Automation & Engineering Software Manager

CSG Talent; United States; On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

CSG Talent seeks a Manager of Automation & Software Engineering to lead the design, development, and reliability of plant automation systems and internal software platforms. The role blends hands-on engineering with leadership of a growing technical team to support high-volume production and digital transformation across operations.

The ideal candidate will bring strong experience in industrial automation, software engineering, and manufacturing systems integration, delivering measurable

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, Industrial Automation, or related field; 5+ years in automation/controls/manufacturing.
• Strong PLC programming (Allen-Bradley preferred), HMI development, and industrial communication protocols.
• Experience building software apps using C#, Python, SQL; able to design OT networks and industrial servers.

Responsibilities

• Oversee design, development, and reliability of plant automation and internal software platforms.
• Lead upgrades, rewrites, and commissioning of automation systems for reliability and scalability.
• Direct cross-functional teams and manage contractor relationships to enforce standards.

Skills

PLC programming

HMI development

Python

C#

SQL

OT networks

team leadership

industrial automation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Computer/Software Engineering

Tools

MES systems

Unified Namespace

Job description

Role Summary The Manager of Automation & Software Engineering leads the design, development, and reliability of all plant automation systems, internally developed software platforms, and OT network infrastructure. This role ensures high-availability production systems, drives digital transformation across operations, and establishes technical standards that reduce downtime, improve data integrity, and enhance throughput. This position combines hands‑on engineering with leadership of a growing technical team. The ideal candidate brings strong experience in industrial automation, software engineering, and manufacturing systems integration to support a complex, high-volume production environment. This position reports to the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and has six exempt direct reports and hourly indirect reports. Exempt direct reports include a PLC Programmer, Electrical Superintendent, Maintenance Superintendent, and three OT personnel. Hourly indirect reports include electrical and controls personnel.

Automation Systems (Production & Process Control)

Oversee the design, programming, troubleshooting, and optimization of PLC-based automation systems across the plant. Lead root‑cause analysis and corrective actions for production‑critical systems experiencing downtime, data loss, or throughput limitations. Manage upgrades, rewrites, and commissioning of automation systems, ensuring reliability and scalability. Establish and enforce automation standards for contractor installations to ensure consistent quality and long‑term maintainability.

Software Engineering & Internal Platforms

Lead the development and lifecycle management of internal applications, including modules for costing, scheduling, training, procurement, receiving, and efficiency dashboards. Oversee architecture, coding standards, testing environments, and deployment pipelines (Development, Test, and Production). Ensure software solutions replace manual processes, reduce errors, and deliver measurable operational value.

OT Network & Infrastructure

Manage the plant's OT network architecture, including segmentation, fiber infrastructure, and IT/OT separation. Maintain monitoring systems for uptime, logs, hardware health, and application performance. Oversee Manufacturing Execution System (MES) database development and ensure accurate, centralized data for operations, maintenance, and reporting.

Data Integrity & Reporting

Ensure accuracy and reliability of operational data, including scale data, shrink calculations, Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) metrics, and efficiency reporting. Partner with Operations, Quality Assurance (QA), and Finance to deliver actionable insights and standardized reporting frameworks.

Project Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration

Lead multidisciplinary automation and software projects from concept through deployment. Collaborate with Operations, Maintenance, IT, QA, and external vendors to ensure alignment and successful execution. Prioritize projects based on business impact, downtime reduction, and strategic value.

Team Leadership

Supervise and develop a growing team of automation and software engineering professionals. Provide technical mentorship, set performance expectations, and build a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and innovation. Manage contractor relationships and ensure adherence to established technical standards.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, Industrial Automation, or a related field, and/or equivalent work experience. Five or more years of experience in industrial automation, controls engineering, or manufacturing systems. Strong proficiency in PLC programming (Allen-Bradley preferred), HMI development, and industrial communication protocols. Experience developing software applications using C#, Python, SQL, or similar technologies. Demonstrated ability to architect and maintain OT networks and industrial server environments. Proven track record of reducing downtime, improving throughput, and delivering measurable operational value.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience in food manufacturing, protein processing, or other high-throughput regulated environments. Familiarity with MES systems, Unified Namespace architectures, and real-time data pipelines. Experience leading cross-functional technical teams. Knowledge of AI/ML applications in manufacturing. Experience managing contractors and enforcing technical standards.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Reduction in unplanned downtime across automated systems. Successful deployment and adoption of internal software modules.