Innovation Engineer

Why Work for Saddle Creek? Saddle Creek Logistics Services succeeds by promoting a diverse, friendly, and respectful teamwork environment. As a vital service provider, we not only make a difference in our community but offer our associates opportunities to enhance their skills, build meaningful careers and end each day with a sense of accomplishment. If you’re looking for a family-oriented company that lives by its values and offers competitive pay and benefits, join our team today.

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The Innovation Engineer is responsible for identifying, evaluating, testing, and implementing emerging technologies that improve safety, productivity, quality, and operational performance across Saddle Creek’s network. This role combines technical analysis, field implementation, project management, and industry research to support innovation initiatives from concept through deployment. The Innovation Engineer works closely with Operations, Information Systems (IS), Solutions Engineering, Data Analytics, and vendors to ensure technology solutions are successfully evaluated, implemented, and supported.

This position requires strong analytical and research skills, effective communication, strong systems mindset, the ability to work hands-on within operational environments and can effectively bridge the gap between technology providers, technical teams, and operational stakeholders.

• Research emerging technologies, automation solutions, software platforms, and industry best practices.
• Identify and evaluate innovative solutions that address operational challenges and strategic business objectives.
• Conduct market analysis, vendor evaluations, and competitive benchmarking to identify best-in-class technologies.
• Develop business cases, ROI analyses, and recommendation materials for leadership review.

• Support pilot projects and technology implementations within operating facilities.
• Assist with equipment installations, testing, validation, training, and go-live support.
• Work directly with operations teams to ensure solutions are successfully integrated into daily workflows.
• Track implementation progress, risks, issues, and project milestones.
• Measure and report operational impacts and performance improvements following deployment.

• Coordinate activities among internal stakeholders, vendors, and project teams.
• Maintain project plans, timelines, budgets, documentation, and action-item tracking.
• Facilitate project meetings and provide regular status updates to key stakeholders.
• Ensure project deliverables are completed according to established timelines and objectives.
• Support multiple innovation initiatives simultaneously across various facilities and business units.

• Spend time within distribution centers and operational environments gathering requirements, observing processes, and supporting deployments.
• Build strong partnerships with site leadership and operational teams.
• Troubleshoot implementation challenges and coordinate corrective actions when needed.
• Assist with change management activities to improve adoption and project success.

• Develop presentations, reports, and executive summaries for leadership teams.
• Communicate project status, risks,…