Robotics Field Service Engineer - Regional Lead Fleet Operations · Chicago, IL || Bolingbrook, IL

Robotics Field Service Engineer - Regional Lead

Chicago, IL || Bolingbrook, IL

Who we are:

Formic is on a mission to reshape American manufacturing by making automation accessible to every factory. As labor constraints rise, costs increase, and global competition intensifies, automation is no longer optional for manufacturers that want to stay competitive.

We deliver automation through a Robotics-as-a-Service model that combines industrial robotics, proprietary software, and full-service support into a single, integrated solution. By removing the traditional barriers of cost, complexity, and risk, we enable manufacturers to deploy automation quickly and realize measurable gains in throughput, safety, and operational efficiency without large upfront capital investment.

Backed by leading investors including Lux Capital, Initialized Capital, Blackhorn Ventures, and Mitsubishi HC Capital North America, Formic is scaling rapidly and building the foundation for a new era of high-performance, Made in America production.

About the team:

The Fleet Operations Team drives uptime and operational performance across Formic’s growing fleet of deployed robotic systems. Working inside live manufacturing environments, the team diagnoses issues, restores production, and continuously improves system reliability et Operations operates at the intersection of robotics, controls, and real-world factory execution, ensuring Formic’s automation delivers consistent, measurable performance across diverse industrial applications.

About the role:

As Regional Lead Field Service Engineer you will provide advanced technical support for Formic’s deployed robotic systems while serving as a regional technical leader for field service operations. You will handle complex troubleshooting, support critical customer issues, and mentor other engineers in the field to ensure consistent service quality and system reliability.

This role combines deep hands-on technical work with leadership responsibilities, requiring strong diagnostic skills, operational judgment, and the ability to guide others during high-impact service situations.

In this role you will:

• Perform advanced preventative, corrective, and predictive maintenance on robotic manufacturing cells
• Lead resolution of complex or high-impact service issues, including customer production down events
• Serve as the primary escalation point for technical issues within your region
• Provide on-site technical leadership during critical production interruptions
• Support regional coverage planning and flexible scheduling based on service demand
• Mentor and support 2-4 Field Service Engineers through hands-on coaching and technical guidance
• Validate work quality, reinforce safety standards, and ensure consistent service execution
• Monitor system performance remotely using Formic dashboards and monitoring tools
• Ensure accurate service documentation, including root cause analysis and follow-up actions
• Identify recurring failure patterns and elevate systemic issues for fleet-wide improvement
• Build trusted relationships with customer site leaders and represent Formic professionally on-site
• Share field learnings and best practices to improve uptime, reliability, and service quality
• Support onboarding and technical development of new Field Service Engineers

What makes you a great fit:

• 5+ years of hands-on field service experience supporting robotics or industrial automation systems
• Advanced technical proficiency across mechanical, electrical, controls, and robotic systems
• Experience supporting industrial robots from one or more major manufacturers (e.g., FANUC, ABB, KUKA, Yaskawa, Universal Robots)
• Proven ability to independently diagnose and resolve complex system-level failures
• Demonstrated experience mentoring, coaching, or leading other engineers in the field
• Strong communication skills and composure in customer-facing environments
• Ability to balance hands-on technical work with team coordination responsibilities
• Willingness to travel approximately 50% within the United States

At Formic, we believe people do their best work when they feel supported both professionally and personally. That’s why we offer a…