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Senior Section Manager, Automation

AbbVie · North Chicago, IL · Full time · Engineering

Posted Jul 27, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about an automation project that went over budget. What did you do?

What they are checking: Whether they can recover troubled projects honestly, through replanning and clear communication, rather than hiding the overrun.

Tell me about developing automation engineers.

What they are checking: Whether they invest in engineers' growth through coaching and challenging work, building a stronger team over time.

What would you do

How do you assign automation resources across competing plant projects?

What they are checking: Whether they allocate engineers by priority and impact, balancing competing projects fairly and openly.

How do you partner with operations leaders on project goals?

What they are checking: Whether they work with operations as partners, aligning automation work with what the plant actually needs.

About the work

How do you set and manage the automation department budget and cost center?

What they are checking: Whether they can plan and control a department budget responsibly, since this role owns spending decisions for the function.

How do you assess risk before changing a validated automated process?

What they are checking: Whether they assess risk carefully before changing validated systems, because mistakes can affect product quality and compliance.

How would you decide which automation investments reduce cost the most?

What they are checking: Whether they build business cases from real data, choosing investments with the clearest return for the plant.

How do you build fallback strategies into automation projects?

What they are checking: Whether they plan backups and rollback options, so a failed automation change does not stop production.

How do you keep automation systems compliant with GMP and data integrity?

What they are checking: Whether they understand GMP and data integrity rules for automated systems, which inspectors examine closely in pharmaceutical plants.

How do you track trends in automation technology and regulations?

What they are checking: Whether they follow technology and regulatory trends, so the department plans ahead rather than reacting late.

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The full job description

As published by AbbVie.

• Set, direct, and control all department and financial goals, budget and objectives for the automation area assigned. • Drive and lead the automation department to meet the site/automation business strategies; accountable for cost center expenses, project budgets, and delivery of projects to support required plant/facility projects and programs. • Responsible for compliance with applicable policies and procedures. Ensures quality and effectiveness of key results of major projects within function through sound design, early risk assessments, and implementation of fall back strategies. • Has full awareness of the potential consequences (defects and failure modes) of design changes to established processes. • Mitigates risk within functions through sound design, early risk assessments and implementation of fallback strategies. • Recommend and implement business strategies and automation controls to reduce costs, increase efficiencies, and drive world-class performance. • Collaborate with peers and cross-functional partners to define action plans, timelines and budgets for project goals, and manage/plan/assign automation resources required for execution. • Analyzes business forces (customers, suppliers, competitors, technologies, government regulations) in major markets to identify trends and recommend responses. Independently executes, and/or directs others in the execution of: the design of products/processes/equipment/systems/facilities by applying novel automation theories, concepts, and techniques within the discipline. • Develop and manage staff through hiring, managing performance, developing talent and providing clear expectations. • Provides daily leadership to the Automation Team. These responsibilities include personnel management, training management, department organizational structure and project management. This position directly supervises the activities of Project Engineering personnel consisting of a mix of exempt, nonexempt, and contractors. • Lead the strategic planning of next fiscal year capital plan. • Administer and lead the annual site capital plan and department budget. • Deliver capital plan last best estimates (LBE) as per the established frequency by finance and project accounting. • Makes difficult decisions regarding priorities between projects. Responsible for achieving the projects and capital plan financial targets in support of business objectives and life cycle costs. • Administer asset management, project lifecycle, and energy sustainability Programs. • Drive the site capital long range plan from development to submission. • Assure fulfillments of corporate policies and procedures. Ensure compliance of environmental, health, and safety (EHS) requirements and obligations. Promote continuous improvement and consider EHS aspects during the project design and change process. • Ensure that the required engineering and commissioning documents are filed in the Technical Library and drawing (CAD) repository system is up to date. • Responsible of capital project definition, request capital expenditure (RCE) development, engineering cost estimate, design, project plan integration, construction, and compliance with commissioning and qualification requirements. #LI-AL1 • Bachelor’s Degree in engineering, science, or closely related discipline is desired, or equivalent technical experience plus demonstrated competence, with a desired 10+ years of significant engineering and/or operational experience. A post-graduate education/degree is desired and may contribute towards the desired years of experience. • Business acumen coupled with leadership experience is required to drive high performance. • DeltaV required • Pharmaceutical experience preferred • Change Management expert • Experience with large scale manufacturing expansions and builds • Strong Engineering lead role experience in the Biopharma industry. Demonstrated consistent technical contributions and accomplishments. Significant contribution to product or process development or improvement through creative application of technical effort will equally be recognized. • Able to interact and communicate with Senior Management and other groups within AbbVie engineering and maintains strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders and collaborators. • Has demonstrated competency with financial systems and in fiscal control. • Computer literate including but not limited to Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Project, Outlook), AutoCAD, SAP, among others. • Listens to and understands other’s point of view and articulates tactfully and respectfully one’s own perspective orally, in writing, and in presentations. Possesses a strong technical knowledge and application of concepts, practices, and procedures. Works on problems of complex scope where analysis of situations or data involves multiple competing factors. Exercises judgment and advises management as to the appropriate actions. Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law: ​ • The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future. ​ • We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) • This job is eligible to participate in our short-term incentive programs. ​ Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law. AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community.  Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled. US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more: https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/reasonable-accommodations.html

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