Knott Automation Projects

A Safe Pair of Hands for Pharma & Life Sciences Automation

Principal Consultant: EUR ING Andrew Knott | MBA (Distinction, Leeds – Dean’s Prize 2025) | Dipl Eng | BSc (Hons) 1st Class

CEng · FIET · FInstMC · CMgr · FCMI · FAPM · PMP · PMI-ACP

Available now for short-term engagements. No minimum commitment. Fixed price or day rate. I can start quickly.

What I Can Help With

30 years of hands-on delivery — from Siemens apprentice to Programme Director. I take on projects, consultancy, and training engagements of any size.

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Hands-on Engineering

PLC programming (Siemens S7, Rockwell), HMI/SCADA development, and DCS configuration (DeltaV, PCS7). I started on the tools and still enjoy getting my hands dirty.

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Audits & Health Checks

Independent review of your automation systems, validation status, or project governance. Honest assessment, practical recommendations.

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Documentation

URS, functional specifications, design documents, validation protocols, and SOPs. Well-structured, fully traceable, and written to withstand MHRA or FDA scrutiny without rework. If an auditor picks it up, it tells the full story from requirements through to testing.

CSV & GAMP 5

Validation strategy, gap analysis, remediation planning, and Data Integrity reviews. I’ve defined global CSV strategies for Novo Nordisk and led validation programmes at J&J and GE Healthcare.

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Project Management

PMP and PMI-ACP certified. I can manage your system integration project, run your vendor, or rescue one that’s gone sideways.

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Digital Transformation Strategy

Practical, phased roadmaps connecting control systems through MES and Historian to ERP and business intelligence. Independent advice — no vendor allegiance, no platform bias.

Why Work With Me Directly

No Overheads

Senior-level expertise without the agency markup, consultancy overheads, or day-rate premium. You get me directly — no account managers, no layers, no inflated rates funding someone else’s office.

Flexible Engagement

Day rate, fixed price, or retained hours. From a one-day health check through to a three-month programme definition. Whatever suits your problem and your budget.

Available to Travel

Based in North Yorkshire. Available to work remotely or on-site across the UK, Ireland, and Continental Europe. Expenses additional for on-site work.

Specialist Training

I’m a qualified trainer (Level 3 Award in Education & Training) and deliver practical workshops built around your site, your systems, and your team’s real challenges.

CSV & GAMP 5

For engineers, QA staff, and project teams who need to understand validation properly — not just tick a box. Covers risk-based approaches, documentation expectations, Data Integrity, and what auditors actually look for. Tailored to your platform.

ISA-88 Batch Control

Very few people teach S88 from real implementation experience. I’ve configured batch systems on DeltaV, PCS7, and ABB 800xA across API, biologics, and fill-finish facilities. This workshop connects the theory to what your team will actually build and maintain.

Project Management for Engineers

For technical leads stepping into project roles. Practical methods for scoping, scheduling, vendor management, risk, and stakeholder reporting — grounded in automation project realities, not abstract theory. Suitable for Level 4/5 development.

Format: 1-day or 2-day workshops, on-site or remote. Teams of 4–20. Can be structured as CPD for IET, InstMC, or CMI membership.  Pricing: Senior-level expertise without the training company overheads. Get in touch for a quote tailored to your team size and objectives.

Recent Clients

A selection of recent engagements across Life Sciences and Manufacturing.

GE Healthcare Programme Director — MES/eBR & Historian deployment (2024)
Novo Nordisk Global CSV Strategy for new-build capital projects (2022)
Takeda Programme turnaround — 150 systems, 5 workstreams (2020)
Johnson & Johnson 3-year Automation & CSV Lead — 11,000 IO facility (2016–19)
SolutionsPT Product validation & Octoplant deployment (2023)
Cognizant Associate Director — Life Sciences MES (2021)
GSK Biopharma Process Development — Control & SCADA
Sanofi Approved preferred supplier — global automation standards

Credentials & Career

EUR ING CEng FIET FInstMC CMgr FCMI FAPM PMP PMI-ACP
MBA Distinction — Leeds (Dean’s Prize 2025) Dipl Eng — Salford BSc (Hons) 1st Class — Salford AI Certificate — Oxford Saïd Exceptional NED — Leeds Level 3 AET — York College