Vacancies at GSK

The successful candidate will be responsible for the delivery of site Technical Standard for GSK Barnard Castle. The MSAT Technical Standards Lead leads a team of specialists at Barnard Castle, ensuring consistent application of global technical standards across legacy products and new product introductions. Key focus areas include Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), Cleaning Validation and Contamination Control, Visual Inspection, Single Use Systems (SUS), and Extractables & Leachables (E&L). The role provides technical leadership, promotes knowledge transfer through coaching, and oversees risk management and compliance for the site MSAT team. It also maintains an indirect reporting line to the MSAT Business Process, Standards, and External Manufacturing organisation.

In this role you will…

Leadership and Team Management:

• The MSAT Technical Standards Manager leads and manages the team of specialists, ensuring they have the necessary expertise and support to deliver technical excellence in Cleaning Validation, PLM, SuS and E&L, and Visual Inspection. The manager provides mentorship and fosters professional growth within the team, enabling the specialists to independently manage their respective technical standards while optimizing operational performance across the site.

Capability Building:

• The manager ensures that the team builds and maintains site capability in core MSAT standards by transferring knowledge and expertise across the site. This involves developing training programs, coaching the specialists, and ensuring readiness for implementation of technical standards. The manager actively works to enhance the team's skills and ensure alignment with global best practices.

Stakeholder Management:

• The manager plays a critical role in stakeholder management, working closely with Barnard Castle Senior Leadership Team (SLT), quality functions, and operations teams to ensure alignment and support for technical standards implementation. Additionally, the manager collaborates with above-site global MSAT teams to ensure seamless integration of global strategies into site-level practices. This involves negotiating priorities, influencing decision-making, and fostering strong relationships across functions to achieve organizational goals.

Governance and Oversight:

• The manager establishes governance frameworks to oversee the implementation of technical standards, ensuring that key performance indicators (KPIs) are in place to measure and drive continuous improvement. Additionally, the manager ensures effective risk management and compliance within the team, proactively identifying and escalating issues to prevent setbacks and ensure successful implementation of standards.

Alignment with Global Standards:

• The manager ensures that site-specific practices align with global MSAT standards, including tools, templates, and guidance. By collaborating with global MSAT Standards Leads, the manager supports the delivery of key GSC projects and initiatives, ensuring consistent implementation of technical standards across the site.

Regulatory Knowledge and Innovation:

• The manager maintains current knowledge of global regulations, inspection intelligence, and industry standards relevant to the technical areas managed by the specialists. This includes staying updated on innovative technologies and evaluating their applicability to enhance manufacturing capabilities. The manager ensures that the team remains compliant with regulatory requirements while driving innovation.

Why you? 

Basic Qualifications & Skills:

• MSc in scientific discipline such as Scientific, Technical or Engineering with knowledge & experience on one or more of the following areas - validation life cycle for cleaning, product and process, contamination control, visual inspection or single use systems.
• Significant working experience required in relevant technical standard with proven application and delivery in one or more of the following areas: Cleaning Verification/Validation lifecycle, Process Validation Lifecycle (Stage 1- Stage 3), Contamination Control (PCCE, microbial), Visual Inspection, SUS
• Previous experience of working with multidisciplinary teams
• Strong technical writing and communication skills

Preferred Qualifications & Skills:

• PhD in scientific discipline
• Risk Management/ Project Management experience (qualification preferred e.g. Prince 2, PMP)
• Strategic thinking and planning.
• Ability to lead and motivate a team.
• Attention to detail and commitment to quality.
• Proficiency in digital tools and technologies.
• Innovative mindset and ability to drive change.
• Good knowledge of internal and external quality and EHS requirements

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The Engineering Automation Lead will provide strategic input and leadership direction to enable the site to meet its business goals by effectively balancing the management of day-to-day operations with long-term strategic planning. This involves ensuring that advanced instrumentation, automation, and control engineering techniques are implemented across the Barnard Castle Site in a GMP compliant manner to meet both local and global requirements. By integrating robust management practices with strategic initiatives, the site can optimize operational efficiency, maintain regulatory compliance, and achieve sustainable growth. 

Key Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:  

• Develop and implement a comprehensive operations automation strategy that aligns with the site’s business goals and objectives. 
• Team Leadership: Manage and mentor a team of automation engineers and build capability and skills with maintenance technicians, fostering a collaborative and innovative work environment. 
• System Design and Implementation: Lead the design, development, and implementation of advanced automation systems, including PLCs, SCADA, and DCS. 
• GMP Compliance: Ensure all automation systems and processes comply with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and regulatory requirements. 
• Training and Development: Develop and deliver training programs to ensure staff are proficient in the use of automation technologies and best practices. 
• Continuous Improvement: Drive continuous improvement initiatives by staying current with emerging automation technologies and industry trends and integrating them into the site’s operations where applicable. 
• Technical Support: Provide technical support and troubleshooting for automation systems to minimize downtime and ensure smooth operations. 
• Provide subject matter expertise to regulatory inspections and interact with auditors as necessary. 

Why you?  

Basic Qualifications:   

We are looking for professionals with these required skills to achieve our goals: 

• Degree in a Science/ Engineering related discipline such as Automation, Control, Electrical or Mechatronic. 
• Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing experience gained from the pharmaceutical industry.; Black Belt or Green Belt desirable. 
• Technical expertise in several scientific and engineering automation areas including ISA standards (e.g. S88, S95), P&ID nomenclature, Automation architecture, instrumentation and electrical wiring diagrams, communication networks, control panels, HMI, MES, SCADA, PLC and Historians. 
• Broad and in-depth knowledge with practical experience of computer and application validation (preferably using GAMP methodology), cGMPs, and 21 CFR Part 11 in an FDA regulated environment. 
• Proven experience in leading and managing teams effectively, with a strong track record of fostering a high-performing culture and driving organizational transformation is essential.
• Strong leadership skills, including the ability to inspire, influence, and collaborate with cross-functional teams and senior leadership to execute strategic initiatives successfully. 
• Ability to interface with operational and senior management within the organization. 
• Experience gained designing and programming automation applications. May include both firmware and software development. 

Preferred Skills  

If you have the following characteristics, it would be a plus:  

• MEng / MSc in a Science or Engineering related discipline such as Automation, Control, Electrical or Mechatronic. 
• A sound scientific and engineering understanding of pharmaceutical secondary processing. 
• Good knowledge of IT architecture management, data warehousing, virtualization & implementation processes.
• Practical knowledge of Cybersecurity within an OT space. 
• Demonstrated project management skills. 
• Working knowledge and understanding of EHS Practices and regulations with respect to the installation of automated plant. 
• A good appreciation of FDA PAT initiatives and the impact on the Pharma industry. 
• Proven track record in providing automation support and maintenance for instrumentation, automation and controls. 

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Job Purpose

GSK is seeking a visionary Director of Automation Infrastructure to architect and drive the Research Technologies Automation strategy. This senior leader will set the vision for automation investments, ensuring strategic prioritization and alignment with GSK’s long-term scientific and digital transformation goals. The successful candidate will lead the creation of a centralized hub of automation excellence, delivering lab-in-a-loop systems and fully integrated automation platforms that accelerate research productivity and enable data-driven science. This is a unique opportunity to lead the transformation of RTech’s automation landscape and position GSK at the forefront of technological advancement in pharmaceutical drug discovery.

The Director, Automation Infrastructure will architect and drive the unified automation strategy, setting the vision for automation investments and ensuring alignment with GSK’s scientific and digital transformation goals. This role will lead the creation of a centralized hub of automation excellence, maximizing impact on research productivity and positioning GSK at the forefront of pharma R&D.

The successful candidate will have a proven track record in designing and delivering lab-in-a-loop systems, including fully orchestrated and integrated automation platforms that enable seamless data flow, system interoperability, and closed-loop scientific workflows.

This role will report to the Head of RTech Automation UK and will join the new RTech Automation Leadership Team to shape our vision and strategy in automating drug discovery workflows, while also providing technical expertise. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Team Leadership and Development: Lead and inspire global, cross-functional teams to foster a culture of innovation and collaboration. Champion the centralization of automation expertise and support, breaking down silos and maximizing the impact of automation investments.
• Strategic Integration and Collaboration: Build strong partnerships and collaborate with leaders across the organization to deploy lab automation to enable key business priorities.
• Build and deliver the strategy for the industrialization of automation technologies, both integrated platforms and standalone devices and other advanced tools.
• Deliver reliable, scalable, and secure automation infrastructure to accelerate research, adhering to industry best practices and safety requirements.
• Build strategic partnerships with research leaders, scientists, IT, and engineering teams to establish requirements and develop comprehensive automation solutions in partnership with integration vendors.
• Oversee the design and deployment of lab-in-a-loop systems and orchestrated automation platforms, ensuring seamless data flow and system interoperability.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to team members, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement.
• Stay current with emerging technologies and industry trends, incorporating new advancements into GSK's automation strategy.
• Build strategic partnerships, influence industry standards, and represent GSK externally.

Why you?

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences, Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field;
• Extensive experience in automation infrastructure design and implementation, with significant leadership roles at a global level.
• Demonstrated success in delivering lab-in-a-loop systems and orchestrated automation platforms in pharmaceutical or biotech research environments. 
• Experience with laboratory information management systems (LIMS) and electronic lab notebooks (ELNs).
• Strong understanding of automation technologies, both integrated platforms and standalone devices, and data management systems.
• Experience with system integration, including commercial scheduling software (such as Momentum, Cellario, and GreenButtonGo), APIs, middleware, and data exchange protocols.
• Exceptional project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously.
• Strong leadership and team management abilities, with a focus on collaboration and innovation.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to think strategically and creatively.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively convey technical concepts to diverse stakeholders.
• Knowledge of safety requirements and industry standards related to automation in pharmaceutical research.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in Life Sciences, Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field;
• Knowledge of regulatory requirements and industry standards related to automation in pharmaceutical research.
• Familiarity with programming languages such as Python, R, C#, or Java, and experience with scripting for automation.
• Experience with cloud computing platforms and services (e.g., AWS, Azure).
• Strong analytical skills and experience with data visualization tools.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and adapt to changing priorities.