Operations Engineer, GES NA Ops Engineering

About the role

As an Operations Engineer, you will lead and manage the lifecycle of challenging cross-functional projects, developing and delivering the next generation of sortation and distribution solutions. You are a customer-obsessed leader who will play an integral part in planning and implementing facility network infrastructure, including new builds, retrofits, expansions, and program initiatives. You will partner with internal customers and internal/external stakeholders to ensure timely handover and project success.

Amazon is seeking a detail-oriented Operations Engineer to design, build, and continuously improve our order fulfillment infrastructure. Successful candidates are natural self-starters with prior engineering experience in the integrated automation project lifecycle, including development, design, implementation, enhancement, and support. This role requires managing large capital automation projects with a cumulative spend of less than $5MM and high schedule commitments.

Operations Engineers must be agile, adaptable, and comfortable interfacing with and driving various functional teams at all levels of the organization. You will work with talented engineers globally to deliver physical distribution systems, managing technology or integration projects to meet goals within schedule, budget, safety, and quality targets. You may collaborate with external equipment vendors, customers, partners, and internal stakeholders to provide technical expertise and analyze system performance.

This role requires 75% regional travel on a yearly basis. When not traveling, you must work from a corporate office. Candidates should live near or be willing to relocate within a reasonable commuting distance of one of the corporate office locations. Relocation assistance may be provided.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, improve, and innovate order fulfillment infrastructure throughout the large-scale supply chain network.
• Manage, design, and implement medium-scope integrated automation projects with system elements such as high-speed sortation, conveyors, package lines, and/or robotic work cells. Typical project installation values range from less than $1MM to greater than $5MM.
• Manage on-site vendors through their leads and escalate issues through vendor and Amazon leadership.
• Evaluate issues and propose actionable resolutions to design problems; identify and communicate needs for design improvements.
• Monitor and enforce project schedules and quality with vendors or subcontractors.
• Lead and coordinate design and execution efforts between internal teams and outside vendors, including equipment specifications, material flow, process design, and site layout.
• Develop and manage budget and contract documents, including request for proposals (RFPs), change order controls, purchase orders, and invoicing.
• Lead system commissioning and predefined testing activities, including administering the plan, interpreting statuses, and reporting results.
• Coordinate with local site management to ensure proper operator training, procedural compliance, maintenance, and safety practices for new and existing equipment.
• Thoroughly document, investigate, and submit change requests (CRs).
• Build strong working relationships with NA Operations leadership and their teams across multiple sites, as well as Launch, Facilities, Finance, Safety, and Process Engineers business stakeholders.
• Identify and lead process improvement initiatives in support of operations teams within the node; support Kaizen events and participate when appropriate.
• Leverage working knowledge of Amazon operations with an understanding of day-to-day workings and strategic Amazon NA network planning.
• Perform and direct data analysis to provide recommendations or conclusions.
• Inspect facilities in accordance with corporate standards and procedures relating to material handling, processing, and storage.
• Develop cross-functional knowledge of Start-Up team systems, processes, procedures, and tools.

A day in the life

You may manage one or multiple projects varying in scope, complexity, and duration. Daily tasks include site coordination with operations teams and contractors, deep-diving project progress, schedule, and resources, and identifying barriers to create solutions. You may facilitate planning and implementation meetings with stakeholders, ensuring alignment in objectives and expectations, and capturing detailed notes to drive ownership and follow-through.

Reviewing and approving Sorter System Functional specification documents is essential, as is tracking the on-time creation of sorter configurations with internal automation teams. You may develop workaround solutions to mitigate project delays or design issues and perform systems installation quality, safety, throughput, and performance qualifications as part of acceptance testing.

You may also support and train other engineering team members, utilizing knowledge of Amazon’s safety, mechanical, electrical, and controls installation standards and guidelines.

About the team

Within Amazon, you will be part of the Global Engineering Services (GES) North America Operations Engineering (NA Ops Eng) organization. The Ops Eng Execution Team delivers Automation Infrastructure projects related to material handling, storage, processing, and delivery of products for retrofits and new builds throughout First and Middle Miles across North America.

At Amazon, we are all owners, leveraging unique opportunities to drive engineering and project execution. The team is diverse, upbeat, and creative, working daily to ensure internal customers can deliver on the Customer Promise. We focus on continuous improvement, raising the quality bar through incremental and breakthrough developments, and incorporating lessons learned into future designs and processes.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in industrial or manufacturing engineering.
• Experience using one or more of the following CAD technologies: AutoCAD, Rhino, Revit, SolidWorks, CREO, BIM360, SketchUp, or KeyShot.
• Experience managing cross-functional projects and initiatives.
• Experience with automated equipment, including packaging machinery, sortation, and conveyor systems.
• Position includes travel up to 75% (nationwide). Travel involves air travel to regional airports and driving to site locations. A valid driver's license is required due to project assignments in areas with limited public transportation and rideshare options.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Engineering (any domain), Operations, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Experience with Six Sigma or lean manufacturing.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Projects software.
• Experience designing or implementing integrated automation solutions such as material handling systems, high-speed packaging lines, or manufacturing lines.
• Experience leading large-scale, technical, or engineering programs with a proven record of thought leadership, business case development, realizing customer benefits, and successful program completion.
• Experience working with designs of complex automated material handling equipment, packaging technologies, and systems, including robotics and high-speed manufacturing.

Benefits

Amazon offers a full range of benefits that support you and eligible family members, including domestic partners and their children. Benefits can vary by location, the number of regularly scheduled hours worked, length of employment, and job status. The benefits that generally apply to regular, full-time employees include:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage.
• Maternity and Parental Leave Options.
• Paid Time Off (PTO).
• 401(k) Plan.