Strategic Engineering & Automation Talent Partnership with a Global Automation Solutions Provider
- Pharmaceuticals
Industry: Pharmaceutical Automation / Robotics / Custom Machinery / Advanced Manufacturing
Company Size: 900+ employees across 18 global locations
Estimated Revenue: $50M–$100M
Engagement Focus: Project management, automation engineering, contractor programs, and technical leadership roles
Client Profile
Our client is a global provider of advanced automation systems for manufacturing, including pharmaceutical and medical device production. With more than 900 employees across 18 global locations, they design, build, automate, and commission large-scale custom machinery such as automated drug-delivery device assembly systems and high-precision packaging machinery. Their clients include major pharmaceutical manufacturers.
The Challenge
The client faced several intertwined recruitment and operational challenges that prevented scaling at the pace required.
- A difficult first role—Head of Project Management—located in a remote area of Scotland
- Needed engineering leaders who could implement structure and navigate growing pains inside a rapidly expanding business
- Limited understanding of transferable skill sets, initially wanting only industry-specific candidates
- A surge in automation, controls, and project engineering workload due to new business wins
- Had never previously used contractors, limiting flexibility during fluctuating project cycles
The Approach
The Discover consultant drove a strategy combining relationship-building, technical understanding, and expectation management to grow the account.
- Leveraged an existing relationship with a former colleague who had become HR Manager at the client
- Conducted site visits to understand culture, workflow, and organizational bottlenecks
- Influenced hiring managers early to consider candidates from adjacent industries with transferable experience
- Held weekly expectation-setting calls with data on market mapping and realistic timelines
- Built relationships beyond HR—particularly with a key U.S.-based VP—which became pivotal for long-term success
- Introduced and converted the client to using contractors for the first time, enabling rapid scale-up
- Prepared candidates thoroughly, resulting in high interview-to-offer success
The Results
- 19 total placements over 18 months (10 permanent, 9 contract)
- Significant expansion in engineering capabilities: automation engineers, controls engineers, project managers
- Enabled the client to deliver on major pharmaceutical automation projects, including insulin-pen assembly machinery
- Successfully placed a Head of Project Management from outside the industry, aligned to long-term transformation needs
- Contract staffing introduced for the first time—a major financial and delivery win for the account
- Created multi-stakeholder relationships, reducing dependency on HR-only communication
Why It Worked
- Deep relationship-building with HR, hiring managers, and U.S. leadership
- Strong active listening skills to uncover pain points and misalignments
- On-site visits allowed the consultant to understand the client's technical complexity and culture firsthand
- Persistent communication and expectation-setting built trust and credibility
- Prepared candidates thoroughly, improving interview performance and reducing failed finals
- Flexibility in recommending contractors provided the client with scalable workforce options
Consultant Insight
"The biggest difference was truly understanding how their machines worked, how their projects flowed, and what their managers were struggling with. Once you understand the business behind the hire, you stop guessing and start solving real problems."
Takeaway
This partnership showcases the impact of persistence, technical understanding, and relationship-driven delivery in automation and engineering recruitment. By deepening stakeholder relationships, introducing contractor flexibility, and aligning to project demands, Discover positioned itself as a long-term strategic partner.
