Global Automation Lead (full-time/part time) in Darmstadt bei Merck KGaA

Work Your Magic with us!

Ready to explore, break barriers, and discover more? We know you’ve got big plans – so do we! Our colleagues across the globe love innovating with science and technology to enrich people’s lives with our solutions in Healthcare, Life Science, and Electronics. Together, we dream big and are passionate about caring for our rich mix of people, customers, patients, and planet. That's why we are always looking for curious minds that see themselves imagining the unimaginable with us.

Your role:

You lead a global team, covering Europe, Middle East, USA and APAC, to manage the automation activities delivered by suppliers in strategic Capex projects, over design, manufacturing, installation to commissioning. You align with Regional Heads of Project & Engineering about the resource plan and R&R in each strategic Capex project.

You work with digital operations & smart manufacturing team to set up the execution strategies of digitalization, regarding to manufacturing, Warehouse/Distribution Center, and laboratory, and ensure the implementation in different regions and different projects meets the global guidelines.

You collaborate with Process & Technology team to set up the standards and platforms for process automation and ensure the implementation in the strategic Capex projects meet the project objectives & work with Process & Technology team to identify the opportunities of equipment automation in various technologies and then form up the execution plan based on the Capex projects in different regions.

You develop workforce strategy to meet the organization’s current and future needs through developing, hiring, and/or sourcing talent & manage resource allocation across teams to maximize business impact of resources and ensure each team has the skills and capabilities needed to achieve its objectives. You manage talent, playing a key role in performance management and compensation processes, role and competency definition, and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

You create learning and development opportunities aligned to the organization’s skill and capability needs, and to provide rewarding career paths for team members.& set and implement organizational process assets globally, such as TGPs (Technical Guidelines) SOPs, tools, KPIs. You facilitate knowledge and experience sharing internally across regions and externally with vendors and drive for best practice and continuous improvement.

You work with Capex sourcing team to develop, maintain, and leverage global and regional strategic partners to provide solutions and services for major automation activities in Capex projects & liaise with Global Plant Operation to identify the opportunities and needs for digitalization and automation to improve efficiency and reduce cost. You plan and manage department expenditure, aligning with Capex Project budget.

Flexible work location (EMEA/US/APAC)

Who you are:

• 15 + year's of process automation / equipment automation / digitalization experience in pharmaceutical, chemical, FMCG, or related industries.

• More than 5 years of people management experience, with global footprint.

• Proven records in multinational companies of leading the execution of Automation, digitalization projects.

• Up-to-date knowledge of digitalization tools for smart manufacturing and IT/OT integration.

• Familiar with all kinds of commonly used automation systems, i.e., SCADA, PLC, DCS, etc. and their application in batch or continuous process.

• Working experience about the automation of mechanical assembly, filling, packaging, material movement, warehousing, etc., with certain technology such as Servo, Robotics, ASRS.

• Knowledge of GxP, familiarity with regulatory requirements (GMP, GAMP) in connection with OT systems in the pharmaceutical, chemical, FMCG, or related industries.

• Full competence to build the structure and culture of the team and define R&R within that structure to enable the achievement of project mission and objectives. Typically works without supervision and provide technical guidance.

• Ability to plan and prioritize work to meet commitments aligned with organizational goals.

• Operate effectively, even when things are not certain, or the way forward is not clear. Respond effectively to unclear situations, seek to resolve ambiguity, and make progress.

• Analytical and easily grasp the big picture, having ability to summarize the essential from complex issues, with a strategic approach.

• Fluent in English and in another language, such as Germany.

International travel (up to 20%)

Wha