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.

All potential candidates should read through the following details of this job with care before making an application.

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

If you hesitate on one point, apply — we will discuss it.

Process — Confidential recruitment process. Response within 48 hours for applications meeting the required criteria. xlxgzvr 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,