Process Equipment Engineer
Location: Arlington Heights, IL (Onsite)
Contract: 6+ months, with strong potential for extensions
Schedule: Full-time, approximately 40 hours per week
Position Overview
Automated Systems, Inc. (ASI) is seeking an experienced Process Equipment Engineer to support a pharmaceutical manufacturing project involving the installation, start-up, commissioning, and qualification of a new bulk glass vial filling line at a client's facility in Arlington Heights, IL.
This role will play a key part in defining process and equipment requirements, guiding equipment design, coordinating vendor activities, and overseeing equipment integration into an existing pharmaceutical manufacturing facility.
The filling line will accommodate multiple vial sizes and process products containing flammable solvents, including ethanol and acetonitrile. Equipment will include a vial washer, filling machine, autoclave, and dehydrogenation oven. Experience working with flammable-liquid processing, hazardous-area classifications, and explosion-proof (XP) environments is highly desirable.
The project will also support the transfer of FASTlabTM 2 reagent production into the receiving facility.
Key Responsibilities
- Define project scope, process requirements, equipment boundaries, and facility interfaces in collaboration with client engineering stakeholders.
- Develop preliminary equipment layouts and coordinate design requirements with engineering teams.
- Prepare User Requirements Specifications (URS) and translate approved project scope into equipment, process, and utility requirements.
- Evaluate equipment designs, review OEM proposals and layouts, and provide technical recommendations.
- Specify process equipment and support vendor selection, procurement, and coordination.
- Define facility and utility requirements, identify equipment integration challenges, and address potential process and safety concerns.
- Coordinate equipment installation, start-up, and troubleshooting activities.
- Support commissioning and qualification activities in collaboration with Engineering, Operations, Quality, Validation, and EHS teams.
- Ensure equipment designs and project deliverables align with applicable GMP, safety, and pharmaceutical manufacturing requirements.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in chemical engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
- 5+ years of experience supporting pharmaceutical or biotechnology manufacturing projects within a GMP-regulated environment.
- Demonstrated experience with pharmaceutical vial filling, processing, or packaging equipment.
- Experience developing and reviewing User Requirements Specifications (URS), OEM proposals, equipment layouts, and technical specifications.
- Familiarity with pharmaceutical equipment manufacturers such as Optima, Groninger, Bausch+Strbel, or Syntegon.
- Understanding of equipment integration, facility interfaces, and manufacturing utility requirements.
- Experience with commissioning, start-up, and equipment qualification.
- Working knowledge of hazardous-area design and safety requirements, including Class I, Division 1/2 classifications, ventilation, LEL detection, or ATEX standards.
- Strong organizational, technical problem-solving, and communication skills.
- Ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, and drive project deliverables to completion.
Preferred Qualifications
- Direct experience with pharmaceutical vial filling line design, installation, and integration.
- Experience supporting processes involving flammable solvents or other hazardous materials.
- Familiarity with explosion-proof equipment and hazardous-process manufacturing environments.
We are a dynamic, project oriented consulting company offering individuals a wide variety of technical challenges. We are currently experiencing rapid growth, and are in need of talented individuals. ASI offers top wages and excellent benefits. ASI is an equal opportunity employer.
