Senior Manager, Manufacturing Automation & Systems Engineering

Manages a team of engineers responsible for evaluating and qualifying supplier components at varying degrees of complexity and integration level., The Senior Manager of Manufacturing Automation & Systems Engineering leads the strategy, design, qualification, deployment, and optimization of automation solutions across manufacturing products and sites. This role establishes scalable automation standards and leads cross-functional programs that improve quality, yield, throughput, safety, cost, and operational reliability. The position combines deep technical expertise with practical program leadership to deliver robust, maintainable, production-ready manufacturing systems., * Automation Strategy & Roadmap Execution

• Develop and execute a multi-site automation roadmap aligned with manufacturing, product, capacity, quality, and cost objectives.
• Identify, prioritize, and justify automation opportunities based on improvements in quality, yield, throughput, labor efficiency, safety, and return on investment.
• Translate operational needs into scalable automation concepts, technical requirements, and phased implementation plans.
• Automation Standards & Product/Site Alignment
• Define and maintain common automation architectures, equipment specifications, design standards, and technical best practices across products and manufacturing sites.
• Ensure automation solutions are reusable, supportable, maintainable, and appropriately standardized while accommodating product and site-specific requirements.
• Partner with Product, Process Engineering, Quality, Operations, and Maintenance to align automation requirements early in product and process development.
• System Design & Technical Leadership
• Provide technical leadership for robotics, machine vision and automated inspection, conveyance and material handling, PLC and control systems, motion systems, industrial safety, and equipment integration.
• Guide development of robust system concepts, layouts, interfaces, control strategies, and performance requirements for automated manufacturing equipment.
• Evaluate emerging automation technologies, pilots, and proof-of-concept solutions for practical production application.
• Qualification, Validation & Deployment
• Define qualification and acceptance plans, including measurable requirements for safety, quality, yield, cycle time, uptime, throughput, and defect detection.
• Lead automation projects from feasibility and business case through specification, vendor selection, design reviews, build, factory acceptance testing, site acceptance testing, commissioning, and handoff to Operations.
• Ensure successful startup, performance qualification, documentation, training, and closed-loop lessons learned for deployed systems.
• Operational Performance & Continuous Improvement
• Establish and monitor automation KPIs, including uptime, yield, cycle time, throughput, defect detection, labor efficiency, and cost per unit.
• Lead structured root-cause analysis and corrective actions for automation-related performance gaps, reliability issues, and process bottlenecks.
• Partner with Operations, Quality, and Maintenance to optimize deployed systems and sustain expected performance over the equipment lifecycle.
• People Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Lead, coach, and develop automation, controls, and technical program resources; build capability in system integration, qualification, and structured problem solving.
• Coordinate internal teams, external equipment suppliers, and system integrators to deliver projects safely, on schedule, within budget, and to defined performance targets.
• Communicate automation plans, risks, performance results, and recommendations clearly to cross-functional and leadership stakeholders.

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Controls, Industrial, Manufacturing, or a related engineering discipline; advanced degree preferred.
• 8-12 years of progressive experience in manufacturing automation, industrial automation, robotics, controls, or related engineering disciplines, including 3+ years of people-management or technical-leadership experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading capital automation projects from concept through commissioning and production handoff.
• Experience deploying automation across multiple products, production lines, sites, or external manufacturing partners.
• Technical Expertise
• Deep expertise in industrial robotics, machine vision and automated inspection, conveyance and material handling, and automated manufacturing equipment.
• Strong knowledge of PLC-based control systems, HMIs, industrial networks, sensors, motion systems, machine safety, and equipment/system integration.
• Experience with automation qualification, FAT/SAT, commissioning, validation, troubleshooting, and performance optimization.
• Familiarity with manufacturing data, MES/ERP interfaces, traceability, and digital-manufacturing technologies is preferred.
• Leadership & Business Acumen
• Ability to develop automation roadmaps, evaluate technical and operational tradeoffs, and convert priorities into executable programs.
• Strong vendor-management, stakeholder-management, and cross-functional leadership skills.
• Working knowledge of capital planning, ROI analysis, cost justification, and project risk management.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present complex technical recommendations to nontechnical audiences.
• Skills & Competencies
• Strong systems-thinking, analytical, and structured problem-solving capabilities.
• Hands-on technical judgment combined with practical program and project leadership.
• High degree of ownership, integrity, adaptability, and attention to safety, quality, and detail.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, results-driven manufacturing environment.

Work Environment & Travel

Primarily flexible office and manufacturing-plant environments. Travel is expected up to approximately 25%, depending on

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