Reliability and Automation Lead
Onsite, El Paso, TX
- Job ID
- R-545360
- Category
- Engineering
- Location
- El Paso, Texas
Build an engineering career where innovation, ownership and impact move healthcare forward
At BD, Engineering and R&D professionals design, develop and improve the technologies that shape how healthcare is delivered worldwide. You'll apply scientific thinking, technical expertise and creative problem-solving to turn complex challenges into solutions that matter.
Whether you specialize in mechanical, electrical, process, systems, software or research engineering, BD offers the scale, resources and freedom to innovate – with clear expectations, accountability for outcomes and opportunities to grow your career alongside industry-leading technology.
And as one of the world's largest medical technology companies, you'll shape solutions that reach across global healthcare systems and improve lives at scale.
We are the people who give possibilities purpose
BD is one of the largest global medical technology companies in the world. Advancing the world of health™ is our Purpose, and it’s no small feat. It takes the imagination and passion of all of us—from design and engineering to the manufacturing and marketing of our billions of MedTech products per year—to look at the impossible and find transformative solutions that turn dreams into possibilities.
Job Description
The Reliability and Automation Lead is accountable for achieving high asset reliability, availability, safety, and lifecycle performance at optimal cost across the site. This role provides strategic and operational leadership for controls and automation systems, reliability engineering, machine design support, and maintenance strategy, including oversight of the tool room and critical spares.
The position leads a multidisciplinary team of Controls & Automation Engineers, Reliability Engineers, Vision & Controls Technicians, Machine Designers, and Hourly Technical Associates. By partnering closely with Operations, Product Lines, Preventive Maintenance (PM), Engineering, Quality, EHS, IT/OT, and Finance, the leader ensures reliability‑centered maintenance strategies are deployed, repetitive breakdowns are eliminated, and continuous improvement initiatives deliver measurable gains in OEE, MTTR, MTBF, cost, and safety performance.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Safety, Behavior & Compliance
Champion a Zero Harm safety culture, ensuring compliance with all site, corporate, and regulatory EHS requirements.
Enforce LOTO, electrical safety, machine guarding, ergonomic risk mitigation, and risk‑assessment processes.
Conduct safety walks, audits, coaching, and hazard reviews with timely corrective actions.
Ensure compliance with quality systems, engineering standards, cybersecurity requirements, and documentation controls.
2. Asset Reliability & Maintenance Strategy
Lead development and execution of a site‑wide Reliability‑Centered Maintenance (RCM) strategy aligned with equipment classification and maintenance budget.
Own reliability KPIs including MTTR, MTBF, OEE, failure trends, maintenance cost, and asset lifecycle health.
Identify weak components and chronic losses; lead structured root‑cause analysis and permanent corrective actions.
Coordinate deployment of Condition‑Based Maintenance (CBM) tools and predictive technologies.
Drive spare parts optimization, risk‑based spares strategies, and cost reduction initiatives.
3. Controls & Automation Strategy & Governance
Own the Automation Master Plan, including modernization, obsolescence management, and standardization.
Establish and enforce standards for PLCs, HMIs, SCADA, safety systems, motion/drives, robotics, vision systems, instrumentation, and industrial networks.
Govern version control, backups, disaster recovery, access management, and OT cybersecurity posture.
Ensure availability, reliability, and maintainability of both legacy and new automation assets.
4. Troubleshooting & Operational Support
Provide escalation support for high‑complexity automation and equipment failures.
Partner with PM, Product Line, and Operations teams during startups, changeovers, shutdowns, and recovery events.
Coach teams in structured troubleshooting and reliability tools to build long‑term capability.
5. Projects, Capital Integration & Digitalization
Lead and govern small‑to‑medium automation, reliability, and electrical projects, ensuring safety, scope, quality, schedule, and cost adherence.
Oversee I/O lists, cause‑and‑effect matrices, panel designs, FAT/SAT, validation plans, and commissioning activities.
Ensure Management of Change (MOC), training, documentation updates, and handover requirements are completed.
Support digitalization initiatives including MES, historian integration, connectivity, and data‑driven decision making.
6. Team Leadership & Capability Development
Build and sustain a high‑performing technical organization across reliability, controls, automation, and machine design.
Provide servant leadership, coaching, and mentorship to exempt and hourly associates.
Develop technical training paths, standard work, OPLs, and succession plans.
Manage priorities, resource allocation, and on‑call or 24/7 support structures.
7. Continuous Improvement & Operational Excellence
Lead and participate in continuous improvement programs (e.g., Kaizen, TPM, AM/PM pillars, C2W or equivalent).
Benchmark performance against internal and external sites and apply best practices.
Drive initiatives that reduce downtime, maintenance cost, spare parts consumption, and overall operational risk.
8. Quality, Documentation & Audit Readiness
Ensure automation and equipment design support quality‑by‑design principles.
Maintain accurate, audit‑ready documentation including manuals, drawings, network maps, maintenance plans, validations, backups, and as‑built packages.
Support internal, customer, and regulatory audits with timely actions and evidence.
9. Collaboration & Communication
Act as a key integrator across Operations, PM, Product Lines, Engineering, Quality, IT/OT, EHS, Finance, and external partners.
Communicate asset health, automation risks, reliability priorities, and project status to site leadership.
Manage OEM, vendor, and system integrator relationships to ensure alignment and quality execution.
Education & Experience:
Education:
Bachelor’s degree required in Engineering, Science, Automation, Industrial Management, or related field
Master’s degree preferred
Experience:
5+ years in a highly automated manufacturing environment
3+ years of technical people leadership preferred
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
Required:
Advanced troubleshooting and problem‑solving skills
Expertise in automation, controls, machine design, reliability engineering, and maintenance systems
Strong leadership, communication, and decision‑making skills
Knowledge of safety standards, quality systems, and continuous improvement methods
Project management and financial acumen
Why Join Us?
To find purpose in the possibilities, we need people who can see the bigger picture, who understand the human story that underpins everything we do. We welcome people with the imagination and drive to help us reinvent the future of healthcare. At BD, you’ll discover a culture in which you can learn, grow and thrive.
We believe that when people connect in person, we learn faster, collaborate more deeply, and build a stronger culture. Join us and enjoy a culture where face-to-face collaboration supports your learning, your progress, and your success.
To learn more about BD visithttps://bd.com/careers.
Becton, Dickinson, and Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We evaluate applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, marital or domestic or civil union status, familial status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetics, disability, military eligibility or veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics.
Required Skills
Optional Skills
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Primary Work Location
USA TX - El Paso - Northwestern Dr.Additional Locations
Work Shift
Success Profile
What sets successful Engineering and R&D professionals apart? You're likely to thrive if you are:
- Analytical
- Collaborative
- Curious
- Detail-oriented
- Inventive
- Problem-solver
Ready for your next challenge?
This is an environment for engineers who want to think boldly and execute with precision. You'll have the opportunity to influence design decisions, contribute across the full product lifecycle and see how your work moves from concept to real-world impact – backed by the scale of a global MedTech leader.
Hear from one of our BD Innovators about how BD uses cutting-edge AI and machine learning to power decisions that improve patient outcomes and expand access to care. This is where your work drives real-time impact across the globe.
Hear from Our Associates
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"BD is a big, global company so don't be afraid to connect with and reach out to others. There is so much to learn here, and the company does an amazing job of helping people develop and grow. I'd also offer to become like a sponge and soak up as much knowledge as you can and put your Career Blueprint to work for you. I really love my job and am so grateful to work at BD."
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"I think we have something like more than 30 different countries represented by those working within the Research Centre Ireland, which is impressive and one of my favourite things about BD. I work with electrical, mechanical engineers, scientists and so many others – it's wonderful to see and hear so many different perspectives during the day."
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"I continue to be amazed at how we keep innovating in the Med Tech space. We constantly evaluate how to bring even more solutions to healthcare professionals, how to increase the efficiency of our technologies, all while keeping the patient impact in mind. Not only have I found meaningful work at BD, but a place where I feel I can thrive."
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"During my interview, I learned how much of an impact our infusion solutions have across the world and I was impressed because whether it's analgesics, cancer treatments, anesthesia or other treatments, the likelihood of someone within your own family using our product is high. Contributing to the creation of products that have the ability to make such a big impact in healthcare is a great feeling. I love my role at BD."
Benefits
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Competitive Compensation
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Retirement Plans
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Healthcare Coverage
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Paid Time Off
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Parental Leave
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Employee Assistance Program
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Rewards & Recognition
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