Warehouse Automation Engineer

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

Responsibilities

• Work directly with internal operations, solution design, continuous improvement, information technology, 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.
• Collaborate with customers and business owners to identify new ideas 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 identifying potential automation technologies, building ROI/justification, and supporting presentation development.
• 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 items are considered for implementation and ongoing operational performance. Review design options for clearance, power requirements, cost-effectiveness, and SLA targets.
• Automation Procurement: Help lead the build of 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, tracking milestones, and ensuring implementation requirements are met.
• Implementation Support: Attend implementation status calls, verify and prioritize on-site support, ensure communication with vendors and on-site staff, and handle escalation events. Coordinate post-go-live hypercare support and assist with Solution Acceptance Test (SAT) testing plans.
• 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 list items post-go-live for uptime.
• 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 degraded performance or downtime. Join P1/P2 resolution calls.
• Support vendor communication for minor projects.
• Develop pilot activities, define proof of concept, formalize teams, identify pilot locations, obtain approvals, evaluate vendors, and determine 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 through Proof of Concept (POC) implementations, coordinating value-justification with senior management and cross-functional teams.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Education:
  • Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field of study (Required).
  • Master’s Degree in Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field of study (Preferred).
• Experience:
  • 3+ years in warehouse automation, material handling technologies, industrial engineering, or warehouse systems integration (Preferred).
  • 2+ years in demonstrated experience in warehouse automation (Preferred).
  • 2+ years in warehouse automation, including experience with sortation conveyor, goods-to-person, autonomous vehicles/robots, ASRS’s (Required).
  • Experience in automation, management consulting, physical & process robotic (Beginner, Required).
• Knowledge/Skills:
  • Warehouse Management operations, data analytics, Industrial Engineering, warehouse types (ambient, temp control), and Lean methods (Beginner, Required).
  • Material handling equipment and automation types such as forklift applications, racking designs, packaging devices, and automation design (Intermediate, Required).
  • Warehouse Design Tools (e.g., CAD, slotting, MOST, simulation, WMS, Labor Mgt). Network Design Tools (e.g., Llamasoft) and Data Visualization Software (e.g., Tableau, Power BI) (Beginner, Required).
  • Industrial or Mechanical Engineering or equivalent warehouse operational knowledge (Beginner, Required).
  • Financial business case analysis to support targeted return on investment (Intermediate, Preferred).
• Soft Skills:
  • 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 new technologies (Required).
  • Demonstrated success in assessing, developing, and deploying new offerings or incremental enhancements (Required).
• Travel: 30-40% (Required).

Pay

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

Benefits

• Comprehensive health and welfare benefits, including medical, prescription, dental, vision, life insurance, and disability insurance options.
• Paid time off for vacation, illness, bereavement, family, and parental leave.
• Tax-advantaged 401(k) retirement savings plan.