Lead Automation Engineer

About the role

We are seeking a highly technical Automation Engineer to design, implement, and optimize automation systems. As the highest technical tier within our delivery department, this position serves as the organizational authority on industrial technology, offering direct career runway into executive technical operations as Stellaro scales.

The ideal candidate brings hands-on project delivery experience, a strong command of at least one major DCS/PLC platform, and the confidence to stand in front of clients as a subject-matter expert.

Key responsibilities

• Direct and oversee the overarching strategy and architecture for all automation projects.
• Direct the logic configuration standards and best practices for all PLC/DCS systems utilized by the organization.
• Evaluate and select next generation HMI/SCADA platforms and set the global vision for operator experience.
• Act as the ultimate technical authority on system integration, guiding technology stack decisions for OPC networks and enterprise virtualization strategies.
• Establish company standards for process monitoring, lifecycle management, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Establish the organizational standards for all engineering documentation, ensuring seamless knowledge transfer.
• Define and approve company wide validation frameworks and ensure compliance across all project portfolios.
• Oversee the overarching Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) and Site Acceptance Testing (SAT) methodologies, ensuring all deployments meet the highest standard of quality.
• Partner with sales leadership to define overarching proposal strategies and present technical solutions to key enterprise clients.
• Coach and lead the technical development of the entire engineering team, driving best practices.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or equivalent technical field of study.
• Act as the ultimate technical authority across multiple platforms, guiding technology stack decisions, evaluating new systems, and defining best practices for virtualization and network architecture.
• Candidates must demonstrate proficiency in at least one of the following platforms, and working familiarity with several others: DeltaV, Rockwell Automation, Siemens, Ignition, PI, OPC Standards

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience building custom desktop or web applications.
• Knowledge of traditional programming languages such as C#, .NET, and the like.
• Technical knowledge of AI, including practical experience integrating AI solutions into industrial products or engineering workflows.
• Prior experience in the Pharmaceutical or Biotechnology sector, including familiarity with continuous manufacturing GMP environments, GAMP 5 guidelines, and 21 CFR Part 11 compliance.
• Candidates with deep mastery of PI (or other historians), and MES (Syncade, AspenTech, etc.) who want to expand into full control system execution are highly encouraged to apply.