Gilead Sciences · 1 day ago
Sr Automation Engineer I
San Francisco Bay Area
Full-time
Onsite
Mid, Senior Level
$136K/yr - $176K/yr
4+ years expGilead Sciences is committed to creating a healthier world for all people by developing therapies to tackle diseases. They are seeking a Senior Automation Engineer to lead the design and development of automation solutions, drive digital transformation, and manage automation changes in various environments.
BiopharmaBiotechnologyHealth CareManufacturingPharmaceutical
Responsibilities
Lead the design, development, and deployment of automation solutions using the Ignition SCADA platform, with a focus on leveraging MQTT (Sparkplug) and advanced scripting capabilities
Sustain and scale the existing Aveva PI Historian system for real-time and historical data collection, trending, Asset Framework creation, and analysis in support of process monitoring, continuous improvement, and corporate initiatives (Sustainability, Condition-Based Maintenance)
Drive digital transformation by piloting and implementing innovative automation and data solutions, including testing and integrating LLMs/MCP servers to support AI initiatives and expand AI adoption
Develop and maintain automation scripts for data processing, system integration, and custom functionality within Ignition and other platforms
Integrate Biologics/Small Molecules laboratory instruments and systems via APIs, ensuring seamless data flow and system interoperability across R&D environments
Implement and manage automation changes in both GMP and non-GMP environments, including hardware/software upgrades and vendor coordination
Manage external contractors and third-party integrators, including scope definition, performance monitoring, deliverable review, and budget/schedule oversight
Provide technical mentorship and guidance to junior automation engineers
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver automation projects that meet cost, quality, and timeline goals
Utilize Docker or Podman to containerize and manage automation applications for scalability and reliability
Administer containerized applications running in Linux environments
Maintain comprehensive and compliant automation documentation (User Requirements, Design Specifications, Work Instructions, SOPs)
Qualification
Required
BS in Computer Science, Electrical, Chemical, or Mechanical Engineering from an accredited university with at least 6 years of relevant engineering experience
OR MS in Computer Science, Electrical, Chemical, or Mechanical Engineering from an accredited university with at least 4 years of relevant engineering experience
Ignition 8.1 or 8.3 Gold certification and extensive hands-on experience in: Ignition Core Modules (Perspective), MQTT (Sparkplug B), Jython scripting within Ignition
Strong Python and JavaScript programming skills, with experience in automation, data processing, and API integration
Proven experience integrating various lab equipment and systems using standard or custom APIs
Experience with PLCs (Rockwell, Opto22) and industrial protocols (OPC UA, Modbus, Ethernet/IP)
Experience with Historian systems (Aveva PI, Canary Labs, Ignition Historian)
Familiarity with Cloud Services (Azure, AWS), DevOps tools, and technologies (GitHub, CI/CD pipelines, Ansible, Docker, Podman)
Track record of mentoring junior engineers and fostering a collaborative, high-performance team environment
Ability to rapidly learn and adopt new automation platforms
Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving skills; structured approach to root-cause analysis
Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills
Must be able to work onsite at least 3 days per week
Preferred
Experience in Life Sciences industry
Experience with Node-RED programming tool
Experience with Databricks cloud-based data intelligence platform
Experience with DCS systems (e.g., Emerson DeltaV)
Experience with lab automation systems such as Unchained Labs, Hamilton, and Tecan
Benefits
Discretionary annual bonus
Discretionary stock-based long-term incentives (eligibility may vary based on role)
Paid time off
Company-sponsored medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans
Company
Gilead Sciences
Gilead Sciences is a biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, manufactures and commercializes therapies for critical diseases.
10001+ employees
H1B Sponsorship
Gilead Sciences has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (269)
2024 (241)
2023 (222)
2022 (208)
2021 (235)
2020 (187)
Funding
Current Stage
Public CompanyTotal Funding
$4.41BKey Investors
Abingworth
2024-11-13Post Ipo Debt· $3.5M
2024-02-29Post Ipo Equity· $210M
2023-09-07Post Ipo Debt· $2B
Leadership Team
Keeley Wettan
Senior Vice President, Legal
Patrick Loerch
Senior Vice President, Clinical Data Science
Recent News
2026-01-08
2026-01-07
2026-01-06
Company data provided by crunchbase