Alarm Lifecycle

Recrutis is supporting a global biopharmaceutical group, focused on neurology and immunology, in the search for an Alarm Lifecycle & Governance Lead, based at its manufacturing campus in Braine-l'Alleud, Belgium.

This is a newly created position. The site operates around nine production and development buildings, of different ages and technologies, and the group has defined a global alarm management strategy. Your role is to adapt that strategy to the site, implement it building by building, and govern it over time — supported by alarm champions in each building and by a site automation department of around sixteen engineers.

You are not expected to arrive as a fully-formed alarm expert. The subject is being built here, together with the business, the site automation team and the global organisation. What matters is a solid process automation background, and the ability to carry a cross‑functional subject and bring people with you.

Why this role

• A newly created role on a subject that is genuinely open: strategy, standards, documentation and lifecycle, defined and rolled out across the whole site.
• A long‑term, funded programme — study budget next year, implementation the year after.
• You become the recognised reference point on alarms for engineering, manufacturing, quality and IT.
• You join a technical automation department of around sixteen internal engineers, with technical, project and management growth paths.
• Open to candidates coming from other DCS or SCADA environments — internal PCS7 training can be provided.

Key information

• Location: Braine-l'Alleud, Walloon Brabant (Belgium) — hybrid, around 40% on site
• Contract: permanent, start as soon as possible
• Seniority: minimum 5 years in process automation within a GMP environment
• Languages: English at professional working level. French is a strong asset given the number of local interactions, but is not a requirement.
• Occasional travel, and participation in level 2 24/7 on‑call support, in a hybrid model with automation integrators

Scope

• Adapt the global alarm management strategy to the site, then implement and govern it across the buildings
• Set up the governance framework and work with the alarm champions in each building
• Select and deploy the system that will support alarm review, optimisation and recurrence analysis
• Act as system owner for alarm‑related automation systems
• Ensure GMP and SOP compliance, and maintain the associated lifecycle documentation
• Lead multidisciplinary workshops and align engineering, manufacturing, quality and IT stakeholders
• Review and approve integrator deliverables
• Train operators and experts, and secure the handover to operations

What we are looking for

• Minimum 5 years of process automation experience in a GMP‑regulated manufacturing environment
• Working knowledge of SCADA and / or DCS platforms — the specific platform is open
• Proven ability to lead a cross‑functional subject, convince and align stakeholders you do not manage hierarchically. This weighs as heavily as the technical side.
• Practical experience of commissioning, qualification and validation under cGMP
• English at professional working level
• Established in Belgium or holding a valid work permit, and able to be on site in Braine-l'Alleud
• Degree in automation, electrical engineering or an equivalent qualification supported by relevant experience

What is explicitly not required

• Siemens PCS7 — internal training can be provided
• A prior specialisation in alarm management — exposure to alarm review, rationalisation or optimisation is an asset, and a learning phase is expected and supported
• French — an asset, not a condition

Strong assets — differentiators

• Hands‑on experience with Siemens PCS7, TIA Portal or AVEVA System Platform
• Familiarity with ISA‑18.2 or EEMUA 191 alarm management standards
• Experience rolling out a standard or a governance framework across a multi‑building industrial site
• MES, monitoring platforms, historian data, data integrity (GAMP 5, Annex 11) and OT cybersecurity (IEC 62443)
• French at professional working level

Process — Confidential recruitment process. Response within 48 hours for applications meeting the required criteria. Active mandate, priority review.

Keywords: alarm management, alarm governance, alarm rationalisation, ISA‑18.2, EEMUA 191, Siemens PCS7, TIA Portal, AVEVA System Platform, DCS, SCADA, process automation, GMP, commissioning and qualification, validation, GAMP 5, data integrity, MES, OT cybersecurity, Braine‑l'Alleud, Belgium