Automation Lead – Robotic Fabrication Cells (Pipe)

Kelso Industries; Duncan (SC); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid time off and holidays

Job summary

Kelso Industries in Duncan, SC is seeking an hands-on Automation Lead to champion robotic and automated fabrication cells on the shop floor. You will own uptime, drive performance, and coordinate with operations, engineering, and OEMs to keep throughputs steady and quality high.

You will train operators, manage preventive maintenance, oversee software interfaces and data flows, and translate designs into reliable floor programs, ensuring safe, productive automation as the business scales.

Qualifications

• Associate degree or technical certificate in automation, robotics, mechatronics, industrial maintenance, or welding technology, or equivalent.
• 4+ years hands-on experience operating, programming, or maintaining industrial robots or automated fabrication equipment (FANUC, ABB, Yaskawa, KUKA).
• Working knowledge of teach-pendant and offline programming, PLC/HMI basics, sensors, and safety circuits.
• Ability to read fabrication drawings, spool isometrics, and welding symbols.
• Strong mechanical and electrical troubleshooting skills.

Responsibilities

• Serve as hands-on owner and champion of robotic and automated cells, accountable for uptime and output.
• Track downtime, root causes, and utilization; report trends to leadership.
• First responder to faults, diagnose issues, and restore production quickly.
• Develop and execute preventive maintenance plans aligned with OEM guidance.
• Manage cell software interface, offline programming, and data exchange formats.
• Train and qualify operators; develop SOPs and reference guides; maintain training matrix.
• Coordinate OEM/engineering collaboration for troubleshooting, updates, and capital requests.
• Enforce safety and quality standards across robotic cells.

Skills

Hands-on automation

Robotics troubleshooting

Preventive maintenance

Downtime analysis

Data-driven problem solving

Collaborative communication

Education

Associate degree or technical certificate in automation/robotics

Tools

FANUC

ABB

Yaskawa

KUKA

Job description

Kelso Industries in Duncan, SC is seeking an hands-on Automation Lead to champion robotic and automated fabrication cells on the shop floor. You will own uptime, drive performance, and coordinate with operations, engineering, and OEMs to keep throughputs steady and quality high.

You will train operators, manage preventive maintenance, oversee software interfaces and data flows, and translate designs into reliable floor programs, ensuring safe, productive automation as the business scales.