Director of Industrial Engineering and Automation

TriSearch; Perth Amboy (NJ); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

TriSearch is seeking a Director of Industrial Engineering & Automation to lead strategy, engineering, and implementation of automation across a high-volume fulfillment network. You will drive ASRS, conveyance, AMRs/AGVs, and automated material handling while ensuring scalable, reliable, and financially sound solutions integrated into daily operations.

You will partner with Operations, Technology, Finance, and external vendors to deliver performance improvements, optimize capacity, and enhance

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience leading automation, robotics, or related engineering in fulfillment or production.
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Industrial, Mechanical, Systems Engineering, or related field.
• Deep experience with ASRS, high-speed conveyance, AMRs/AGVs, robotics, and related fulfillment tech.
• Experience designing and implementing manual and automated workflows and material-flow solutions.
• Proven ability to drive automation initiatives from design through commissioning, with vendor management.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute long-term automation and robotics strategy across the fulfillment network.
• Lead design, implementation, optimization, and scaling of automation systems (ASRS, conveyance, AMRs/AGVs).
• Engineer automation solutions for inbound and outbound product flows to boost throughput and space use.
• Lead projects from concept to vendor selection, integration, commissioning, and stabilization.
• Partner with vendors, OEMs, and software providers on RFPs, evaluations, and testing.
• Set standards for reliability, uptime, maintenance, spares, and lifecycle for automation assets.
• Develop financial assumptions for automation investments, ROI, and business cases.
• Collaborate with Operations, Finance, Facilities, and IT to integrate automation into operations.
• Develop and mentor engineering and maintenance teams responsible for automation performance.

Skills

Automation leadership

Robotics

Engineering leadership

Vendor management

Strategic planning

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Industrial, Mechanical, or Systems Engineering

Tools

ASRS

AMRs/AGVs

Automated material handling

Job description

Director of Industrial Engineering & Automation

About The Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced Director of Automation & Robotics to lead the strategy, engineering, implementation, and optimization of automation and robotics across a large-scale, high-volume fulfillment network.

This leader will be responsible for advancing the organization’s automation capabilities across both inbound and outbound operations, including automated material movement, storage, conveyance, packing, and specialized product-handling processes. The role will combine long-term automation strategy with hands‑on technical leadership, ensuring solutions are scalable, reliable, financially sound, and successfully integrated into daily operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the long-term automation and robotics strategy and roadmap across the fulfillment network.
• Lead the design, implementation, optimization, and scaling of automation solutions including ASRS, high-speed conveyance, AMRs/AGVs, automated storage, material handling, and packing systems.
• Engineer automation solutions supporting both inbound and outbound product flows, improving throughput, capacity, space utilization, safety, and operating efficiency.
• Lead automation projects from concept and technical evaluation through vendor selection, system integration, commissioning, and operational stabilization.
• Partner with third‑party automation vendors, equipment OEMs, and software providers, supporting RFPs, technical evaluations, contract negotiations, testing, and commissioning.
• Establish performance, reliability, uptime, preventive maintenance, spare‑parts, and lifecycle standards for automation and MHE assets.
• Develop technical and financial assumptions supporting automation investments, including productivity improvements, capacity impact, capital requirements, implementation costs, reliability, and ROI/business‑case development.
• Partner closely with Operations, Engineering, Technology/Product, Facilities, Finance, and other functional leaders to successfully integrate automation into existing operations.
• Lead and develop technical engineering and maintenance resources responsible for automation performance and continuous improvement.

What We're Looking For

• 10+ years of experience leading automation, robotics, engineering, or related technical functions within complex fulfillment or production environments.
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Industrial, Mechanical, Systems Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Deep experience with automation technologies such as ASRS, high-speed conveyance, AMRs/AGVs, robotics, automated material handling, and related fulfillment technologies.
• Demonstrated experience designing and implementing manual and automated workflows and material‑flow solutions.
• Proven ability to take major automation initiatives from design and vendor selection through implementation and commissioning.
• Strong experience managing automation vendors, systems integrators, equipment OEMs, and other technical partners.
• Experience evaluating automation investments from both a technical and financial/business‑case perspective.
• Strong understanding of equipment reliability, maintenance, uptime, and lifecycle management.
• Ability to operate at both the strategic and technical level, developing a long‑term vision while remaining close enough to execution to ensure solutions work operationally.
• Strong leadership and communication skills with the ability to influence Operations, Technology, Finance, engineering teams, vendors, and senior leadership.

Preferred Experience

Experience within high-volume e-commerce, fulfillment, distribution, retail, or production environments involving complex or unique physical inventory is highly desirable. Experience supporting highly variable or single-unit inventory environments is a plus.

Why This Opportunity

This is an opportunity to have significant ownership over the next generation of automation and robotics within a sophisticated fulfillment network. Rather than simply maintaining existing systems, this leader will help determine where and how automation should be deployed, build the technical roadmap, evaluate emerging solutions, and lead transformational projects that directly impact capacity, productivity, reliability, and scalability.