Automation Engineer

Kaiser Aluminum; Spokane (WA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Paid holidays

Paid leave

401K with company match

Quarterly bonus

Job summary

Kaiser Aluminum in Spokane, WA is seeking a Manufacturing Support Automation & Controls Engineer to join the Trentwood site. This onsite role reports to the Process Improvement Engineering Manager and supports/advances Manufacturing Excellence initiatives across equipment, PLCs, HMIs, and control systems.

Ideal candidates have 0–5 years in electrical engineering, experience with PLC/HMI and data-driven improvement, and strong teamwork and communication skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or equivalent.
• 0–5 years of electrical engineering experience.
• Experience with PLC/HMI/dcs or relevant lab education.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills.
• Strong PC skills (Windows, Word, Excel) and good communication.
• Ability to work in teams and manage multiple tasks.

Responsibilities

• Validate and maintain control system design/architecture for new and existing equipment.
• Support equipment start-ups and maintenance outages.
• Troubleshoot equipment control and electrical systems.
• Provide engineering support for maintenance and operations during troubleshooting and RCA.
• Perform changes in PLC/HMI and related servers; coordinate with vendors and production teams.
• Develop project scope, cost estimates, and schedules for assigned projects.
• Prepare and update project documentation (manuals, spare parts, drawings).
• Promote lean thinking and right‑first‑time practices.

Skills

Electrical Engineering

PLC

HMI

Analytical skills

Teamwork

Multitasking

Communication

Education

Electrical Engineering degree

Computer Engineering degree (substitute)

ME Automation degree substitute

Tools

Industrial PLC systems

HMI systems

Distributed control systems

CMMS (MAXIMO)

Python programming

Database tools

Job description

Kaiser Aluminum is known around the world for its superior quality. Our secret is what we put into it—innovative thinking, industry-leading reliability, and a world-class commitment to customer service. In short, the same qualities we look for in our people. We are looking for a Manufacturing Support Automation & Controls Engineer to join Kaiser Aluminum in Spokane Washington!

The Manufacturing Support Automation & Controls Engineer reports to the Process Improvement Engineering Manager. This position supports/leads flow team directed Manufacturing Excellence activities being conducted at the Trentwood facilities. This position works with facilitators, engineers, manufacturing leaders, craft personnel and operators, as needed with the goal of improving process capability, lowering manufacturing cost, increasing reliability and reducing waste in the operation.

What’s in it for you!

• Salary range $70,000 to $125,000 base
• High deductible medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance, including spouse and children (modest payroll deductions)
• 10 paid holidays per year
• Supplemental leave (used in conjunction with Washington Paid Family & Medical Leave)
• 401K with matching company funds
• Quarterly bonus structure

This is an onsite position. At this time, we are not able to offer visa sponsorship for this role, either now or in the future. Therefore, we cannot move forward with candidates who would require sponsorship and or are on (e.g., H-1B, F-1, STEM OPT, OPT) visas.

What you will work on:

• Validate and maintain control system design/architecture for new and existing equipment.
• Provide support and coordination for equipment start-ups and maintenance outages.
• Assist in trouble-shooting equipment control and electrical systems.
• Provide engineering support for the maintenance and operations resources during troubleshooting and RCA activities.
• Perform controlled process improvement changes in PLC systems, HMI systems, and in level 2 server and coordination systems.
• Coordinate with vendors, process engineers, and production personnel for continuous improvement.
• Develop project scope, feasibility, cost estimates, and schedule, for assigned projects.
• Prepare, organize, and update project documentation (Manuals, PM's spare parts, correspondence, drawings, drawing lists, material listings, etc.)
• Help support and develop a culture at Kaiser Trentwood that promotes lean thinking and right first time for all work performed.
• Collaborates with the operational team to develop and report performance metrics against targets to determine gaps in performance and recommends/executes improvement initiatives.
• Advise the team on improvement opportunities through requirements gathering, data extraction/transformation, organized analysis and effective visualization of information.
• Drive process consistency through standard work, process control, right first time, and management of change.
• Comply with all safety, quality and environmental regulations.

What you will bring to the position:

• An undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering.
• A degree in Computer Engineering combined with industrial experience may substitute for the Electrical Engineering degree.
• An undergraduate degree in ME Automation with sufficient coursework in automation/robotics may also substitute.
• Zero to five (0-5) years previous electrical engineering experience.
• Experience with industrial PLC systems, HMI systems or distributed control systems, or relevant laboratory education.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong PC skills, including Windows, Word, and Excel.
• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal) and organizational skills.
• Proven ability to work in teams.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.

The preferred candidate will have knowledge and experience with:

• Minimum of two (2) years of experience in the maintenance department of a heavy industrial facility.
• Familiarity with database tools and techniques.
• Programming experience. (Python preferred)
• Familiarity with CMMS software (MAXIMO preferred).
• Knowledge of National Electrical Code, AC & DC motors

No third-party candidate submissions are being accepted at this time for this opening.

This position has been determined to be a safety-sensitive position and requires a pre-employment drug and alcohol screen that includes marijuana.

We are an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered based on job-related qualifications and abilities. There shall be no discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, veteran, or disability status.

About Kaiser Aluminum: Talented people join our team because we are a company passionate about environmental sustainability, employee growth, contributing back to our communities and championing an inclusive culture.