AUTOMATION ENGINEER MANAGER

Amtec Staffing; Coachella (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Amtec Staffing seeks an Automation Engineering Manager to lead a team of engineers in developing and optimizing automated systems within a manufacturing setting. You will oversee projects from concept through deployment, ensuring compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements.

The role requires a technical Bachelor's degree, 5 years of experience, PLC/HMI/SCADA expertise, and strong leadership, communication, and budgeting skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in automation, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, CS, mechatronics, or related technical field required.
• 5 years of experience is required.
• Background in an automation integrator or similar system integration company is highly preferred.
• US Person per export control regulations, eligible for government authorization.
• Pre-employment background check and urinalysis testing.
• ISA/SCIA or OEM certifications a plus.
• Must be dependable, responsible, and accurate and able to deal with people.
• Strong oral and written presentation skills, and computer skills.
• Good financial aptitude.

Responsibilities

• Maintain relationships with production supervisors, quality teams, and production employees.
• Regularly communicate technical activity status to program teams, leadership, and engineering peers.
• Report project status, challenges, and progress to senior leadership and stakeholders.
• Provide technical guidance, review designs, and oversee prototyping activities.
• Interface with customers to ensure requirements are met.
• Track and manage workloads, allocate resources, and manage budgets.

Skills

PLC programming

HMI programming

SCADA

Industrial networking

Team leadership

Communication skills

Presentation skills

Financial aptitude

Education

Bachelor’s degree in automation or related technical field

Tools

ISA/SCIA or OEM certifications

Job description

• Bachelor’s degree in automation, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, computer science, mechatronics, or a related technical field required.
• 5 years of experience is required
• Background in an automation integrator or similar system integration company is highly preferred.
• Must be a US Person to conform to U.S. export control regulations, applicant should be eligible for any required authorization from the U.S. Government.
• Due to special regulatory requirements for defense ammunition manufacturing, successful applicants will be required to pass a pre-employment background check and undergo initial and periodic substance abuse testing (urinalysis).
• ISA/SCIA or OEM certifications a plus.
• Must be dependable, responsible, and accurate and have the ability to deal with people effectively.
• Strong oral and written presentation skills, and computer skills.
• Good financial aptitude.

Job Summary

The Automation Engineering Manager leads and manages a team of engineers in the development, implementation, and optimization of automated systems and solutions within a manufacturing environment. This role oversees all aspects of automation projects, from initial concept and feasibility through design, validation, and successful deployment, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and compliance with industry standards and regulations. As part of our team, you will leverage your expertise in PLC and HMI programming, SCADA systems, and industrial networking. Experience working with automation integrators or in cross-functional automation projects is highly valued.

Primary Responsibilities

• Maintain strong working relationships with production supervisors, quality teams, and production employees.
• Regularly communicate technical activity status to program teams, leadership, and engineering peers within customer organizations.
• Report project status, challenges, and progress to senior leadership and key stakeholders.
• Drive deep scientific understanding, technical rigor, and best engineering practices in product and system development.
• Research emerging technologies, evaluate new tools, and integrate modern engineering solutions to enhance operations and minimize project risk.
• Provide technical guidance, review designs, and oversee prototyping activities to test innovative ideas.
• Interface with internal and external customers on technical issues, ensuring products and services meet customer requirements and expectations.
• Track and manage workloads, allocate resources efficiently, and manage budgets to ensure cost-effective use of tools, technology, and personnel.
• Ensure staff have the necessary equipment, processes, and safety protocols to perform their jobs effectively and hold direct reports accountable for following defined processes.
• Monitor key performance indicators such as team productivity, project milestones, and product performance to identify trends and drive improvements.
• Implement and refine engineering workflows, methodologies, and tools to enhance team efficiency and productivity.
• Conduct annual performance reviews, set objectives, and develop individual development plans for direct reports.
• Maintain and improve cleanliness of work areas.
• Provide technical leadership in the areas of automation and project engineering.
• Participate in customer interface activities to ensure products/services meet requirements and expectations.
• Track and manage engineering workloads, outsourcing work packages as needed to meet deadlines while optimizing resource use.
• Provide inputs for and review drawings to ensure tolerances, materials, and specifications meet requirements.
• Analyze data trends using statistical methods to guide process improvements and risk mitigation.
• Apply knowledge of engineering, chemistry, physics, and materials science to solve technical problems.
• Conduct scheduling and coordination of internal/external resources for project execution.
• Develop process documents (SOW, CERs, validation plans, MOC, SAT, FAT) to ensure successful project implementation.
• Ensure engineering projects meet industry standards, regulatory requirements, and customer expectations.
• Execute capital/contract projects to deliver on schedule, budget, and scope objectives.
• Monitor and report project status using tools like Microsoft Project, weekly reports, and Program Management Reviews.
• Oversee engineering projects from conception to completion, ensuring adherence to timelines, budgets, and quality standards.
• Manage the requirements lifecycle (creation, documentation, verification, validation) to align deliverables with stakeholder goals.
• Use Management of Change (MOC) processes to review engineering changes for safety, quality, and production impacts before implementation.
• Maintain the highest ethical standards, even when challenged with complex situations and multiple sometimes competing priorities.
• Understand and live by customer’s ethics and business conduct policies.