AVEVA PI Engineer / Consultant - Pharmaceutical Sector

Role Overview

We are looking for an experienced AVEVA PI (OSIsoft PI) Engineer/Consultant with deep expertise in the Life Sciences and Pharmaceutical industries. This role involves designing, implementing, and sustaining enterprise historian solutions that integrate manufacturing, laboratory, utility, and automation systems with the AVEVA PI system. The objective is to enable real-time monitoring, ensure data integrity and regulatory compliance, optimize processes, and drive digital transformation.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain PI Data Archive, PI Asset Framework (AF), PI Vision, and interfaces/connectors to gather and contextualize real-time process data.
• Create and manage AF templates, element hierarchies, event frames, and analyses to model plant assets and business rules.
• Configure and troubleshoot PI interfaces including OPC DA/UA, Modbus, and custom drivers to acquire data from PLCs, DCS, SCADA, and historians.
• Build PI Vision displays, dashboards, and reports using PI DataLink/Excel for stakeholders across operations, engineering, and management.
• Develop scripts (PowerShell, Python, PI SDK/AF SDK, PI Web API) to automate data workflows, integrations, and system health monitoring.
• Integrate PI System data with MES, ERP, SQL/historian databases, cloud data lakes, and Aveva Data Hub/Connect platforms.
• Monitor system performance, data quality, tag counts, and undertake capacity planning and license management.
• Support PI System upgrades, patching, backups, disaster recovery, and high-availability configurations such as PI Collective.
• Implement cybersecurity best practices for OT and IT systems, including PI System security mapping, identities, and firewall setups.
• Document system architecture, standards, naming conventions, and data governance guidelines.
• Collaborate closely with process and controls engineers to identify new tagging, key performance indicators (KPIs), and analytics needs.
• Provide Tier 2 and Tier 3 support and perform root cause analysis of PI System issues.

Required Technical Expertise

• Extensive hands-on experience with AVEVA System Platform components including Application Server/Galaxy, Historian, InTouch, and Web Client/Operations Control.
• Knowledge of AVEVA MES or Batch Management, with exposure to integrating third-party MES/LIMS/ERP systems with SCADA layers.
• Proficiency in communication protocols such as OPC UA/DA and Modbus for PLC/DCS integration, plus native device drivers.
• Experience scripting with QuickScript/VBScript and designing object-oriented Galaxy templates.
• Understanding of network and OT architectures, including redundancy, cybersecurity hardening in line with ISA/IEC 62443 standards, and virtualization technologies like VMware.
• Familiarity with SQL Server and reporting tools for data extraction and visualization, with AVEVA Insight/Reports knowledge as an advantage.

Pharmaceutical and Regulatory Knowledge (Preferred)

• Strong understanding of GAMP 5 computerized system validation (CSV/CSA) lifecycle and documentation procedures.
• Working knowledge of regulatory requirements such as 21 CFR Part 11, EU Annex 11, and ALCOA+ data integrity principles.

Certifications (Preferred)

• AVEVA PI certification.
• GAMP 5/CSV training certification.

Soft Skills and Additional Requirements

• Excellent client-facing communication skills, capable of collaborating with pharma quality assurance, validation, and automation teams.
• Ability to develop and present technical estimates, proposals, and solutions to clients and stakeholders.
• Strong documentation habits suitable for regulated and validated environments.
• Proficient analytical and troubleshooting capabilities to support live manufacturing plants.