Automation Reliability Engineer: AI-Driven, High-Uptime Ops

McMaster-Carr; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 185,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

McMaster-Carr in Chicago is expanding automation within our distribution operations, applying AS/RS, right-sized packaging technology, and sortation to improve reliability and throughput. You will work on material handling design, controls, software, analytics, and AI, establishing standards for new systems, improving existing ones, and solving complex technical problems in a high uptime environment.

This role offers growth in engineering skills and the opportunity to impact customer experience

Qualifications

• 2+ years of professional experience in warehouse automation, including AS/RS, automated receiving using vision systems, packaging technologies, shipping sorters, or palletizing.
• Bachelor’s degree in industrial and systems, mechanical, electrical, computer science engineering or equivalent.
• Knowledge of hardware, controls, software, process design, analytics, and AI disciplines is preferred.
• Experience in a fast-paced, high uptime, operational environment.
• Proven experience managing multiple projects simultaneously.
• Excellent communication skills and advanced project execution skills.
• Strong business and financial acumen paired with domain and technical expertise.
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically and roadmap, plan, and execute.
• Commitment to personal, professional, and team growth.

Responsibilities

• Improve automated packaging technology by creating standards for physical alignment, controls configurations, and software parameters.
• Define software behavior for automation based on control faults, warnings, and information.
• Enhance the user experience of picking from totes to cartons in a goods-to-person system.
• Design or improve the material flow that connects automated storage and retrieval, picking, packing, workstations, sortation, and downstream processes.
• Improve automated receiving through vision, identification, routing, induction, or put-away.
• Apply conveyor, sortation, mobile-robotics, or related material-handling technologies to improve system reliability and throughput.
• Build an AI-enabled troubleshooting tool for maintenance technicians responding to automation-equipment.
• Create data elements and analytics that identify automation faults, downtime, throughput constraints, and opportunities for improvement.
• Evaluate alternatives, explain technical and operational trade-offs, and recommend practical solutions.
• Support complex system issues that extend beyond established operating and maintenance.

Skills

Warehouse automation

Controls & software

Analytics & AI

Project execution

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Industrial & Systems / Mechanical / Electrical / Computer Science engineering

Job description

McMaster-Carr in Chicago is expanding automation within our distribution operations, applying AS/RS, right-sized packaging technology, and sortation to improve reliability and throughput. You will work on material handling design, controls, software, analytics, and AI, establishing standards for new systems, improving existing ones, and solving complex technical problems in a high uptime environment.

This role offers growth in engineering skills and the opportunity to impact customer experience