Automation Engineer

Peraton is seeking an Automation Engineer. Peraton provides software and hardware support and enhancement of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy (CMOP) program which consists of seven facilities that automatically transmit prescription data from a Veterans Affairs Medical Center to a CMOP facility. The CMOP host facility then mails prescriptions from an integrated and highly automated outpatient prescription dispensing system. The CMOP program delivers over 137,000,000 prescriptions per year through different locations. This is a critical system supporting the VA in servicing veterans, their families, and their caregivers.

The candidate will participate in a multi-disciplinary team dedicated to the sustainment and modernization of the CMOP facilities consistent with the project’s objectives listed below.

Maintenance

• Provides comprehensive technical support for automated equipment systems such as automatic packaging systems, tote conveyor systems, and drug-dispensing machines assembled from numerous constituent units or subsystems including components such as controller, sensors, bar code scanners, label printers, industrial controls and equipment, programmable logic controllers, and pulse and counting mechanisms
• Performs preventive maintenance, installation, evaluation, troubleshooting, repair, calibration, testing, and modification of subsystems and integrated systems.
• Maintains, installs, and evaluates the performance, repair, calibration, modification, programming and reprogramming for various manufacturers and models of programmable logic controllers (PLCs)
• Recommend, develop, and implement redesign, reconfiguration, or modification of operations and/or procedures to reduce breakdowns, eliminate hazards, or enhance accuracy/reliability.
• Identifies interim solutions to minimize equipment downtime when parts or outside service is not immediately available.
• Assists in writing preventative maintenance procedures, personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements, lock-out tag-out (LOTO) requirements, and contract specifications required for system maintenance programs and demand repairs.
• Assists supervisor in the coordination, administration, and maintenance of the facility and utilities operations, recommending changes in workload, sequences, or other operational aspects as priorities/situations change within the facility or as dictated by customer needs.
• Develops, coordinates, and implements a critical equipment shutdown down list with other maintenance staff and the supervisor prior to electrical and mechanical shutdown work or emergency generator testing at the facility.
• Assists the supervisor in development, review, and revision of standard operating procedures (SOPs) and provides in-service training to new employees pertaining to new equipment. Serves as engineering representative on the facility safety committee.
• Maintenance to all software at the individual CMOP facilities used to interface with local production equipment and processes. This maintenance function involves phone and remote system support with the 7 CMOPs as well as on-site visits.

Enhancement and Integration Support

• Provide software services that improve performance, controls and documentation including equipment interfaces as new equipment is introduced at the CMOPs.
• Responsible for the design, development, test and implementation of software and hardware to process control / feedback signals to optimize the operation of the VA’s pharmaceutical floor with both mechanical and electromechanical devices and systems.
• Responsible for the provision of PLC design and development services in support of maintenance, enhancements, and modernization of the CMOP facilities to include utilizing PLC interfacing software to include Think and Do v8.1 and Concept. The software is responsible for order management, inventory control, fulfilling activities and the interfaces with the equipment on the automation floor.
• Ability to quickly learn new pharmaceutical production floor technologies, including control software development tools, position sensors, photo-eyes, solenoid air valves, actuators, cylinders, RFID and barcode readers, automatic identification equipment, conveyor systems, and process control equipment.
• Ability to adequately document designs, coded solutions and systems
• Possess strong knowledge of mechanical, electrical, and pneumatic systems, comfort using electrical meters and other tools, and advanced troubleshooting experience diagnosing system problems.
• May be involved in the analyses and the investigation of related application development tasks and preparing design specifications, analysis, and recommendations.
  • Ensure the compliance of customer standards; also ensures that contractual deliverables assigned are reviewed for completeness and completed on time.
  • Works closely with other teams, support organizations, program, and product management
  • Interact with senior management and other developers. Interaction normally involves matters between functional and technical areas.

Weekend or evening work sometimes is needed for Testing when operations is not running the equipment.

Required Qualifications:

• Minimum of 12 years with BS/BA; Minimum of 10 years with MS/MA; Minimum of 7 years with Ph.D, 16 years of experience in lieu of degree
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a VA designated High-Risk Background Investigation (BI).
• Must be a U.S Citizen
• Experience with Microsoft environment using Microsoft’s development environments in real-time is required.
• Proven experience in developing and supporting large development initiatives that are similar in scope and complexity to the VA’s CMOP
• Experience with:
  • Control software engineering.
  • Understanding of system engineering and design
  • 7+ years of experience with automated equipment/systems controls
  • PLC / SCADA/ HMI programming
  • I/O mapping programming
  • Windows Development
  • MV Visual Studio
  • Ability to read and understand Plans, Specifications, Mechanical and Electrical Drawings
  • 5+ Year’s programming Ladder Logic 
  • In-cabinet hands-on electrical testing and troubleshooting experience in 24 Volt 120 volts and 480 Volt electrical cabinets
  • Installation and setup testing background (as much of our work is in testing software changes that may affect hardware operations)
  • CPP and WPF with windows visualizations created in Visual Studio
  • Documenting work performed with steps on how to set up PLC tests, applications, and systems to prepare developers and others.

Desired Skills 

• • PROFIBUS/PROFINET Fieldbus
  • Allen-Bradley PLCs
  • Object orientated Analysis and Design
  • Agile Methodologies
  • SQL Server
  • TwinCAT
  • Schneider Electric Concept and Momentum PLCs
  • Test Driven Development
  • C++ / C#
  • MODBUS/Profibus
  • OPC
  • Multiple Control System Hardware and Software
  • Allen-Bradley PLCs
  • Siemens PLCs
  • Automation Direct PLCs
  • Keyence PLCs
  • Ladder Logic
  • Serial communication
  • TCP/IP
  • Equipment Setup experience (Scanners/Printers)
  • Linux
  • Troubleshooting with any version of Think and Do Software formerly used by Phoenix contact.