Senior Automation and Controls Supervisor

In this essential leadership role, the Automation and Controls Senior Supervisor will be responsible for overseeing the plant's automation systems, instrumentation and controls team, and the entire calibration program for all critical devices. This position will play a key role in ensuring regulatory compliance and production reliability through precise calibration, comprehensive logging, and maintenance management using CompuCal and SAP systems. The Supervisor will guide a team of Automation and Instrumentation Technicians, drive standardization of automation practices, and ensure operational excellence in automation, controls, and instrumentation.

• Supervise and mentor Automation and Instrumentation & Controls Technicians across the facility.
• Own and manage the plant-wide calibration program, including flow meters, temperature, conductivity, pressure, turbidity, and level transmitters.
• Develop and administer calibration scheduling, tracking, and logging via CompuCal software to ensure full audit-readiness and accuracy.
• Utilize SAP to create and maintain Preventive Maintenance (PM) tasks aligned to device locations and calibration frequency.
• Act as subject matter expert for automation, instrumentation, and controls systems during troubleshooting, continuous improvement, and project planning.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Maintenance, and Quality teams to ensure instrumentation reliability supports product safety and plant performance goals.
• Support root cause analysis and investigations involving control system faults, instrumentation failures, or calibration discrepancies.
• Maintain up-to-date documentation for control and instrumentation systems, including calibration records, P&IDs, electrical drawings, device datasheets, and loop diagrams.
• Support capital projects involving instrumentation and controls integration; ensure proper device selection, configuration, and commissioning.
• Participate in automation upgrades and improvement initiatives, including PLC/HMI programming when needed.
• Develop and implement standardized work practices for instrumentation calibration and troubleshooting.
• Maintain a high level of compliance with plant safety, food safety, and regulatory (e.g., FDA, GMP) standards.
• Facilitate onboarding, training, and upskilling of team members on CompuCal, SAP workflows, and industry best practices.
  

• 6+ years of experience in automation, instrumentation, and control systems OR a technical Bachelor's degree with 4+ years of relevant experience.
• Proven supervisory experience or leadership of cross-functional technical teams.
• Strong understanding of industrial calibration procedures and principles.
• Hands-on experience using CompuCal or similar calibration management systems.
• Working knowledge of SAP Plant Maintenance (PM module) for task generation, tracking, and reporting.
• Familiarity with industrial automation platforms (e.g., Rockwell/Allen Bradley PLCs, HMIs) and related software.
• Ability to interpret and maintain engineering documentation, including electrical schematics, calibration records, and device specifications.
• Solid troubleshooting ability for process instrumentation and control loops.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities under tight deadlines.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Knowledge of applicable safety and regulatory standards (e.g., ISA, OSHA, GMP, FDA).
• Demonstrated ability to drive cross-functional alignment and continuous improvement.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint).
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, highly regulated, and collaborative environment.
• Willingness to be on call for support and engage in off-shift escalations as needed.