Staff Engineer, Process Development & Automation

Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 122,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries. JOB DESCRIPTION: Staff Engineer, Process Development & Automation Location: Madison, WI (US) | Employment type: Full-time | Travel: ~10% Position Overview The Staff Engineer, Process Development & Automation leads, manages, implements, and provides technical engineering support for a variety of process automation hardware, software applications, and laboratory instruments. This position collaborates cross-functionally with internal and external partners to enhance existing workflows and develop new automated workflows in a complex, rapidly evolving clinical laboratory. Responsibilities may include guiding the Lab Service, Process Development & Automation, and Laboratory Operations teams through automation selection, system design, integration, commissioning, and project documentation. The role’s influence extends to technical, quality, and business teams, as well as other engineers within laboratory operations. Key Responsibilities Technical Leadership & Engineering Design • Apply in-depth knowledge to key technical and testing activities; conceive and direct or conduct experiments and engineering studies that inform significant tactical, strategic, and compliance decisions. • Develop complex process architectures and functional specifications based on user and workflow requirements. • Plan and direct or conduct complex engineering design, platform eligibility testing, systems integration, and performance/validation testing. • Solve unusual or highly technical/scientific problems and provide expert input into technical decisions and recommendations. • Take scientific bench protocols from the bench to the automation system. • Develop new products and technologies for emerging and existing markets. • Contribute constructively to others’ designs through design reviews across multiple platforms, and facilitate reuse by communicating available technologies and opportunities across organizations. Project & Program Leadership • Lead major project teams and major cross-organizational programs; lead and coach multiple efforts and teams to deliver work successfully. • Work with business stakeholders to define strategy and requirements, and to define and execute a collection of projects across the business. • Work with project managers and cross-functional teams on user requirements, factory acceptance tests, validation planning, site acceptance tests, pre-installation planning, initial installation, setup, maintenance, and improvement for new or upgraded instrumentation and automation systems. • Collaborate and negotiate deliverables with other functional organizations. • Work with senior management on product development initiatives, applying company knowledge and industry expertise to help lead them. • Provide input to senior management for strategic and functional decisions, and help develop decision-making guidelines and problem-solving techniques. Operations, Troubleshooting & Continuous Improvement • Drive support and response to complex system problems, counseling internal and external vendors and Laboratory Service Engineers on corrective and preventive actions. • Lead technical investigation and troubleshooting of laboratory systems. • Lead recommendations and implementation of changes that ensure ongoing high-quality performance of laboratory equipment. • Lead continuous improvement projects that drive cost reduction and lab efficiency. • Independently address rout