Automation Engineering Manager

Scotts Miracle-Gro; United States; Remote; USD 146,000 - 171,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Live Total Health program

401K match (up to 7.5%)

Stock purchase discount (15%)

Adoption assistance up to $30,000

Employee Resource Groups

Job summary

Scotts Miracle-Gro is seeking an Automation Engineering Manager to lead automation initiatives across its North American manufacturing sites, with remote work and up to 50% travel during peak periods. The role emphasizes building strategies, establishing standards, and driving automation projects without coding.

The incumbent will oversee OT/IT integration, collaborate with multiple sites, supervise one direct report, and develop business cases based on data, costs, and ROI.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or related technical field; high level acceptable if experience relates to role.
• Understanding of automation concepts in manufacturing.
• Industrial robotics experience (Fanuc preferred).
• 7–10 years experience with at least 4 years in core technical competencies.
• Experience conceiving or designing automated solutions in manufacturing.
• Ability to identify automation opportunities via Gemba walks and data collection to build business cases.
• Strong PLC/HMI/SCADA programming knowledge.
• Ability to lead multiple projects and manage contractors/vendors.

Responsibilities

• Walk the floor at Scotts sites to observe work, talk to operators and leaders, and identify automation opportunities.
• Build strategy and lead implementation of automation within Scotts.
• Lead multiple automation paths: planning, goals, and execution for projects and roadmaps.
• Communicate automation vision to stakeholders; maintain an automation roadmap aligned with strategy.
• Identify, scope, and business-case automation opportunities; drive projects to completion.
• Manage multiple projects from business case to startup with contractors and internal resources.
• Develop standards for automation across the organization.
• Collaborate across functions to meet business goals with automation solutions.
• Partner with operations, EHS, and leadership to improve ROI, safety, and product quality.
• Lead OT and IT efforts to optimize production availability.
• Consult with site engineering teams on locally-led automation projects.

Skills

Automation concepts

Industrial robotics

PLC/HMI/SCADA

OT/IT integration

Project leadership

Data-driven business cases

Vendor/contractor management

Gemba walks

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or related field

Tools

Fanuc robotics

SCADA systems

Industrial networks (Ethernet/IP/Modbus)

Job description

Here at ScottsMiracle-Gro there is no such thing as a typical day. Our culture is constantly energized by new and exciting growth opportunities and at a rapid pace. Below are details on an open job. If the role interests you and you would like to be considered we encourage you to apply!

We are looking for an Automation Engineering Manager who will join our Supply Chain Engineering team remotely. This position can be based remotely anywhere in North America.

This is a corporate-level, high visibility engineering role responsible for identifying, evaluating and executing automation/controls projects. We are looking for someone with a strong automation/controls engineering background who wants to lead others by establishing standards and ensuring they are followed. This role will not have the time to write code.

This role may have up to 50% travel required during peak times and should average 35%. The incumbent will perform a combination of Work from Home and travel to Scotts Miracle-Gro manufacturing sites. There are approximately 50 sites across the US and Canada. The Automation Engineering Manager is responsible for building the strategy, identifying opportunities to improve production/quality/safety, communicating the vision and leading the implementation of advanced automation within Scotts. They will be the subject matter expert for automation and work with stakeholders across the organization to understand the needs of initiatives that involve automation and align to an optimal solution based on time to implement, fit, and cost. This role will be an integral, high visibility position within the Global Supply Chain function helping to propel Scotts Miracle-Gro into the future.

The role currently has one direct report, the corporate operational technology manager. Being successful in this role requires experience and understanding of operational technology within the disciplines of cybersecurity, integration of IT and OT, and operational technology as it relates to controls systems and advanced automation.

The candidate will also need the ability to develop external resources, such as contractors and machine OEMs, to become part of their team. Having established contacts that can be utilized in this area will greatly aid in achieving success in this role.

In this role you will:

• the most important qualification for this role is the skill to walk the floor at Scotts' manufacturing sites, observe the work, talk to operators, supervisors and operations leaders and arrive at opportunities for automating processes. Then collect data regarding production, demand, capacity, labor and other costs along with potential cost savings and cost to automate in order to build a business case to proceed.
• Be responsible for building the strategy, identifying opportunity, communicating the vision and leading the implementation of automation within Scotts.
• Lead multiple paths of automation: Planning, setting goals and executing for both individual projects and the wider strategy and roadmap for automation.
• Communicate the vision of automation to internal and external stakeholders across all levels of the organization. Create and maintain an automation roadmap aligned with overall Automation and Supply Chain strategies. Report regularly on current and planned project statuses to key stakeholders and senior leadership.
• Identify, lead, and advocate for automation opportunities. This involves identifying needs, scoping projects, building business cases and leading projects to completion to deliver solutions.
• Manage multiple simultaneous projects from business case development through successful startup by developing contractors, vendors, and internal resources. Partner with stakeholders to define requirements, establish parameters, and ensure high-quality delivery. Collaborate across cross-functional teams to drive project success.
• Develop standards for automation to aid in all aspects of automation.
• Collaborate with other parts of the organization to identify needs around automation to accomplish business goals, creating a plan and executing on those plans.
• Partner with other parts of the organization, especially operations, EHS and leadership to develop solutions for automation that provide return on investment, improve safety and increase quality of Scotts' products.
• Lead both OT and IT efforts to ensure standards and practices are optimized for maximum production availability.
• Consult with engineering teams at the local/manufacturing site level as they conduct locally-led automation projects.

What you’ll need to be successful:

• Bachelor's Degree, engineering or related technical field recommended. A high level of experience may be substituted for education if the experience is directly related to the role.
• Understanding of automation concepts in a manufacturing environment.
• Industrial Robotics (Fanuc preferred).
• 7-10 years of experience preferred, with an emphasis on subject matter expertise. A minimum of 4 years of deep experience in the core technical competencies is required.
• Knowledge of and experience with conceptualizing or designing automated solutions in a manufacturing environment.
• Knowledge of and experience with identifying automation opportunities through Gemba walks, team discussions, and data collection to build business cases.
• Thorough understanding of PLC and HMI technologies as well as power distribution (<=480V), VFD and Servo motion, various forms of control I/O and industrial networking protocols (Ethernet/IP, Modbus, OPC, RS-485).
• Familiarity with industrial asset inventory methods, both automated and manual.
• Experience with replacing legacy automation hardware with modern versions.
• Understanding of PLC/HMI/SCADA programming.
• Demonstrated leadership experience managing multiple projects in a collaborative environment.
• Exceptional ability to build and maintain relationships across a network of sites and corporate support functions.
• Excellent analytical, interpersonal, communications, organization, resource management, and technology utilization skills.
• Proven ability to handle changing priorities while maintaining a sense of urgency.
• Strong business acumen, with a solid record of leading change and delivering results.

The starting budgeted pay range for this role will generally fall between $145,600.00 - $171,300.00 per year. Scotts will consider various factors in determining the actual pay including your skills, qualifications, experience, and geographical location.In addition to the determined base salary, this role is also incentive eligible under our corporate bonus programs.For remote roles where the final candidate resides in Alaska, California, Colorado, Illinois, New York, Oregon or Washington, state required pay thresholds will be factored into base salary.

Here at ScottsMiracle-Gro, we believe providing an enriching and engaging employee experience is what sets us apart from other organizations. We recognize our employees are so much more than just their job title so we offer programs and benefits that support them in all aspects of their lives. Wondering how we do it? Below is a glimpse of our highlight reel…

• Our Live Total Health program provides you with options to align to your personal needs. Selections range from medical, dental and vision coverage for you, your spouse/domestic partner and dependents to an outstanding wellness reimbursement program to an unbelievable 401K match (up to 7.5%) as well as a 15% discount on company stock and much more
• We know our talent is our most precious asset and your unique development contributes to our organization’s success now and in the future. Career growth at our company is not always a ladder. It's much more like a rock climbing adventure. Grow through exploration and experiences rather than a predictable linear path.
• We value the importance of family. We provide access to Maven Family Planning and up to $30,000 to accommodate for adoption, fertility and surrogacy.
• Be part of something bigger by joining one of our Employee Resource Groups focusing on diversity and inclusion, family, education and sustainability : Scotts Women's Network, Scotts Black Employees' Network, Scotts Veterans Network, Scotts Young Professionals, Scotts Pride Network (GroPride), Scotts Associates for a Greener Earth (SAGE), Scotts Family TREE and our Associate Boards.
• Join a company with a strong belief in giving bac k to the communities where we live and work. We have a shared passion for service and volunteerism and believe participating in community service benefits our communities and strengthens our team.

Scotts is an EEO Employer, dedicated to a culturally diverse, drug free workplace.

EEO/AA Employer/Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity

Notification to Agencies:

Please note that the Scotts Miracle-Gro company does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters or employment agencies. In the absence of a signed Master Service Agreement, and specific approval to submit resumes to an approved requisition, the Scotts Miracle-Gro company will not consider or approve payment regarding recruiter fees or referral compensations.