The world of automation engineering in pharma has never been more dynamic. With rapid advancements in technology and evolving industry needs, automation engineers must continuously adapt to stay ahead. To gain a deeper understanding of this transformation, we sat down with Kieran, our Managing Director and an experienced automation engineer, to discuss the challenges, shifts, and essential skills driving success in this field. In this blog, Kieran shares his personal journey and expert insights on what it takes to thrive as an automation engineer in today’s ever-changing landscape.
What did you enjoy about your time as an automation engineer?
Firstly, every client is different! Each company has its own culture, terminology, processes and ways of working. The key industry buzzwords can vary, so you need to take the time to understand the client’s approach and how things are done. This makes the work interesting but also presents challenges. Secondly, the projects themselves can be vastly different. Many involve working with the latest technologies and new methodologies. I’ve been involved in several projects where the technology was being implemented at scale for the first time, or where the approach to executing the project was entirely new and innovative. In some cases, the company was pioneering a completely different way of doing things. One of the advantages of contract work is that it gives you exposure to these kinds of cutting-edge projects. You’re constantly learning and re-evaluating your previous experience in new contexts. I’ve always found that aspect of projects really exciting. If you’re asked to do the same thing day in and day out, it can get monotonous. Contracting, particularly in project-based roles, rarely has that problem.
What skills do you think are essential for success in automation today?
In contracting, technical expertise and ability are a constant—you need to have that solid foundation, what you might call an engineering mindset, along with the ability to solve technical problems. But what has changed the most is what clients are looking for. There’s now a huge emphasis on teamwork and communication skills.
Resilience is a buzzword, but it really comes down to the ability to work under pressure, tackle challenges, and adapt when things don’t go as planned. A lot of this shift is due to how projects are executed today—they’re completely different from how they were 20 years ago. Back then, there were far more people involved in the detailed engineering work, which was often more manual and focused on precision at a granular level. Now, a lot of that work is either managed through modelling tools, automated, or outsourced to lower-cost locations. As a result, the roles contractors are stepping into today are much more coordination focused. There’s still a strong technical aspect, but it’s at a different level—you’re not as deep in the details of wiring or coding as you might have been in the past.
Instead, there’s a need for a higher-level perspective. With that comes a greater focus on communication. We now have multiple ways to communicate—messaging apps, email, video calls, and face-to-face meetings—all happening at once. Managing these different channels effectively has become an essential skill.
If automation engineers want to stay ahead in their career, what should they be focusing on?
There are core skill sets that remain essential—technical knowledge, engineering ability, and a solid understanding of technology are fundamental requirements. But beyond that, people skills and emotional intelligence are becoming just as important. The ability to communicate effectively and truly understand a client’s needs is now a must-have. Twenty years ago, as long as you could do the job without causing major issues, no one really cared about your personality. It was simply a matter of getting the work done. That’s no longer the case. Jobs have become far more complex, and teamwork is essential. You’re no longer working in isolation—you have to collaborate with others. Because of that, understanding people, and by extension, understanding what the client needs and wants, has become a critical skill. For contractors, this is now a core requirement moving forward.
Teamwork and emotional intelligence have also become critical. It’s about being able to recognise when a colleague or manager is having a tough day, not taking things too personally, and knowing how to adjust your approach—whether that means rephrasing a question to get the information you need or restructuring a request to achieve the right outcome.
Kieran’s reflections provide a valuable perspective on the evolving role of automation engineers in the pharma sector. While the foundation of technical expertise remains crucial, the growing importance of communication, emotional intelligence, and adaptability cannot be ignored. As the industry continues to change, automation engineers who embrace these skills and work collaboratively will be best positioned to succeed. With new opportunities on the horizon, staying agile and forward-thinking will be key to advancing in this exciting field.