Work Schedule
Standard (Mon-Fri)
Environmental Conditions
Office, Some degree of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) required (safety glasses, gowning, gloves, lab coat, ear plugs etc.)
Job Description
Digital Automation Staff Engineer
We are seeking a hands-on Digital Automation Staff Engineer to join the Life Sciences Group (LSG) Advanced Engineering team and help build an operations-led automation acceleration capability. You will personally build and deploy custom manufacturing software and configure, integrate, and deploy off-the-shelf solutions across our global sites. Your work will deliver reusable digital capabilities that reduce operator, quality, and administrative burden, supporting Thermo Fisher Scientific's mission to make the world healthier, cleaner, and safer.
Location/Division Specific Information
Preference for candidates near Thermo Fisher facilities in Frederick, MD; Austin, TX; Carlsbad, CA; Pleasanton, CA; Eugene, OR; Rockford, IL. Remote candidates will also be considered.
A day in the Life:
- Partner with site Operations and process owners to select lighthouse projects, align workflows before digitization, and define user requirements, acceptance criteria, measurable benefits, and site readiness for deployment.
- Personally design, code, test, and deploy custom manufacturing applications, reusable services, data pipelines, and user interfaces. Deliver modular capabilities such as digital tier management, electronic work instructions, traceability, and selected MES or electronic batch record functions.
- Evaluate, configure, extend, and integrate off-the-shelf manufacturing software. Choose reuse, custom build, buy, or selective outsourcing based on functional fit, lifecycle cost, compliance, supportability, and differentiating value.
- Own technical integration with equipment, existing manufacturing systems, ERP, and other enterprise systems of record. Partner with the Factory Automation Engineers on equipment connectivity, data definitions, and dependable interfaces.
- Work with IT on approved infrastructure, identity, networking, cybersecurity, enterprise integration, and architecture. Build secure, supportable solutions with access controls, monitoring, backup, recovery, and data integrity appropriate to their intended use.
- Embed Quality and validation from requirements through release. Develop risk-based testing and validation evidence, execute user acceptance testing with sites, and manage controlled changes while preserving independent approval responsibilities.
- Lead pilot releases, production deployment, troubleshooting, and user training. Establish source control, release procedures, documentation, and support ownership; iterate from operator feedback and expand only after adoption and supportability are proven.
- Assess existing digital assets for reuse and co-development, and transfer knowledge for local support. Build reusable modules and reference architectures; collaborate with IT on approved AI and software tools, reviewing and testing generated code.
- Measure deployment time, lifecycle cost, adoption, reliability, and manufacturing outcomes against baselines. Share demonstrated wins, mentor site teams, and use lessons learned to improve reusable products and cross-site deployment playbooks.
Keys to Success:
Education
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Software, Computer, Electrical, Industrial, or Systems Engineering, or equivalent qualified experience.
Experience
- 7+ years in software, digital, or automation engineering, with hands-on custom development and off-the-shelf platform configuration and integration through manufacturing deployment, adoption, and support. At least 2 years supporting multiple sites is preferred, ideally in life sciences, biotechnology, medical devices, or another regulated manufacturing environment.
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities
- Strong software engineering skills in modular design, APIs, version control, automated testing, deployment, monitoring, and production troubleshooting.
- Working knowledge of manufacturing workflows, MES/EBR concepts, structured data models, contextualization, and shop-floor/enterprise integration.
- Sound build/reuse/buy judgment and ability to translate process needs into usable solutions; communication with operators, engineering, Quality, and IT, including on-site deployment support.
- Hands-on experience with:
- Application development with Python, C#, or JavaScript/TypeScript, plus SQL and APIs.
- Off-the-shelf manufacturing platforms, workflow configuration, extensions, and integration with existing systems.
- Industrial data brokers, OPC UA, MQTT, unified namespace (UNS), and edge/cloud integration.
- User acceptance testing, risk-based validation, access controls, required audit trails, and controlled releases.
Compensation and Benefits
The salary range estimated for this position based in California is $114,600.00 - $152,800.00.
This position may also be eligible to receive a variable annual bonus based on company, team, and/or individual performance results in accordance with company policy. We offer a comprehensive Total Rewards package that our U.S. colleagues and their families can count on, which includes:
- A choice of national medical and dental plans, and a national vision plan, including health incentive programs
- Employee assistance and family support programs, including commuter benefits and tuition reimbursement
- At least 120 hours paid time off (PTO), 10 paid holidays annually, paid parental leave (3 weeks for bonding and 8 weeks for caregiver leave), accident and life insurance, and short- and long-term disability in accordance with company policy
- Retirement and savings programs, such as our competitive 401(k) U.S. retirement savings plan
- Employees’ Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) offers eligible colleagues the opportunity to purchase company stock at a discount
For more information on our benefits, please visit: https://jobs.thermofisher.com/global/en/total-rewards
Compensation and Benefits
The salary range estimated for this position based in California is $115,000.00–$152,000.00.
This position may also be eligible to receive a variable annual bonus based on company, team, and/or individual performance results in accordance with company policy. We offer a comprehensive Total Rewards package that our U.S. colleagues and their families can count on, which includes:
A choice of national medical and dental plans, and a national vision plan, including health incentive programs
Employee assistance and family support programs, including commuter benefits and tuition reimbursement
At least 120 hours paid time off (PTO), 10 paid holidays annually, paid parental leave (3 weeks for bonding and 8 weeks for caregiver leave), accident and life insurance, and short- and long-term disability in accordance with company policy
Retirement and savings programs, such as our competitive 401(k) U.S. retirement savings plan
Employees’ Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) offers eligible colleagues the opportunity to purchase company stock at a discount
For more information on our benefits, please visit: https://jobs.thermofisher.com/global/en/total-rewards
