Automation Engineer - Advanced Manufacturing

Wabtec Corporation; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 69,000 - 98,000; Full time

Job summary

Wabtec Corporation seeks an Automation Engineer to advance manufacturing automation across our global sites. You will partner with operations, product engineering, maintenance, quality, IT, and EHS to deliver scalable automation solutions using robotics and digital tools.

You will design and simulate automation concepts, lead ROI analyses, and support production launches with hands-on technical expertise. The role emphasizes safety, process improvement, and cross-site knowledge sharing.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Manufacturing, Mechatronics, Automation/Controls, Robotics Engineering, or a related discipline.
• 3+ years of industrial automation, manufacturing engineering, robotics, controls, or advanced manufacturing experience.
• Hands-on experience applying industrial robots and automation equipment in a production environment.
• Ability to design automation concepts, cell layouts, tooling approaches, and equipment interfaces.
• Experience with robot or manufacturing simulation, offline programming, or digital manufacturing tools.
• Strong understanding of machine safety, controls, integration, manufacturing processes, and production readiness.
• Effective project execution, problem-solving, documentation, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Ability to travel as required to support enterprise manufacturing sites.

Responsibilities

• Support automation projects from concept through production launch.
• Evaluate manufacturing processes and identify practical automation opportunities.
• Develop automation concepts, layouts, simulations, cycle-time estimates, and technical specifications.
• Perform robot reach, payload, interference, and process simulations to reduce project risk.
• Support capital estimates, ROI business cases, equipment scopes, and project documentation.
• Participate in vendor selection, RFQs, design reviews, FAT, SAT, commissioning, and startup.
• Work with controls, manufacturing, quality, maintenance, EHS, suppliers, and integrators to resolve technical issues.
• Troubleshoot and optimize existing robotic and automated manufacturing systems.
• Document lessons learned and help replicate successful automation solutions across sites.
• Support Automation & Advanced Manufacturing standards, roadmap, and preferred technology strategy.
• Evaluate emerging technologies including robotics, vision, simulation, digital twins, and AI-enabled manufacturing.
• Provide hands-on technical support and knowledge sharing for site engineering teams.

Skills

Industrial automation

Robotics experience

Automation design concepts

Robot simulation/offline programming

Machine safety & controls

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Manufacturing, Mechatronics, Automation/Controls, Robotics Engineering

Tools

FANUC ROBOGUIDE

Process Simulate

Visual Components

3D CAD

Job description

Job Description

Who will you be working with?

You will partner with cross-functional teams across operations, product engineering, maintenance, quality, procurement, information technology (IT), operational technology (OT), environmental health & safety (EHS), and business leadership to deliver advanced manufacturing automation solutions across the global supply chain (GSC) consisting of all business segments.

How will you make a difference?

As part of the Automation & Advanced Manufacturing organization, you will support the development and deployment of automation solutions for machining, fabrication, assembly, material handling, and related manufacturing processes across multiple sites and business units. You will apply practical automation and robotics experience to convert manufacturing needs into safe, repeatable, production-ready concepts.

As a member of the Automation & Advanced Manufacturing team, you will support the development, justification, design, simulation, implementation, and optimization of manufacturing automation systems across a diverse industrial environment.

What do we want to know about you?

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Manufacturing, Mechatronics, Automation/Controls, Robotics Engineering, or a related discipline.
• 3+ years of industrial automation, manufacturing engineering, robotics, controls, or advanced manufacturing experience.
• Hands‑on experience applying industrial robots and automation equipment in a production environment.
• Ability to design automation concepts, cell layouts, tooling approaches, and equipment interfaces.
• Experience with robot or manufacturing simulation, offline programming, or digital manufacturing tools.
• Strong understanding of machine safety, controls, integration, manufacturing processes, and production readiness.
• Effective project execution, problem-solving, documentation, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Ability to travel as required to support enterprise manufacturing sites.

Preferred Qualifications

• Automation or robotics experience in high-volume manufacturing environment
• Industrial robots (FANUC preferred; ABB, KUKA, or Yaskawa/Motoman experience also valuable)
• Robot simulation and offline programming tools such as FANUC ROBOGUIDE, Process Simulate, Visual Components, or equivalent
• 3D CAD, equipment layouts, reach studies, cycle-time analysis, and design-for-automation
• Machine vision, inspection, and robotic guidance systems
• Automated material handling, end‑of‑arm tooling, fixtures, and sensor integration
• PLCs, HMIs, industrial networking, MES, SCADA, OEE, or manufacturing data systems
• FAT, SAT, commissioning, production launch, and structured root‑cause problem solving
• Lean or Six Sigma certification

What will your typical day look like? Responsibilities

• Support automation projects from concept through production launch.
• Evaluate manufacturing processes and identify practical automation opportunities.
• Develop automation concepts, layouts, simulations, cycle‑time estimates, and technical specifications.
• Perform robot reach, payload, interference, and process simulations to reduce project risk.
• Support capital estimates, ROI business cases, equipment scopes, and project documentation.
• Participate in vendor selection, RFQs, design reviews, FAT, SAT, commissioning, and startup.
• Work with controls, manufacturing, quality, maintenance, EHS, suppliers, and integrators to resolve technical issues.
• Troubleshoot and optimize existing robotic and automated manufacturing systems.
• Document lessons learned and help replicate successful automation solutions across sites.
• Support Automation & Advanced Manufacturing standards, roadmap, and preferred technology strategy.
• Evaluate emerging technologies including robotics, vision, simulation, digital twins, and AI‑enabled manufacturing.
• Provide hands‑on technical support and knowledge sharing for site engineering teams.

Additional Information

Our job titles may span more than one career level. The salary rate for this role is currently $68900-98200. The actual salary offered to a candidate may be influenced by a variety of factors, such as: training, transferable skills, work experience, education, business needs, market demands and work location. The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future. More information on offered benefits, which include health, welfare, and retirement, are available at mywabtecbenefits.com. Other benefit offerings for this role may include annual bonus, if eligible.

What could you accomplish in a place that puts People First?

At Wabtec, it’s not just about a job - it’s about the impact you make. When our people come together, we’re Expanding the Possible by continuously improving what we do and how we do it - for our clients and each other.

If you’re ready to revolutionize how the world moves for future generations, Wabtec is the place for you.

Who are we?

Wabtec is a leading global provider of equipment, systems, digital solutions, and value‑added services for the freight and transit rail sectors. Drawing on more than 150 years of experience, we are leading the way in safety, efficiency, reliability, innovation, and productivity. Whether it’s freight, transit, ports, logistics, mining, industrial, or marine, our expertise, technologies, and people together – are accelerating the future of transportation. With roots that date back to George Westinghouse, Thomas Edison, and Louis Faiveley, Wabtec has always built technologies and implemented solutions for a variety of sectors that are critical to meeting the needs of customers and governments alike.

Our global team of about 30,000 employees worldwide delivers performance that moves the world forward. We’re lifelong learners, obsessed with better. Learn more at www.WabtecCorp.com.

Culture powers us and the possibilities.

We believe the best ideas come from a mix of experiences and backgrounds. At Wabtec, we strive every day to create a place where everyone belongs. We’re building a culture where leadership, inclusion and your unique perspective fuel progress.

We’re proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We welcome talent of all backgrounds, experiences, and identities, including race, gender, age, disability, veteran status and more.

Need accommodation? Just let us know - we’ve got you.