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AstraZeneca

Associate Director - Digital Manufacturing & Automation Lead, Cell Therapy

Location
US – Tarzana –, CA (CA)
Posted
Posted today (employer shows the date only)
Source
Workday (employer's applicant tracking system)
Category
Manufacturing/Quality
Industry
Pharma/Biotech
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From the employer's posting

The Associate Director, Digital Manufacturing & Automation will lead the design, implementation, integration, and continuous improvement of next-generation manufacturing digital platforms supporting Cell Therapy operations. This role bridges Manufacturing Operations, Automation Engineering, Digital IT, Quality, and Product teams to enable scalable, compliant, and intelligent manufacturing ecosystems across global Cell Therapy sites.

The primary focus is architecting and delivering advanced manufacturing capabilities including MES, LIMS, manufacturing automation, robotics integration, Tulip applications, and process orchestration platforms supporting end-to-end digital manufacturing workflows. The ideal candidate possesses strong technical product ownership capabilities combined with deep manufacturing systems expertise and hands-on experience integrating OT/IT ecosystems in regulated GMP environments.

Key Responsibilities

Digital Manufacturing Platforms

  • Own delivery of scalable digital manufacturing platforms across Cell Therapy operations
  • Lead development of MES, LIMS, automation interfaces, robotics workflows, and orchestration capabilities through internal teams and external partners
  • Define product roadmaps, manage technical backlogs, and drive delivery of digital batch execution, electronic work instructions, device integration, and real-time visibility
  • Serve as technical product owner ensuring solutions meet manufacturing and compliance requirements

MES & LIMS Workflow Orchestration

  • Lead MES and LIMS workflow orchestration supporting autologous and allogeneic manufacturing processes
  • Design orchestration frameworks integrating MES, LIMS, ERP, automation systems, robotics, and data platforms
  • Define manufacturing process flows, APIs, data exchange patterns, and event-driven architectures
  • Manage vendor delivery, reviewing technical designs and validating implementation quality

Tulip Manufacturing Applications

  • Own Tulip application roadmap and delivery, partnering with development teams to build applications supporting shop floor execution, operator workflows, deviations, equipment monitoring, and process visibility
  • Define application requirements, user stories, and acceptance criteria
  • Build or oversee development of reusable components, connectors, integrations, and low-code automation workflows
  • Partner with manufacturing SMEs to rapidly prototype and deploy solutions

Robotics & Manufacturing Automation Integration

  • Lead integration of robotics platforms, automation equipment, OT systems, and edge devices into enterprise platforms
  • Own technical delivery of automated material movement, manufacturing execution, environmental monitoring, and equipment telemetry
  • Perform hands-on integration including middleware configuration (HighByte, OPC-UA), scripting, and file system management

Enterprise Systems Integration

  • Lead integration of MES and LIMS with SAP, automation systems, and analytics platforms
  • Enable real-time sample tracking, chain of identity/custody, and manufacturing genealogy
  • Define canonical data models supporting advanced analytics and AI use cases
  • Drive API integrations with SAP ERP, vein-to-vein systems, and custom/bespoke supplier applications

Technical Leadership & Solution Delivery

  • Act as technical product owner managing delivery roadmaps, sprint planning, and stakeholder expectations
  • Apply Agile methodologies, CI/CD, DevSecOps, automated testing, and version control
  • Ensure applications are scalable, secure, maintainable, and GxP compliant
  • Review and validate technical work by development partners and vendors

AI & Advanced Digital Manufacturing

  • Leverage AI/ML to optimize workflows, exception handling, predictive maintenance, and manufacturing intelligence
  • Support digital twins, manufacturing analytics, and intelligent automation implementation
  • Drive innovation through rapid experimentation and Industry 4.0 technology adoption

Cross-Functional Collaboration

  • Partner with Manufacturing Operations, MSAT, Quality, Supply Chain, Automation Engineering, Digital IT, and vendors
  • Translate business requirements into scalable technical solutions and delivery plans
  • Support site deployments, validation, training, and operational readiness

Required Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Automation Engineering, Information Systems, Electrical Engineering, or related field
  • 8+ years in manufacturing systems, digital manufacturing, MES implementation, or automation engineering
  • Strong technical product ownership or program management experience leading complex manufacturing system implementations
  • Experience with MES/LIMS platforms in pharmaceutical, biotech, cell therapy, or regulated manufacturing
  • Hands-on experience with Tulip platform or similar low-code manufacturing platforms
  • Experience integrating manufacturing automation systems, robotics, environmental monitoring, and OT systems
  • Technical integration expertise:
  • API development and integration
  • Middleware platforms (HighByte, OPC-UA, MQTT)

…

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