Senior Manager Automation Lead

At Johnson & Johnson, we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity. Learn more at jnj.com

As guided by Our Credo, Johnson & Johnson is responsible to our employees who work with us throughout the world.  We provide an inclusive work environment where each person is considered as an individual.  At Johnson & Johnson, we respect the diversity and dignity of our employees and recognize their merit.

Job Function:

Supply Chain Engineering

Job Sub Function:

Automation Engineering

Job Category:

People Leader

All Job Posting Locations:

Raritan, New Jersey, United States of America

Job Description:

About Innovative Medicine

Our expertise in Innovative Medicine is informed and inspired by patients, whose insights fuel our science-based advancements. Visionaries like you work on teams that save lives by developing the medicines of tomorrow.

Join us in developing treatments, finding cures, and pioneering the path from lab to life while championing patients every step of the way.

Learn more at https://www.jnj.com/innovative-medicine

We are seeking a Senior Manager, Automation to lead automation engineering, operational technology (OT), and control systems for the Raritan CAR T manufacturing site. This role combines people leadership with deep technical expertise in industrial control systems, integration, commissioning, and regulated system validation. The Senior Manager will own automation strategy, architecture, deployments, validation, and lifecycle support to ensure safe, compliant, and efficient manufacturing operations that meet product quality and delivery objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide direct leadership and development for a team of automation and OT engineers; establish hiring priorities, performance objectives, and a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.

• Define and drive the site automation strategy and roadmap: standards, reference architectures, design patterns, and governance aligned to manufacturing and quality requirements.

• Lead delivery of automation projects from requirements through design, programming, factory and site acceptance testing, commissioning, CSV (IQ/OQ/PQ), and handover to operations.

• Responsible for architect, specify, and oversee the configuration and deployment of PLC/DCS, SCADA/HMI, and field instrumentation/I/O to support CAR‑T and Lenti process.

• Accountable for the site process historian—ensuring continuous, secure, validated capture and availability of time‑series process and event data to support traceability, operations, analytics, and regulatory compliance.

• Ensure integration of control systems with enterprise and manufacturing systems (MES, LIMS, ERP/WMS) through robust, validated interfaces while maintaining chain-of-identity and chain-of-custody requirements.

• Responsible for OT cybersecurity and network segmentation consistent with company policy; partner with corporate IT/cyber teams for secure OT/IT convergence.

• Lead vendor selection, contract technical evaluation, and vendor oversight during implementation and sustainment.

• Collaborate closely with Manufacturing, Quality, MSAT, and Engineering to define requirements, prioritize automation initiatives, and ensure operational readiness.

• Represent the automation function during regulatory inspections and audits.

• Monitor automation performance and support continuous improvement, and lifecycle management.

Qualifications:

Education:

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree is required, focused degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or related technical discipline and/or Master’s degree preferred.

Skills and Experience:

Required

• Minimum 10 years’ experience in industrial automation, control systems, and OT/IT integration; minimum 5 years in regulated pharma/biotech manufacturing.

• Demonstrated experience implementing and validating automation and control systems in GMP environments.

• Strong hands-on knowledge of PLC/DCS programming and architectures (examples: Rockwell, Siemens, or equivalent), SCADA/HMI platforms, industrial networking (Ethernet/IP, PROFINET), and field instrumentation.

• Solid understanding of GxP requirements, 21 CFR Part 11 concepts, and regulatory expectations for automated systems.

• Experience managing multi-disciplinary automation projects from concept through sustained operation, including vendor management and budget responsibility.

• Strong leadership and stakeholder management capabilities.

Preferred:

• Direct experience with cell therapy, ATMP, or biologics manufacturing automation.

• Experience integrating control systems with MES, LIMS, ERP (e.g., SAP), WMS, and clinical systems.

• Familiarity with robotics and automated material handling solutions.

• Knowledge of ISPE GAMP5 guidance and industrial cybersecurity frameworks.

Other

• May require up to 10% domestic and/or international travel.

Johnson & Johnson is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by federal, state or local law. We actively seek qualified candidates who are protected veterans and individuals with disabilities as defined under VEVRAA and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Johnson & Johnson is committed to providing an interview process that is inclusive of our applicants’ needs. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request an accommodation, external applicants please contact us via https://www.jnj.com/contact-us/careers, internal employees contact AskGS to be directed to your accommodation resource.

Required Skills:

 

 

Preferred Skills:

Artificial Intelligence (AI), Compliance Management, Developing Others, Inclusive Leadership, Industry Analysis, Innovation, Leadership, Lean Supply Chain Management, Machine Learning (ML), Management Systems Implementation, Operations Management, Process Improvements, Prototyping, Quality Assurance (QA), Robotic Automation, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Application, Team Management, Workflow Automation

 

 

The anticipated base pay range for this position is :

$122,000.00 - $212,750.00

Additional Description for Pay Transparency:

Subject to the terms of their respective plans, employees are eligible to participate in the Company’s consolidated retirement plan (pension) and savings plan (401(k)).
Subject to the terms of their respective policies and date of hire, employees are eligible for the following time off benefits:
• Vacation –120 hours per calendar year
• Sick time - 40 hours per calendar year; for employees who reside in the State of Colorado –48 hours per calendar year; for employees who reside in the State of Washington –56 hours per calendar year
• Holiday pay, including Floating Holidays –13 days per calendar year
• Work, Personal and Family Time - up to 40 hours per calendar year
• Parental Leave – 480 hours within one year of the birth/adoption/foster care of a child
• Bereavement Leave – 240 hours for an immediate family member: 40 hours for an extended family member per calendar year
• Caregiver Leave – 80 hours in a 52-week rolling period10 days
• Volunteer Leave – 32 hours per calendar year
• Military Spouse Time-Off – 80 hours per calendar year
For additional general information on Company benefits, please go to: - https://www.careers.jnj.com/employee-benefits