Sr. Automation Engineer

Senior Automation Engineer

This senior-level role is responsible for strategizing, leading, and executing advanced automation initiatives across manufacturing plants. The Senior Automation Engineer designs, programs, and troubleshoots highly complex automation systems spanning multiple equipment OEMs and technology generations. The role emphasizes technical expertise, strategic project leadership, and the ability to develop junior and mid-level engineers, with the expectation of driving significant advancements in automation and operational efficiency.

This role provides technical authority for automation solutions, inclusive of those that incorporate AI, and operates with a high degree of autonomy and is expected to independently assess risk, prioritize initiatives, and make technical and project‑level decisions aligned with business objectives. The Senior Automation Engineer serves as a technical authority for assigned systems and initiatives, requiring minimal day‑to‑day direction.

The Senior Automation Engineer is accountable for independent technical decision‑making within their assigned systems and projects. This includes final authority on control system design, architecture, and programming standards; approval of automation changes, upgrades, and deployment strategies; prioritization of automation work based on safety, operational risk, and business value; ownership of system lifecycle decisions, including modernization and obsolescence planning; accountability for outcomes, not just recommendations;

ownership of automation engineering standards, control philosophies, and approved toolsets; establishment and enforcement of engineering review, testing, and deployment practices; driving consistency across plants, OEMs, and engineering contributors; translation of automation performance, risks, and investment needs into executive‑ready communication; and serving as the single‑threaded technical owner for major automation domains or platforms. The role also influences Cap Ex strategy and long‑term modernization planning.

• Own technical solution selection, architecture decisions, and control philosophy standards for assigned projects
• Develop and lead the implementation of advanced automation strategies and solutions, which may include AI‑enabled solutions
• Oversee the programming, testing, and maintenance of PLC, HMI, and control systems
• Manage a portfolio of automation initiatives, balancing capacity, risk, business value, and resource allocation
• Advise leadership on trade‑offs, sequencing, and resource alignment across competing priorities
• Lead the commissioning and validation of new equipment and upgrades
• Approve control system designs, code standards, and change strategies within assigned scope

• Act as the technical lead and day‑to‑day work coordinator for automation engineers assigned to shared initiatives or programs
• Provide technical direction, expectations, and prioritization guidance to engineers across plants or projects
• Review, challenge, and approve technical approaches produced by other engineers to ensure quality and consistency
• Serve as the primary escalation point for engineering guidance and conflict resolution

• Act as final technical authority during critical automation failures and recovery efforts
• Perform expert‑level troubleshooting of automation equipment and control systems
• Collaborate with maintenance and production teams to resolve critical and complex technical issues
• Establish and standardize documentation and updates to control systems
• Authorize temporary process changes, bypasses, or mitigations to restore operations safely

• Conduct in‑depth analysis of operational data to identify and implement significant automation improvements
• Determine when AI‑enabled automation performance warrants retuning, redesign, replacement, or a modernization proposal, balancing operational risk and business value
• Independently initiate improvement projects based on data trends and system performance
• Decide when automation performance warrants…