Data Engineer – PPI Digital Transformation (Multi-site)

Work Schedule

Environmental Conditions

Job Description

Company Introduction

As part of the Thermo Fisher Scientific team youll discover meaningful work that makes a positive impact on a global scale. Join our colleagues in bringing our Mission to life every single day to enable our customers to make the world healthier cleaner and safer.

We support our global manufacturing sites by developing digital and IIoT solutions that enhance operational excellence data-driven decision-making and smart manufacturing capabilities across EU and APAC regions.

DESCRIPTION

Join the PPI (Practical Process Improvement) Digital Transformation team at Thermo Fisher Scientific as an IIoT Engineer where you will contribute to the design implementation and support of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solutions across multiple GMP-regulated manufacturing sites.

You will be part of a structured IIoT sub-team working alongside with a Senior IIoT Engineer and collaborating closely with Automation IT Data Engineering Data Science and Digital Project Management teams.

The role focuses on enabling reliable secure and scalable data acquisition from shop floor equipment to digital platforms bridging OT and IT environments. Success in this position requires a hands-on mindset strong collaboration skills and the ability to operate effectively in a multi-site matrix organization.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct technical AS-IS assessments of production lines through document analysis shop floor walk-throughs and interviews with Operations Maintenance and Automation stakeholders.
• Design TO-BE IIoT connectivity architectures using ISA-95 principles and system modeling techniques.
• Configure test and support industrial gateways and edge solutions (e.g. Kepware Ignition) for PLC integration and edge-to-cloud data pipelines (OPC UA MQTT Modbus TCP).
• Integrate PLCs and automation systems with IIoT platforms ensuring data consistency reliability and performance.
• Test and troubleshoot OT networks and data pipelines validating data quality throughput and stability.
• Collaborate with Data Engineering teams to ensure seamless ingestion of OT data into data lakes and analytics platforms.
• Participate in technical discussions and reviews with vendors system integrators and internal stakeholders contributing alternative solutions and improvement proposals.
• Support validation and compliance activities by producing technical documentation (architecture diagrams data flow models configuration documentation test evidence).
• Apply industrial cybersecurity and networking principles to ensure secure and reliable OT/IT integration.
• Contribute to digital transformation initiatives supporting smart manufacturing predictive maintenance OEE monitoring and performance analytics.

Site & Collaboration Model

The IIoT Engineer is expected to work effectively within a distributed team collaborating remotely with colleagues across different manufacturing sites within EU/APAC sites.

REQUIREMENTS

Minimum Qualifications

• Technical diploma with 35 years of hands-on experience in OT/IT environments or
• Bachelors degree in Automation Engineering Electronics Computer Engineering or related STEM disciplines with relevant industrial experience.
• At least 2 years of experience in automation IIoT implementation or system integration within manufacturing or process industries.
• Hands-on experience with industrial communication protocols (OPC UA MQTT Modbus TCP).
• Experience configuring industrial gateways or edge platforms (e.g. Kepware Ignition).
• Experience integrating PLCs (Siemens S7 preferred; B&R or Rockwell acceptable).
• Working knowledge of IT/OT networking concepts (VLANs subnetting firewalls DMZ).
• Familiarity with ISA-95 models and system architecture diagramming tools.
• Basic knowledge of SQL databases and scripting for automation or data handling.
• Fluency in Italian and English (minimum B1 level for technical communication).

Preferred Qualifications

• Certifications in IIoT platforms or industrial communication standards.
• Experience in GMP/FDA-regulated manufacturing environments and exposure to Computerized System Validation (CSV).
• Experience with SCADA systems (Ignition GE iFix Wonderware).
• Familiarity with cloud IoT services (Azure IoT Hub AWS IoT Core).
• Exposure to data ingestion streaming architectures or event-driven systems.
• Experience in digital manufacturing pharmaceutical or multi-site environments.
• Background in system integrators OEMs or industrial solution providers.

Key Competencies & Soft Skills

• Structured problem-solving mindset with the ability to analyze complex OT/IT systems.
• Strong collaboration skills across Automation IT Operations Data Engineering and Project Management teams.
• Openness to technical guidance peer review and standardized ways of working within the IIoT domain.
• Hands-on and pragmatic approach with strong troubleshooting capabilities.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and execute tasks under technical leadership.
• Attention to detail in technical documentation and configuration activities.
• Effective communication skills including the ability to explain technical topics to non-technical stakeholders.
• Adaptability to work across multiple sites regions and cultural contexts (EU/APAC).
• Strong commitment to reliability safety and quality in GMP-regulated environments.

Additional Information

• Occasional travel may be required to support site activities and collaboration (estimated 025%).