Director, Automation

Position Summary

The Director of Automation is a key leadership role responsible for driving the strategic adoption, implementation, and continuous improvement of automation technologies within Transcat's calibration operations. This role will serve as a critical liaison between Operations and IT, ensuring alignment of technical requirements with operational needs while leading change management efforts to drive adoption and maximize the value of automation investments. This position will also oversee research and development of emerging automation solutions to improve efficiency, quality, and scalability. The Director of Automation will travel to support hands-on implementation, provide leadership during rollout, and foster a culture of innovation and process improvement across all calibration labs.

Automation Strategy & Implementation

• Lead the development and execution of the enterprise automation strategy for calibration operations.
• Identify, evaluate, and prioritize automation opportunities to enhance productivity, turnaround time, and operational consistency.
• Act as the primary liaison between Operations, IT, and key business stakeholders to ensure automation solutions meet technical and business requirements.

Change Management & Adoption

• Drive change management efforts to ensure successful adoption of automation tools, systems, and processes.
• Develop and deliver training, communication plans, and hands-on support to promote adoption across all levels of the organization.
• Address resistance to change and actively engage site leadership in building support for new technologies.

Research & Development

• Monitor industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices related to automation in the calibration and metrology fields.
• Lead R&D efforts to pilot and scale new automation solutions, including data automation, workflow optimization, and physical automation systems.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with IT to define technical requirements, system integration needs, and data security considerations for automation projects.
• Collaborate with Operations, Quality, Sales, and Business Transformation teams to ensure alignment with business objectives and customer expectations.

Implementation & Rollout Support

• Travel to lab locations to lead or support the deployment of automation tools, ensuring smooth rollouts and hands-on problem resolution.
• Measure and report on the performance and impact of automation initiatives, providing regular updates to leadership.

Other Duties

• Model the Company’s values to influence others to perform in an aligned manner.
• Ensure training and development plans are in place and communicated to employees to drive performance improvement and career progression.
• Complete and deliver accurate, thorough, and prescriptive employee performance reviews on the required timeline.

Required Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Strategic thinking and execution
• Change management and communication
• Cross-functional leadership
• Innovation and continuous improvement
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

Education And Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, Business, Information Technology, or a related field (Master’s preferred).
• 8+ years of experience in operational leadership, process improvement, or technology deployment, preferably in calibration, manufacturing, or industrial services.
• Prior experience in the calibration industry is strongly preferred.
• Proven experience leading change management and driving technology adoption.
• Strong technical acumen and the ability to translate operational needs into technical requirements.
• Experience managing cross-functional projects and working with IT teams.
• Willingness to travel (up to 30%-40%) to support implementation and adoption across multiple locations.

Physical Demands

• Regularly stand, walk, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
• Sometimes sit and talk or hear.
• Close vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

• Usually moderate noise level.

Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination

• Transcat is an equal-opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination based on any protected status.

Contingencies

• All offers of employment are contingent upon successfully completing all pre-employment requirements, which include verification of identity and employment eligibility, and when applicable, a motor vehicle driving record report.