Automation & Projects Engineer

American Foundry Society; New Hampton (IA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

ATEK Metal Technologies, part of the Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry family, seeks an Automation & Projects Engineer to drive automation across our New Hampton foundry. You will lead PLC/robotic projects, manage scope and budgets, and ensure safe, efficient production while coordinating with engineering, maintenance, and quality teams.

The role combines hands-on problem solving with project leadership, requiring strong controls knowledge and the ability to navigate a dynamic foundry environment.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in a foundry environment, including 3+ years in molding and process engineering.
• 2+ years hands-on with industrial controls, communication protocols, and controls architecture.
• Real-world success applying automation in a foundry setting - PLC programming, troubleshooting, configuration.
• HMI and robot programming experience, including backup and restoration.
• A track record of leading capital projects from concept through commissioning, budget and vendors included.
• High school diploma or GED required.

Responsibilities

• Program, troubleshoot, and optimize PLCs, HMIs, SCADA systems, and robotic automation across foundry processes.
• Lead capital projects from concept through full implementation - scope, budget, vendor management, installation, commissioning (FAT/SAT), and ramp-up.
• Manage equipment relocations and refurbishments, from decommissioning through re-qualification, with minimal disruption to production.
• Maintain plant layout documentation as equipment, capacity, and material flow evolve.
• Partner with Engineering, Maintenance, Production, Quality, and Safety to resolve issues and drive improvement.
• Train operators, engineers, and maintenance staff on the automation systems you build and maintain.
• Manage vendor and integrator relationships, spare parts strategy, and obsolescence planning.

Skills

Automation experience

PLC programming

HMI programming

Robotics integration

Project leadership

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

AutoCAD

SolidWorks

Job description

Automation & Projects Engineer

ATEK Metal Technologies - a Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry company | New Hampton, Iowa

Build the systems that run the floor, and the projects that transform it.

ATEK Metal Technologies is looking for an Automation & Projects Engineer to join our engineering team and drive automation strategy across our foundry operations. You'll bring deep technical expertise to PLCs, HMIs, SCADA systems, and robotic automation, and take the lead on capital projects - from new installations to relocations and refurbishments - working closely with Engineering, Maintenance, Production, Quality, and Safety along the way.

If you like variety, hands-on problem solving, and seeing your work go from a concept to full production, this is built for you!

What you'll do:

• Program, troubleshoot, and optimize PLCs, HMIs, SCADA systems, and robotic automation across foundry processes
• Lead capital projects from concept through full implementation - scope, budget, vendor management, installation, commissioning (FAT/SAT), and ramp-up - delivered on time and on budget
• Manage equipment relocations and refurbishments, from decommissioning through re-qualification, with minimal disruption to production
• Maintain plant layout documentation as equipment, capacity, and material flow evolve
• Partner with Engineering, Maintenance, Production, Quality, and Safety to resolve issues and drive improvement
• Train operators, engineers, and maintenance staff on the automation systems you build and maintain
• Manage vendor and integrator relationships, spare parts strategy, and obsolescence planning

What you bring:

• 5+ years in a foundry environment, including 3+ years in molding and process engineering
• 2+ years of hands-on experience with industrial controls, communication protocols, and controls architecture
• Real-world success applying automation in a foundry setting - PLC programming, troubleshooting, configuration
• HMI and robot programming experience, including backup and restoration
• A track record of leading capital projects from concept through commissioning, budget and vendors included
• High school diploma or GED required

Nice to have:

• A bachelor's degree in engineering
• Allen-Bradley or Siemens PLC experience
• Aluminum foundry automation background
• CAD/layout tool proficiency (AutoCAD, SolidWorks)

You’ll split time between the shop floor and a desk, with regular exposure to a working foundry environment (heat, dust, noise).

Reports to: Engineering Manager