Senior Manufacturing Engineer - Automation
Bio-Techne · Minneapolis, MN
- Level
- Senior
- Team
- Controls
- Base pay
- $101k–$166k
- Degree
- Required
- Experience asked
- 5+ years
- Industry
- Pharma & life sciences
- Posted
- 30+ days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A senior controls role at Bio-Techne (pharma & life sciences) in Minneapolis, MN. To protect the interests of all, Bio-Techne will not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than a candidate application.
- They ask for
- 5+ years · degree required
- Tools it names
- Lean, Six Sigma, Minitab, Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ), PLC, Robotics
- Base pay
- $101k–$166k
- Day to day
- some off-shift / weekend coverage
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
How this role compares
Against 24 other live controls postings in Minnesota.
- Base pay
- About 21% above similar roles
- Experience asked
- Less than usual (5+ vs 8+)
Typical $89k–$130k, from 16 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 8+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ PLC 76%
- ✓ Automation 64%
- ✓ Robotics 32%
- ✓ MES 24%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for Minitab, Time studies, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Controls team at Bio-Techne
Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find them.
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
- 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- How does off-shift and weekend coverage work?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
This plant: Bio-Techne in Minneapolis
4 other open roles at this site.
- Senior Manufacturing Engineer – Productivity · Manufacturing · Senior
- Senior Manufacturing Technician: Protein and Antibody Product Finishing · Manufacturing · Technician
- Automation Technician · Controls · Technician
- Advanced Manufacturing Technician · Manufacturing · Technician
Full description from Bio-TechneAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Position Summary
The Senior Manufacturing Engineer is responsible for planning, designing, and maintaining manufacturing processes across Filling, Kitting, Packaging, and Shipping. Ensures systems run to specifications and comply with regulations while supporting cross-functional teams to optimize materials, labor, equipment, and systems.
Key Responsibilities
- ◆Maintain a strong presence in manufacturing and operational areas, working directly with frontline employees and leaders to observe work, understanding process challenges, and identify waste, bottlenecks, workload imbalance, waiting, unnecessary movement, rework, and ineffective handoffs.
- ◆Investigate & identify operational inefficiencies and productivity improvements within manufacturing and operational areas.
- ◆Use time studies, standard-labor analysis, line balancing, workload and capacity analysis, process mapping, and material-flow assessments to understand current performance and identify improvement opportunities.
- ◆Define and execute automation strategy and roadmap, aligning with business objectives for cost, quality, throughput, and scalability.
- ◆Manage automation projects through planning, design, architecture, building, and deployment following company procedures.
- ◆Incorporate advanced automation systems; including but not limited to robotics, vision systems, PLCs, and collaborative robots (COBOTs), across manufacturing operations.
- ◆Drive end-to-end process optimization initiatives, leveraging Lean Six Sigma, data analytics, and digital manufacturing tools to deliver sustained KPI improvements (OTD, cycle time, yield, and labor efficiency).
- ◆Own capital automation projects from concept through commissioning, including business case development, equipment specification, vendor selection, FAT/SAT, and full lifecycle validation (IQ/OQ/PQ).
- ◆Lead cross-functional initiatives with Quality, Operations, Supply Chain, and R&D to industrialize new products and scale manufacturing processes.
- ◆Establish and standardize engineering best practices, including automation standards, validation protocols, and documentation systems.
- ◆Champion digital transformation initiatives, including integration of MES, data systems, and smart factory technologies.
Education and Experience
- ✓Requires a master’s degree with 2-5 years of relevant experience Or, a bachelor's degree with 5-8 years of relevant experience; Or an associate degree with 10 or more years of relevant experience
- ✓5+ years of automation or manufacturing engineering experience.
- ✓Mechanical and electrical aptitude required.
Requirements
- ✓Ability to lift and handle materials weighing 5–50 lbs.
- ✓Ability to stand, walk, and perform repetitive laboratory tasks for extended periods.
- ✓Manual dexterity required for laboratory equipment and fine measurement techniques.
- ✓Ability to work at a computer for extended periods.
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
By joining Bio-Techne, you’ll join a company with a powerful and positive purpose of enabling cutting-edge research in Life Sciences and Clinical Diagnostics. Bio-Techne, and all of its brands, provides tools for researchers to further treat and prevent disease worldwide.
Pay Range
$100,800 - $165,600
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- •Knowledge of Lean Six Sigma and CI methodologies.
- •Skilled in detailed, accurate, and organized work.
- •Skilled in Microsoft Office, Smartsheet, and statistical software (Minitab/JMP).
- •Strong communication and organizational skills.
- •Ability to collaborate across departments.
- •Ability to troubleshoot equipment and systems.
Working Conditions
- •Work performed in a laboratory and production environment with exposure to chemicals, reagents, and standard lab equipment.
- •Standard schedule hours with occasional variation depending on production needs.
- •Onsite work required during standard business hours.
Physical
Why Join Bio-Techne
- •We offer competitive insurance benefits starting on day one: medical, dental, vision, life, short-term disability, long-term disability, pet, and legal and ID shield.
- •We invest in our employees’ financial futures through 401k plans, an employee stock purchase plan (ESPP), Health Saving Account (HSA), Flexible Spending Account (FSA), and Dependent Care FSA.
- •We empower our employees develop their careers through mentorship, promotional opportunities, training and development, tuition reimbursement, internship programs, and more.
- •We offer employee resource groups, volunteer paid time off, employee events, and charity drives to build a culture of caring and belonging.
- •We offer an accrued leave policy with paid holidays, paid time off, and paid parental leave.
- •We foster a culture of empowerment and innovation, where employees feel valued and encouraged to bring their new ideas to the table.
To protect the interests of all, Bio-Techne will not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than a candidate application. Any unsolicited resumes sent to Bio-Techne will be considered Bio-Techne property.
This position requires work authorization that does not now or in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the United States (e.g., H1-B visa, F-1 visa (OPT), TN visa or any other non-immigrant work status). If you require a reasonable accommodation to complete an application, participate in an interview, or take part in any other stage of the recruitment process, please contact hr@bio-techne.com for assistance.