Associate Director, Robotics and Automation – Factory of the Future (Hybrid)

About AbbVie

AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.

Job Summary:

The Associate Director, Robotics and Automation – Factory of the Future will lead the strategy, deployment, and management of advanced robotics and automation solutions across AbbVie’s manufacturing and operational sites. This role fosters innovation and drives transformation by integrating cutting-edge robotics with smart automation to improve efficiency, quality, and flexibility in production environments. The position partners with Engineering, Operations, IT, Quality, and other cross-functional teams to ensure compliance and value realization in a regulated environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute an enterprise strategy for robotics and automation in alignment with AbbVie’s Factory of the Future vision and operational excellence targets.
• Oversee the end-to-end lifecycle of robotics and automation systems, including design, selection, deployment, validation, and continuous improvement for manufacturing, assembly, packaging, and material handling.
• Identify, assess, and drive adoption of innovative robotics (e.g., collaborative robots, AGVs/AMRs) and automation technologies (e.g., AI-powered process automation, digital twins, automated inspection systems).
• Lead cross-disciplinary teams and foster close collaboration across Engineering, Operations, IT, Quality, and EHS to enable seamless and compliant integration of robotic and automation solutions.
• Ensure systems meet all applicable safety, quality, GxP, and FDA regulatory requirements.
• Build, standardize, and maintain best practices and frameworks for robotics/automation implementation, data connectivity, and integration with digital manufacturing platforms (e.g., MES, SCADA, IoT).
• Oversee training, upskilling, and change management initiatives to support workforce adoption and develop internal robotics and automation expertise.
• Support audits, inspections, CAPAs, and risk management activities related to automated and robotic systems.
• Remain current on robotics, automation, and industry 4.0 trends, and lead evaluation of new partners, vendors, and integrators.

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering, Robotics, Automation, Computer Science, or related field.
• 8+ years’ experience in robotics, industrial automation, or digital manufacturing, preferably within pharmaceutical, biotech, or highly regulated industries.
• Proven record of delivering large-scale robotics/automation projects from concept to operational maturity.
• Strong technical leadership, project management, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Knowledge of GxP and FDA requirements for automated systems and manufacturing environments.
• Experience with robotics integration with MES, SCADA, IoT, and digital factory tools.

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) to eligible employees.​

• This job is eligible to participate in our long-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. 

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