administration strategy (user access, data management/integration, backup/restore); supervise third-party execution and set configuration standards.
- Partner on Empower, LIMS (LabVantage), MES, and ELN integration touchpoints.
- Lead/mentor analytical systems support engineers; lead automation engineers supporting commissioning; provide project status updates.
- Develop functional requirements/control strategies; perform DCS software design/coding/config/testing; design/tune/troubleshoot control loops; implement/support plant historians.
- Maintain validated state of control systems via validation strategies/documentation; provide automation support for capital projects (new product introductions); promote automation for productivity/efficiency/compliance.

Organizational Capability:
- Set standards/rigor for automation work products; plan/prioritize; continuous improvement; influence peers/partners; strong communication.
- Knowledge of GMP, regulatory requirements, and computer system validation.

Basic Requirements:
- B.S. in Engineering or Science; 8+ years automation engineering/biopharma engineering/operations/manufacturing; experience with laboratory/analytical systems and system integration.
- Experience commissioning/qualifying/supporting analytical and automation-controlled lab equipment (e.g., UHPLC/chromatography, mass spectrometers, single-use bioreactors, RX-10 controls, Rockwell PLC autoclaves/parts washers).
- Authorized to work in the United States full-time; company does not sponsor visas.

Additional Preferences:
- Greenfield automated manufacturing site experience using SCADA/DCS/MES/LIMS/site historian (DeltaV, Rockwell, Syncade, LabVantage, OSI PI).
- Experience facilitating and driving organizational-level decisions.