Senior Manager, Automation

Ichor Systems is seeking a Senior Manager, Automation to lead the development and execution of automation strategies across our manufacturing operations. This role will identify and prioritize automation opportunities, lead engineering resources and projects, and partner across Manufacturing, Engineering, Operations, Quality, and other functions to improve safety, quality, cost, capacity, and throughput.

The ideal candidate combines strong technical expertise in manufacturing automation with proven leadership and project execution experience. This leader will help translate operational needs into scalable automation solutions while establishing standards and capabilities that support continued manufacturing growth.

• Lead, develop, and mentor a team of automation and controls engineers, including hiring, performance management, and day-to-day people leadership.
• Develop and execute the automation strategy and roadmap aligned with manufacturing and business priorities, juggling multiple concurrent projects and schedules across the team.
• Identify, evaluate, and prioritize automation opportunities based on safety, quality, cost, capacity, labor efficiency, and return on investment.
• Lead automation projects from concept and business case development through design, implementation, validation, and production release.
• Partner with Manufacturing, Engineering, Operations, Quality, Facilities, IT, and other teams to define automation requirements and implement solutions.
• Provide technical leadership for industrial automation, controls, robotics, machine vision, motion control, and equipment integration.
• Stay personally hands-on across both hardware and software - writing and reviewing controls code, working through panel-level and mechanical integration issues - rather than solely directing integrators or vendors; this role sets the technical bar, not just the schedule.
• Establish automation standards, specifications, documentation, and best practices, and drive alignment across engineering groups toward a common technology stack, to enable scalable solutions across manufacturing operations.
• Drive improvements in equipment reliability, utilization, cycle time, process capability, and manufacturing efficiency.
• Oversee troubleshooting and resolution of complex automation, controls, and equipment issues.
• Evaluate emerging automation technologies and determine their applicability to manufacturing operations.
• Develop business cases, project plans, budgets, timelines, and performance metrics for automation initiatives.
• Manage relationships with automation integrators, equipment manufacturers, technology providers, and other external partners.
• Support capital planning and equipment selection for new and existing manufacturing processes.
• Ensure automation solutions meet applicable safety, quality, regulatory, cybersecurity, and engineering requirements.
• Establish metrics to measure automation performance, project effectiveness, and realized business impact.
• Champion continuous improvement and increased adoption of automation across the organization.

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Automation Engineering, Controls Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 8+ years of progressive experience in automation, controls, equipment engineering, manufacturing engineering, or a related technical field.
• 3+ years of direct people management experience (hiring, performance management, and career development of direct reports) leading automation or controls engineers.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing automation solutions in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong working knowledge of PLCs, HMIs,…