Automation Engineer

APPLIED OPTOELECTRONICS INC; Sugar Land (TX); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible health plans

401(k) matching

Generous PTO policy

Relocation package

Immigration sponsorships

Job summary

APPLIED OPTOELECTRONICS INC is seeking an Automation Engineer to oversee maintenance and repairs of automated systems in Sugar Land, Texas. The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor's degree in a related field and experience in automation engineering.

Responsibilities include developing training programs for technicians, troubleshooting complex systems, and ensuring operational efficiency. The position offers competitive benefits, including health plans, a 401(k) match, and generous PTO.

Qualifications

• Experience with industrial automated material handling systems.
• Troubleshoot mechanical systems and automation hardware logic.
• 3+ years of experience in automation engineering preferred.

Responsibilities

• Oversee preventive maintenance and emergency repairs on automated systems.
• Develop training programs for new technicians.
• Support cleanroom floor layout design and fleet routing optimization.

Skills

Mechanical troubleshooting

Electrical schematics reading

Automation engineering

Mobile robotics

3D modeling software

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Automation, Mechatronics, Systems Engineering

Tools

AutoCAD

SolidWorks

PLC programming

Job description

AOI is committed to providing equal opportunity in all of our employment practices, including hiring, placement, promotion, training, transfer and compensation, to all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, national origin, citizenship, religion, sex, veteran status, age, disability, marital status, or any other category protected by State or U.S. Federal law. Moreover, we endeavor to treat our employees fairly.

Job Duties

• Oversee preventive maintenance, wheel/drive calibration, mechanical troubleshooting, battery health management, and emergency repairs on OHT, AGV vehicles, automated charging docks, and other automated systems.
• Develop comprehensive training programs and lead hands-on technical training for new automation technicians.
• Troubleshoot complex mechanical, electrical, or software-related vehicle routing faults and drive root-cause corrective actions to minimize assembly floor downtime and safeguard sensitive optoelectronic components.
• Develop and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Work Instructions, and safety training documentations, emergency recovery protocols, and hardware maintenance.
• Perform and document Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) and Site Acceptance Testing (SAT) for newly acquired vendor OHTs, AGVs, charging stations, and other automated systems.
• Support cleanroom floor layout design, travel aisle marking, and fleet routing flow optimization to improve material handling efficiency, eliminate traffic bottlenecks, and enhance operator safety.
• Expect 5% to 10% international travel for automation supplier visits, equipment qualification, or line setup activities.
• Overtime may be required during fleet ramp-up, major software deployments, or new line setup activities.

Qualifications

• Required:
• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Automation, Mechatronics, Systems Engineering, or a related field.
• Experience or strong technical familiarity with industrial automated material handling systems (AMHS), mobile robotics, OHT, AGV/AMR hardware, or other automated electronics assembly systems.
• Ability to read mechanical and electrical schematics, understand automation hardware logic, and troubleshoot mechanical systems.
• Preferred:
• 3+ years of experience in automation engineering, robotics, or high-tech manufacturing equipment validation.
• Solid knowledge of optical transceiver or optical module assembly and testing processes.
• Bilingual in Chinese (Mandarin) is a plus.
• Working experience with AutoCAD, SolidWorks or equivalent 3D modeling software. Familiarity with fleet management software, or common programming language environments is beneficial.
• Experience with PLC programming or industrial automation controls is beneficial

Location

This position will be on-site based in Sugar Land, Texas.

Why AOI?

• In addition to competitive salary, AOI offers
• Flexible and competitive health (medical, dental, vision) plans offer the employee with the right options to meet individual and family needs
• Employer matching on 401(k) deferrals
• Generous PTO policy, with unused PTO payout at end of the year
• Relocation package available within US
• Immigration sponsorships (Must be currently authorized to work in the US)