Senior Automation Engineering Intern

Location: Glenview, IL

The Asahi Kasei Group operates with a commitment of creating for tomorrow. Our business sectors, Material, Homes, and Health Care, contribute to the development of society by anticipating the changing needs of those around the world. We look for candidates that offer a fresh perspective and a variety of skills to help us achieve our commitment.

We are currently seeking applications to fill the following job opening at Asahi Kasei Bioprocess where we sell Planova® virus removal filters and develops and manufactures related bioprocess equipment.

Company

Asahi Kasei Bioprocess America, Inc.

Summary of Position

Under limited supervision, the Senior Automation Engineering Intern designs, documents, tests, and assists with the delivery of PLC, SCADA, and bespoke software components for custom and standard capital equipment used for pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical product manufacturing (example equipment types include chromatography, buffer formulation, virus filtration, oligonucleotide synthesis).

• interfacing effectively with project stakeholders
• designing and building components for user interaction with recipe editing and data analysis tools
• participating in software development, testing, and training
• configuring and troubleshooting automation hardware and peripheral devices
• performing testing/confirmation of system performance against design specs
• applying customer-focused mindset
• pursuing continual improvement

Building on prior relevant experience, the Senior Automation Intern is expected to demonstrate increasing independence, technical proficiency, and ownership of assigned deliverables.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

Project Automation/Production (40-50%)

• Relevant Technologies: Rockwell Automation Suite (FactoryTalk View SE, Logix/Studio5000), Windows/OS-level installation and scripting.
• Independently manage assigned technical tasks, coordinating with project stakeholders to ensure timely delivery, effective troubleshooting, and appropriate documentation.
• Interpret design requirements based on internal specifications, customer specifications, and knowledge of the product application
• Design and write Unit-level PLC code for batch process control according to the ANSI/ISA-88 (S88) standard, including:

Signal Processing Routines

Control Modules

Equipment Modules

Process Phases

Reporting/Monitoring Phases

Supervisory Phases

Unit Operation/Batch Management Routines

Design and configure a SCADA application, including

• Installation of software(s)
• Configuration and management of SQL database
• Configuration and management of historian software and collectors
• Configuration of HMI screens
• Configuration of HMI tags (including linking to PLC tags)
• Configuration of OPC servers
• Configuration of Alarms, Events, and Audit Trail
• Configuration of tiered privilege/access

Basic scripting for custom HMI functions

• Integration of/Handshaking with bespoke software applications
• Design and configure recipe parameters based on project requirements
• Support engineering commissioning, responding to bugs and requests via issue-tracking software.
• Configure device-level networks (set IP addresses, confirm connection, etc.), including:
• Variable frequency drives
• Solenoid Valve blocks
• Various analytical sensors

Configure PLC hardware

• IO Card configuration
• IO/Valve mapping based on electrical schematics
• Network device configuration
• Support device commissioning
• Configure individual device/transmitter parameters
• Testing/Checkout of IO, Valve Mapping
• Electrical signal troubleshooting
• Confirm high-level operation before handoff to engineering
• Configure system PCs and VMs
• Deploy template windows images to physical hardware
• Connect PCs to corporate network and device network
• Manage remote access software
• Rename PCs per customer request – uninstall and reinstall key applications
• Support automation project documentation
• Manage production license certificates from vendors
• Generate project-specific test certificates
• Confirm system readiness
• Manage pre-shipment backups of key configurations
• Perform system quality checks to support final shipment clearance
• Document “as-shipped” software versions and status
• Support and Development of AKBA Browser-Based suite of applications – (30-40%)
• Relevant Technologies: Javascript (React, Typescript, Node.JS), SQL, Delphi
• Interpret design requirements based on internal specifications, customer specifications, and knowledge of the product application
• Create and / or review design documents, including technical drawings and specification documents
• Support development and debugging of bespoke software applications, primarily front end of our method editor software:
• Development of new features within the application
• Debugging of existing functions (as issues arise)
• Optimization of existing functions
• Aesthetic improvements to the application

Design and configure customer products, including

• Installation of software(s)
• Configuration and management of SQL database
• Configuration and management of historian software and collectors
• Configuration of Batch Report custom details
• Configuration of Recipe Editing screens via the “Method Definition Object”
• Configuration of tiered privilege/access

Basic scripting for custom HMI functions

Complete peer code reviews and internal testing of automated systems prior to turnover to the project engineering team

Record and document code changes, assessing impact to existing validation to advise on required regression testing