Automation & Projects Engineer

WISCONSIN ALUMINUM FOUNDRY MASTER; New Hampton (IA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

ATEK Metal Technologies, a Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry company, seeks an Automation & Projects Engineer in New Hampton, IA. You will drive automation strategy across foundry operations, focusing on PLCs, HMIs, SCADA, and robotics, while leading capital projects from concept through commissioning.

Join a hands-on engineering team and partner with Maintenance, Production, Quality, and Safety to improve processes and equipment, including relocations and refurbishments.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in a foundry environment
• 2+ years with industrial controls and protocols
• Experience applying automation in a foundry setting

Responsibilities

• Program, troubleshoot, and optimize PLCs, HMIs, SCADA, and robotics
• Lead capital projects from concept to commissioning, including budget and vendors
• Manage relocations/refurbishments with minimal production disruption
• Maintain plant layout docs as equipment and flow evolve
• Collaborate with Engineering, Maintenance, Production, Quality, Safety
• Train operators and maintenance staff on automation systems
• Manage vendor and integrator relationships and spare parts strategy

Skills

PLC programming

HMI programming

Robot programming

Capital project leadership

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

Allen-Bradley PLC

Siemens PLC

CAD/layout tools

Job description

Job Details: Job Location: ATEK Metal Technologies - New Hampton, IA 50659, Position Type: Full Time, 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