Senior Manufacturing Technician
Abbott Laboratories · Kilkenny
Senior Manufacturing Technician
Abbott Diabetes Care – Kilkenny
Build Your Future. Improve Lives. Grow with Abbott.
At Abbott, we don’t just manufacture products — we change lives.
Our Kilkenny facility is one of the most advanced manufacturing sites in Europe, producing FreeStyle glucose monitoring technology that supports millions of people living with diabetes worldwide. We are now expanding our team with high-impact Manufacturing Technicians who bring deep expertise, strong ownership, and the ability to drive real improvements in a fast-paced, automated environment.
The Role
As a Senior Manufacturing Technician, you will take ownership of equipment performance, technical problem-solving, and continuous improvement within a highly automated production environment.
This is a hands-on, high-impact role requiring deep technical expertise, strong autonomy, and the ability to influence both people and processes.
What You’ll Do
Lead advanced troubleshooting and fault diagnosis across mechanical, electrical, and pneumatic systems
Perform and optimise preventative maintenance strategies to improve uptime and reliability
Drive root cause investigations using data, trends, and structured problem-solving methodologies
Monitor and improve OEE, yield, cycle time, and equipment performance
Use CMMS and equipment data to proactively identify and eliminate recurring issues
Lead and implement continuous improvement initiatives across equipment and processes
Support and influence equipment installation, validation, and upgrades
Act as a technical point of contact, guiding and supporting other technicians and operators
Train and certify manufacturing associates, elevating team capability
Coordinate and oversee external contractors and technical interventions
Ensure all activities meet safety, quality, and regulatory standards
What You’ll Bring
Core Technical Capability
Level 6 qualification (or higher) in engineering or a related technical discipline
4+ year of related experience in a regulated manufacturing environment
Very high level of hands-on experience with automated manufacturing equipment
Strong expertise across mechanical, electrical, and pneumatic systems
Proven ability to work directly on complex, high-speed production equipment
Troubleshooting & Problem Solving
Advanced, systematic troubleshooting capability
Experience conducting root cause analysis and implementing sustainable fixes
Data-driven mindset with ability to interpret performance metrics and trends
Manufacturing Experience
Candidates must have demonstrated experience in a regulated manufacturing environments
Strong understanding of OEE, yield optimisation, and continuous improvement principles
Strong working knowledge of compliance standards, with demonstrated ability to adhere to and uphold GMP practices.
Autonomy & Ownership
Operates independently with full accountability for equipment performance
Leads improvement initiatives and drives outcomes
Comfortable making decisions in real-time production environments
Communication & Influence
Clear, structured communicator across functions (engineering, quality, operations)
Ability to influence, train, and elevate others
Contributes beyond own role to improve team and site performance
What Success Looks Like
Equipment runs reliably, efficiently, and consistently
Problems are not just fixed — they are eliminated at source
Improvements are identified, led, and delivered
Team capability is stronger because of your contribution
What We Offer
Competitive salary and shift allowance (where applicable)
Family health insurance
Excellent pension scheme
Life assurance
Ongoing training and professional development
The opportunity to work in a world-class, high-tech facility
Long-term career growth within a global healthcare leader
Important Information
Please note that any offer of employment is conditional upon the successful completion of a pre-employment medical examination, including drug and alcohol screening, conducted by a Company-designated medical practitioner.
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