Automation Core Technical Engineer

LITEON Careers - U.S.; Plano (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

The Automation Core Technical Engineer at Lite-On leads-scale manufacturing automation initiatives across sites in Plano. You will define standards, drive integration of robotics, PLCs, vision systems, and MES/ERP interfaces, and mentor engineers to achieve high uptime and performance.

You will troubleshoot complex automation, champion Industry 4.0 initiatives, and ensure safety, quality, and cost objectives are met through robust design and verification practices.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Automation, Mechatronics, or related field; Master’s degree preferred.
• 8–12+ years of experience in manufacturing automation.
• Experience in electronics, EMS, or high‑volume manufacturing environments.
• Proven track record solving complex automation and controls challenges.

Responsibilities

• Define, maintain, and deploy automation standards, architectures, and best practices.
• Lead troubleshooting of complex automation and system integration issues.
• Design and review automation architectures; ensure MES/ERP integration.
• Support NPI by defining automation strategies and validation plans.
• Mentor automation engineers and develop design guidelines.
• Ensure safety and regulatory compliance of automation systems.

Skills

Robotics & PLCs

Vision systems

Industrial automation standards

MES/ERP integration

Controls & data acquisition

Industry 4.0 initiatives

Technical leadership

Root cause analysis

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Automation, Mechatronics, or related field

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

PLC programming

SCADA

HMI/SCADA

Electrical engineering CAD

Job description

Essential Duties & Responsibilities, subject to change based on organizational needs, including but not limited to the following:

The Automation Core Technical Engineer serves as a subject‑matter expert for manufacturing automation systems, providing advanced technical leadership, standardization, and problem‑solving to support scalable, reliable, and high‑performance automated manufacturing operations across Lite‑On facilities.

• Define, maintain, and deploy automation technical standards, architectures, and best practices.
• Serve as the technical authority for automation platforms including robotics, PLCs, vision systems, and integrated production systems.
• Evaluate and approve automation designs to ensure consistency, scalability, and long‑term maintainability.

Advanced Technical Support

• Lead troubleshooting and resolution of complex automation, controls, and system integration issues.
• Provide expert‑level support for persistent downtime, performance issues, and system reliability challenges.
• Support root cause analysis and define long‑term corrective and preventive solutions.

System Design & Integration

• Design and review automation system architectures including hardware, controls, software, and network integration.
• Ensure seamless integration with MES, ERP, quality systems, and production data platforms.
• Support advanced process controls, data acquisition, and Industry 4.0 initiatives.

Project & Program Support

• Support high‑impact automation projects from concept through deployment as a technical lead.
• Review system requirements, technical specifications, and validation plans.
• Ensure automation systems meet performance, safety, quality, and cost requirements.

Manufacturing & NPI Support

• Support new product introductions (NPI) by defining automation strategies, equipment requirements, and validation plans.
• Partner with Manufacturing, Engineering, and Quality teams to ensure successful production ramp‑ups.
• Drive standard automation solutions to reduce deployment time and risk.
• Identify emerging automation technologies and assess applicability to Lite‑On manufacturing.
• Drive improvements in throughput, labor reduction, yield, and system uptime through automation innovation.
• Promote reuse of proven solutions and modular automation designs across sites.

Technical Mentorship & Knowledge Sharing

• Provide technical mentorship and guidance to automation, controls, and manufacturing engineers.
• Develop technical documentation, training materials, and design guidelines.
• Support capability building and knowledge sharing across sites and teams.

Safety & Compliance

• Ensure all automation systems comply with Lite‑On safety standards, machine safety requirements, and regulatory codes.
• Support risk assessments, safety validations, and audit readiness.
• Promote safe design and operation of automated systems.

Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Automation, Mechatronics, or related field; Master’s degree preferred.

8–12+ years of experience in manufacturing automation, with strong hands‑on technical depth.

Experience in electronics, EMS, or high‑volume manufacturing environments.

Proven track record solving complex automation and controls challenges.