Manufacturing Automation Senior Director at Thermo Fisher Scientific

Morrisville, North Carolina, United States

Thermo Fisher Scientific Logo
Not SpecifiedCompensation
Senior (5 to 8 years), Expert & Leadership (9+ years)Experience Level
Full TimeJob Type
UnknownVisa
Manufacturing, Life SciencesIndustries

Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, or related technical field required; Master’s degree or MBA or equivalent experience preferred
  • 10+ years of experience in manufacturing, engineering, or industrial operations
  • 5+ years in leadership roles with responsibility for large-scale automation or digital transformation initiatives
  • Consistent track record of implementing advanced automation technologies in regulated or high-complexity environments (e.g., life sciences, electronics, automotive, etc.)
  • Deep knowledge of manufacturing systems, automation platforms, robotics, and Industry 4.0 principles
  • Solid critical thinking and program management skills
  • Outstanding communication, leadership, and collaborator influencing abilities
  • Experience working in matrixed, global organizations
  • Familiarity with lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement methodologies
  • Lean Six Sigma Black Belt or equivalent process improvement credentials
  • Experience in regulated industries (Life Sciences, Pharma, Medical Device, etc.)

Responsibilities

  • Develop and implement the enterprise-wide strategy for manufacturing automation, aligning with long-term business goals and operational excellence targets
  • Assess, choose, and deploy automation technologies (robotics, IoT, AI/ML, digital twins, MES, etc.) to enhance efficiency, quality, safety, and agility
  • Partner closely with Engineering, Supply Chain, IT, Digital Operations, Quality, and Site Leaders to ensure automation initiatives are coordinated and scalable across global sites and across divisions
  • Drive adoption of automation throughout all levels of the organization through effective collaboration, training, and communication
  • Build and manage multi-year budgets, project timelines, and a cross-functional team of engineers, program managers, and solution architects
  • Establish benchmarks, dashboards, and governance mechanisms to track progress, return on investment, and program impact. Ensure alignment with overall business performance metrics

Skills

Key technologies and capabilities for this role

RoboticsIoTAI/MLDigital TwinsMESAutomationChange ManagementProject ManagementBudget ManagementManufacturing Execution Systems

Questions & Answers

Common questions about this position

What education is required for the Manufacturing Automation Senior Director role?

A Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, or related technical field is required; a Master’s degree, MBA, or equivalent experience is preferred.

What experience is needed for this position?

Candidates need 10+ years in manufacturing, engineering, or industrial operations, including 5+ years in leadership roles with large-scale automation or digital transformation initiatives, and a track record implementing advanced automation in regulated environments.

Is this role remote or office-based?

This information is not specified in the job description.

What is the salary or compensation for this position?

This information is not specified in the job description.

What skills make a strong candidate for this role?

Strong candidates have deep knowledge of manufacturing systems, automation platforms, robotics, and Industry 4.0 principles, along with solid critical thinking, program management, outstanding communication, leadership, and collaborator influencing abilities, plus experience in matrixed, global organizations.

Thermo Fisher Scientific

Provides life sciences products and services

About Thermo Fisher Scientific

Thermo Fisher Scientific offers a variety of products and services that support scientific research and healthcare, including laboratory equipment, reagents, and software solutions. Their products are used in applications like protein biology, real-time PCR, and sequencing, serving clients such as academic institutions and pharmaceutical companies. Unlike competitors, Thermo Fisher emphasizes customer support and education, helping clients optimize their experiments. The company's goal is to be a leading provider of life sciences solutions that contribute to a healthier and safer world.

Waltham, MassachusettsHeadquarters
1956Year Founded
$17MTotal Funding
IPOCompany Stage
Biotechnology, HealthcareIndustries
10,001+Employees

Risks

Increased competition in single-use bioprocessing may impact market share.
Sale of anatomical pathology business could create a temporary product gap.
Investment in miDiagnostics may face regulatory challenges affecting returns.

Differentiation

Thermo Fisher offers a comprehensive range of life sciences products and services.
Their well-known brands include Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, and Invitrogen.
They provide strong customer support and educational resources to optimize client workflows.

Upsides

Expansion of biologics production facility enhances capacity for precision biologics monitoring.
Investment in miDiagnostics aligns with demand for rapid diagnostic solutions in BioPharma.
Collaboration with Mainz Biomed positions them in the growing cancer detection market.

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