At Elanco (NYSE: ELAN) – it all starts with animals!As a global leader in animal health, we are dedicated to innovation and delivering products and services to prevent and treat disease in farm animals and pets. At Elanco, we are driven by our vision of Food and Companionship Enriching Life and our purpose – all to Go Beyond for Animals, Customers, Society and Our People.At Elanco, we pride ourselves on fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. We believe that diversity is the driving force behind innovation, creativity, and overall business success. Here, you’ll be part of a company that values and champions new ways of thinking, work with dynamic individuals, and acquire new skills and experiences that will propel your career to new heights.Making animals’ lives better makes life better – join our team today!We are seeking a Principal Automation Engineer to lead the strategy, design, and delivery of automation solutions within our global TechOps team. This role combines deep technical expertise with product management principles - bringing an automation-first mindset, customer-centric focus, and strong ownership across the full automation lifecycle.As a TechOps Principal Automation Engineer, you’ll be the driving force behind our automation strategy — blending deep technical expertise with product leadership and a customer-first mindset. You’ll take ownership of complex automation challenges across global TechOps, shaping how we deliver and scale automation across infrastructure, operations, and services. You’ll be both a visionary and a hands-on engineer — setting the standard for technical excellence, mentoring others, and turning bold ideas into reliable, impactful automation.If you thrive at the intersection of engineering excellence, innovation, and business impact, this is your opportunity to lead meaningful change on a global scale.Your ResponsibilitiesLead complex automation initiatives: Architect, design, and deliver scalable automation frameworks and workflows that power global infrastructure and operations.Be the automation authority: Serve as a subject matter expert on tools and methodologies — including Ansible, Terraform, GitHub, Azure DevOps, and scripting languages like Python and PowerShell.Mentor and uplift teams: Guide engineers across TechOps through reviews, workshops, and hands-on collaboration, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and shared learning.Champion an automation-first mindset: Embed automation thinking into every part of our technology landscape, from service delivery to infrastructure management.Ensure reliability and resilience: Establish standards for monitoring, performance, and security across all automated processes.Collaborate across boundaries: Partner with product, infrastructure, and operations teams to identify automation opportunities and deliver seamless, value-driven solutions.Drive strategic innovation: Stay ahead of emerging trends in AI/ML-powered automation, workflow orchestration, and DevSecOps — evolving our capabilities to meet the future.What You Need to Succeed10+ years designing, implementing, and managing enterprise-grade automation solutions.Expert knowledge of automation and IaC tools: Ansible, Terraform, GitHub, Azure DevOps, plus scripting in Python or PowerShell.Proven experience leading technical initiatives across global or complex organizations.Strong communication and leadership skills — able to influence, mentor, and align teams toward a shared automation vision.A track record of delivery in dynamic, fast-paced environments.Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.Preferred qualificationsHands-on experience with Azure, AWS, or GCP.Familiarity with AI/ML-driven automation and modern workflow tools.Exposure to product discovery and customer-centric design methods.Knowledge of process improvement and continuous delivery practices.Additional InformationTravel: 0-10%Location: Hook, UK - Hybrid Work EnvironmentDon’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown underrepresented groups are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Elanco we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive work environment. If you think you might be a good fit for a role but don\'t necessarily meet every requirement, we encourage you to apply. You may be the right candidate for this role or other roles!Elanco is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status #J-18808-Ljbffr