Sr. Engineer, Industrial Automation and Robotics

Overview

Panasonic Energy seeks a Sr. Engineer, Industrial Automation and Robotics to lead the deployment of automation, AI‑enabled hardware, and robotics systems within the Next Gen Initiatives (NGI) team, focusing on the physical execution layer of manufacturing.

• Partner with site leadership and manufacturing stakeholders to define and prioritize initiatives aligned to NGI pillars, identifying opportunities to improve performance, cost, and workforce capability.
• Translate operational challenges into clear initiative charters and drive end‑to‑end delivery across physical systems (automation/robotics).
• Own use cases from discovery through proof of concept to scaled deployment, ensuring solutions are operationally relevant, explainable, and embedded into frontline workflows.
• Manage initiative timelines, risks, and dependencies; drive issue resolution with cross‑functional stakeholders.
• Evaluate and pilot emerging automation and robotics technologies across production sites, including advanced robotics, AMRs, and poly functional platforms.
• Identify and prioritize automation opportunities that deliver measurable improvements in productivity, throughput, quality, and safety.
• Partner with process engineering, mechanical engineering, quality, controls, and SCADA to convert manual or semi‑automated operations into reliable, closed‑loop automated systems using PLCs, HMIs, sensors, and control logic.
• Develop evaluation frameworks to assess readiness, capability, reliability, safety, and ROI before scaled deployment.
• Bridge the gap between Operations, Engineering, Safety, Maintenance, IT/OT, Quality, Finance, HR, and Supply Chain to ensure deployments are safe, scalable, and sustainable.
• Manage relationships with robotics OEMs, automation integrators, and equipment vendors, including RFAs, bids, delivery milestones, FAT/SAT, and performance accountability.
• Define and track KPIs such as cycle time, resource efficiency, MTBF, uptime, ROI, quality impact, and safety improvement.
• Document standards and best practices to enable repeatable deployment across NV and KS sites.
• Support training and change management for sustainable ownership by relevant teams.

• Equipment may include a full Tyvek suit, safety shoes, gloves, safety glasses, face mask, bump cap, and a full hazmat suit that includes a respirator.

Up to 25% travel required.

Sit: 30%;
Walk: 40%;
Stand: 30%.

Required lifting and carrying: up to 10 lbs – occasional; up to 20 lbs – rare; up to 35 lbs – rare; over 35 lbs – team lift only – rare.

• Required Education
  :
  Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Robotics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, Computer Science, Industrial Engineering, or related field.
• Preferred Education
  :
  Master’s degree in a related field; PMP, Six Sigma, or equivalent continuous improvement certification.
• 7+ years of experience in industrial automation, robotics, controls, equipment engineering, or systems integration within a high‑volume manufacturing environment.
• Proven cross‑functional delivery from concept to adoption.
• Knowledge of factory systems (MES, SCADA, PLCs, ERP).
• Experience managing vendors or integrators through requirements, RFA/RFQ, FAT, SAT, commissioning, and handoff.
• Strong communication, structured problem‑solving, and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong project execution skills with ability to manage scope, timeline, risks, and dependencies.
• Strong communication skills, comfortable working on the shop floor and presenting progress to leadership.
• Experience in battery, semiconductor, automotive, pharmaceutical, or high‑speed consumer goods manufacturing.
• Experience with AMRs/AGVs, cobots, articulated robots, inspection automation, or material movement automation.
• Experience with industrial controls, programming, PLCs, HMIs, sensors, robotics interfaces, and equipment communication protocols.
• Familiarity with ROS, robot simulation tools, AMR fleet management, LIDAR navigation, or AI‑driven motion control.
• Experience with Lean, Six Sigma, TPM, or other continuous improvement methodologies.
• Experience working…