Warehouse Automation Engineer

This Warehouse Automation Engineering position is responsible for identifying, evaluating, piloting, and deploying new warehouse automation technologies, followed by installation and optimization. This role drives efficiencies to grow existing business and win new opportunities by leveraging a breadth of knowledge across various business types and automation technologies.

Responsibilities

• Work directly with internal operations, solution design, continuous improvement, IT, product teams, and stakeholders to identify, select, and deploy new automation technologies with partners.
• Consult with internal and external contacts to demonstrate the value and feasibility of warehouse automation capabilities as a competitive differentiator.
• Collaborate with customers and business owners to identify new ideas, evaluate, pilot, develop, and implement warehouse automation solutions across verticals, regions, and functional areas.
• RFP and New Business Support: Lead minor RFP projects and support lead engineers on major RFP projects by selecting and validating automation technologies. Build ROI and justification based on multiple criteria to select optimal solution designs.
• SOW (Scope of Work) Contractual Validation: Support automation project leads in identifying gaps in vendor FSD/SOW using the FSD Checklist process.
• Design Validation: Provide input on automation solution designs to ensure key implementation and operational performance considerations. Review design options for clearance, power requirements, cost-effectiveness, and SLA targets.
• Automation Procurement: Help build collateral for vendor tech review requests and requests for quotes. Review design options from various vendors and solutions.
• Implementation Project Management: Manage smaller projects, including updating punch lists and project plans. Track milestones and requirements for project implementation.
• Implementation Support: Attend implementation status calls as needed. Verify and prioritize optimal on-site support for all projects. Ensure communication with vendors, on-site staff, and handle escalation events. Coordinate post-go-live hypercare support for on-site teams. Support Solution Acceptance Test (SAT) testing plans and track punch list items for uptime after go-live.
• Data Analytics: Profile data from dashboards and systems to support system optimization projects. Perform data analysis on reports from technology controls systems and WMS/WES.
• Implementation Commissioning and Solution Validation: Support Solutions Acceptance Testing (SAT) and track punch lists.
• Strategy and Success Measurements: Review team strategy with manager to set personal goals.
• Financial Responsibilities: Validate spend with manager and support project leads on tracking project budgets.
• Automation Troubleshooting: Partner with vendors to resolve Priority 1-5 tickets related to downtime or degraded performance. Join P1/P2 resolution calls.
• Support vendor communication for minor projects.
• Develop pilot activities and hypotheses to be tested. Define proof of concept, formalize teams, identify pilot locations, obtain approvals, evaluate vendors, and determine pilot timelines.
• Deploy acceptable pilots to evaluate business fit and operational feasibility, feeding results into solution design for new business proposals.
• Evaluate, pilot, and deploy new warehouse automation technologies. Validate new technology through Proof of Concept (POC) implementations, coordinating value-justification with senior management and cross-functional teams.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field Required.
• Master’s Degree in Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field Preferred.
• 3+ years of experience in warehouse automation, material handling technologies, industrial engineering, or warehouse systems integration Preferred.
• 2+ years of demonstrated experience in warehouse automation Preferred.
• 2+ years of experience in warehouse automation, including technologies such as sortation conveyor, goods-to-person, autonomous vehicles/robots, ASRS’s Required.
• Experience with automation, management consulting, physical and process robotics Beginner Required.
• Knowledge of Warehouse Management operations, data analytics, Industrial Engineering, warehouse types (ambient, temp control), and Lean methods Beginner Required.
• Knowledge of material handling equipment and automation types (e.g., forklift applications, racking designs, packaging devices, automation design) Intermediate Required.
• Familiarity with Warehouse Design Tools (e.g., CAD, slotting, MOST, simulation, WMS, Labor Management). Network Design Tools (e.g., Llamasoft) and Data Visualization Software (e.g., Tableau, Power BI) are a plus Beginner Required.
• Industrial or Mechanical Engineering background or equivalent warehouse operational knowledge Beginner Required.
• Experience in financial business case analysis to support targeted return on investment Intermediate Preferred.

Skills

• Driven to help organizations innovate with new warehouse automation capabilities or technologies Required.
• Strong planning, time management, collaboration, decision-making, organization, and presentation skills Required.
• High degree of comfort with ambiguity and uncertainty Required.
• Ability to create and maintain professional relationships at all levels of the organization Required.
• Ability to work independently and as a member of a team Required.
• Passion for understanding clients' and internal customers' vision and business goals Required.
• Ability to champion ambiguous scenarios and challenges Required.
• Natural sense of leadership and ownership in research, pilot, and thought leadership activities Required.
• Problem-solver with a curious, hands-on mentality Required.
• Act as a change agent in adopting warehouse automation technologies to deliver operational improvements and coach business owners in deploying these technologies Required.
• Demonstrated success in assessing, developing, and deploying new offerings or incremental enhancements Required.

Pay

Salaried position with a pay range of $100,000 – $120,000. The position may also be eligible for an annual bonus, commission, and/or long-term incentive plan based on level and type.

Benefits

Ryder offers comprehensive health and welfare benefits for full-time positions, including:

• Medical, prescription, dental, and vision insurance.
• Life insurance and disability insurance options.
• Paid time off for vacation, illness, bereavement, family, and parental leave.
• Tax-advantaged 401(k) retirement savings plan.

Schedule

Travel required: 30-40%.