Automation Technician

Toyo Tire NA; Georgia; On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Toyo Tire NA is seeking an Automation Technician to maintain and improve the plant's automated manufacturing equipment and control systems. You will troubleshoot PLC-controlled equipment, robotics, HMIs, and industrial networks to reduce downtime and improve reliability.

Responsibilities include preventive maintenance, root-cause analysis, and collaboration with Maintenance, Production, and Engineering teams to advance automation capabilities across the maintenance organization.

Qualifications

• Associate degree or technical training in electrical/electronics or related field.
• Experience in industrial automation and controls preferred.
• Ability to troubleshoot PLC/HMI and networked automation systems.

Responsibilities

• Diagnose electrical, controls, communication, programming, and instrumentation problems.
• Troubleshoot PLC/HMI alarms and equipment sequences.
• Perform automation-related preventive maintenance and documentation in CMMS.
• Identify and implement root-cause improvements to reduce downtime.
• Provide hands-on PLC troubleshooting training to maintenance staff.

Skills

PLC troubleshooting

Robotics

HMI systems

Industrial networks

VFDs and servo motors

Motor control

Machine vision systems

CMMS documentation

Safety compliance

Education

Associate degree in Electrical/Electronics Technology

Mechatronics

Related technical discipline

Tools

ControlLogix/CompactLogix

Industrial Ethernet networks

Remote I/O

Job description

The Automation Technicianis responsible for maintaining, troubleshooting, repairing, and improving the plant's automated manufacturing equipment and control systems. This position serves as a technical resource for PLC-controlled equipment, robotics, HMIs, industrial networks, drives, motion control, instrumentation, and electrical control systems.

The Automation Technician's primary objective is reduce equipment downtime, improve reliability, eliminate recurring automation failures, and support safe and efficient production.

The position works closely with Maintenance Technicians, Production, Engineering, Reliability, IT/OT, and equipment vendors. The Automation Technician is expected to provide hands‑on troubleshooting while also developing the automation capabilities of the broader maintenance organization.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Automation Troubleshooting

• Diagnose electrical, controls, communication, programming, and instrumentation problems.
• Use PLC software to identify failed inputs, outputs, sequences, interlocks, permissives, timers, counters, and logic conditions.
• Troubleshoot HMI alarms and equipment sequences.
• Troubleshoot industrial communication networks and remote I/O.
• Diagnose servo, VFD, motor control, sensor, encoder, and positioning problems.
• Support troubleshooting of robotic and automated material‑handling systems.
• Assist Maintenance Technicians with complex automation failures.
• Restore equipment safely and efficiently while maintaining proper machine safeguards.

PLC / HMI Systems

Maintain and troubleshoot applicable plant control platforms, which may include:

• PLCs
• HMIs
• Remote I/O
• Safety PLCs
• VFDs
• Servo systems
• Motion controllers
• Industrial Ethernet networks
• ControlLogix/CompactLogix or equivalent platforms
• Machine vision systems
• Barcode/RFID systems
• Process instrumentation

Programming changes shall follow established authorization, documentation, backup, and change‑management procedures.

Preventive and Predictive Maintenance

• Perform automation‑related PMs.
• Inspect control panels and electrical components.
• Verify sensors, switches, encoders, and feedback devices.
• Inspect industrial network connections.
• Identify deteriorating automation components before failure.
• Recommend replacement of obsolete or unreliable automation components.
• Develop automation PM procedures where gaps exist.
• Document completed work accurately in the CMMS.

Equipment Reliability

The Automation Technician is expected to move beyond simply resetting equipment.

• Identify the actual failure mode.
• Determine root cause.
• Recommend corrective action.
• Implement approved permanent solutions.

Repeated failures should be escalated for root‑cause analysis rather than continually repaired without corrective action.

• Identify opportunities to reduce downtime through automation improvements.
• Improve machine diagnostics and alarm descriptions.
• Recommend HMI improvements that make troubleshooting easier.
• Identify opportunities for automated condition monitoring.
• Participate in equipment upgrades and capital projects.
• Support equipment commissioning and acceptance testing.
• Assist Engineering with controls‑related modifications.
• Maintain standardized programming and documentation practices.

Maintenance Team Development

A critical responsibility of this position is building automation capability within the maintenance department.

The Automation Technician will:

• Provide hands‑on PLC troubleshooting training to Maintenance Technicians.
• Teach technicians how to safely navigate PLC programs.
• Explain machine sequences, permissives, interlocks, and alarms.
• Develop troubleshooting guides for high‑failure equipment.
• Conduct structured automation training sessions.
• Mentor technicians during actual breakdowns rather than simply taking over the repair.
• Help identify technicians capable of progressing into higher automation skill levels.

The goal is to prevent automation knowledge from becoming concentrated in one individual.

Safety Responsibilities

The Automation Technician shall comply with all plant safety requirements, including:

• Lockout/Tagout (LOTO)
• Electrical safe‑work practices
• Arc‑flash requirements
• Robotics safety
• Control of hazardous energy
• Working‑at‑height requirements
• Confined‑space procedures where applicable

PLC programming, HMI manipulation, forcing I/O, bypassing interlocks, or changing machine logic shall never be used to defeat a safety device or circumvent LOTO requirements.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications

Education/Training

Associate degree, technical diploma, military technical training, apprenticeship, or equivalent experience in:

• Electrical/Electronics Technology
• Mechatronics
• Related technical discipline

Experience

Preferred:

• 3+ years industrial automation or controls experience.
• Experience in high‑volume manufacturing.
• Experience troubleshooting automated production equipment.
• Experience working in a 24/7 manufacturing environment.

The Automation Technician should demonstrate competency in:

• Sensors
• VFDs
• Servo systems
• Motor controls
• Robotics
• Machine safety systems
• Root‑cause analysis
• Preventive maintenance
• CMMS documentation