Engineering Automation Engineer

Socket.dev; Tampa (FL); On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Total Wellness Programs

401K program with company match

Tuition reimbursement

Three weeks vacation pay

Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)

Job summary

Coca-Cola Beverages Florida is seeking an Automation Engineer based in Tampa. This role involves leading the strategy, design, and implementation of automation initiatives across the manufacturing and distribution network. Candidates should have over 6 years of experience in automation systems and a Bachelor’s degree in engineering.

The position includes responsibilities like cross-functional collaboration, project management, and implementation of best practices to ensure efficient systems. The company offers competitive compensation and benefits.

Qualifications

• 6+ years' experience in automation, controls engineering, or material handling systems.
• Proven experience managing capital projects from concept through commissioning.
• Strong knowledge of PLCs, SCADA, and warehouse management systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end delivery of multi-site automation initiatives.
• Develop business cases for future company investments.
• Establish standardized testing, commissioning, and maintenance protocols.

Skills

PLC systems (Allen Bradley)

SCADA systems

Material handling

Communication skills

Automation project management

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Tools

Warehouse Control Systems (WCS)

SAP

Job description

United States, Florida, Tampa

Who We Are:

• Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC (Coke Florida) is a family-owned independent Coca-Cola bottler that is the third largest privately-held and the sixth largest independent Coca-Cola bottler in the United States.
• Coke Florida sells, markets, manufactures and distributes over 600 products of The Coca-Cola Company and other partner companies including Monster Beverage Corporation and BODYARMOR.
• In 2025, for the 4th year in a row, Coke Florida was named as a US Best Managed Company by Deloitte Private and The Wall Street Journal. This program recognizes outstanding U.S. private companies and the achievements of their management teams in four key areas: strategy, ability to execute, corporate culture, and governance/financial performance.

What We Offer

• Total Wellness Programs including health, dental and vision plans
• 401K program with healthy company match
• Supplemental Life Insurance
• Three weeks of vacation pay, and 10 company paid holidays*
• Tuition reimbursement
• Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)
• Competitive compensation

Automation Engineer – Tampa HQ

We're currently looking for 8:00am-5:00pm, Monday- Friday.

As Coke Florida's Automation Engineer, you will lead the strategy, design and execution of automation initiatives across Coke Florida's manufacturing and distribution network. This role owns the full lifecycle of automation solutions, which includes concept and business case development through implementation, integration and performance stabilization.

This position drives scalable, standardized automation platforms aligns to the network strategy ensuring solutions deliver on safety, performance and ROI. The Automation Engineer will partner cross-functionally with finance, distribution, planning and manufacturing to help influence others, guide multiple projects while establishing governance, best practices and long-term automation decisions.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end delivery of multi-site automation initiatives, including planning, design, cost estimation, execution and performance ramp-up.
• Develop, validate and champion business cases (ROI, payback, cost-benefit, etc.) to support future company investments.
• Partner with cross-functional stakeholders to prioritize automation investments aligning to network strategy, productivity and capital efficiency goals.
• Establish and manage standardized testing, commissioning, and maintenance protocols across Coke Florida facilities.
• Serve as the Subject Matter Expert (SME) for automation systems, material handling, and warehouse technologies.
• Lead integration of automation platforms with enterprise systems such as CONA, manufacturing systems and related technologies.
• Provide technical oversight for PLC, SCADA and APC environments to optimize performance and reliability.
• Standardize automation designs, specifications and best practices to enable scalable deployments across the network.
• Lead identification and mitigation of risks associated with automation systems, such as machine guarding, material handling hazards and elevated work environments.
• Lead systems integrators, contractors and external partners deliver high-quality automation solutions.
• Drive alignment and decision making across complex, multi-site initiatives.

Education and Skills Required

• Bachelor's degree in engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial or related field).
• 6+ years' experience in automation, controls engineering, or material handling systems in a manufacturing or distribution environment.
• Proven experience managing capital projects from concept through commissioning.
• Strong knowledge of PLCs (preferably Allen Bradley), SCADA and warehouse management systems.
• Proven track record of delivering capital automation (or similar) projects ($1M-$20M) from concept through commissioning and stabilization.
• Knowledge of Warehouse Control Systems (WCS) and automated material handling systems (conveyance, robotics, etc.).
• Excellent communication skills, including:
• Ability to demonstrate high emotional intelligence.
• Ability to influence without authority.
• Prepare and conduct complex meetings for a range of audience.
• Proven ability to have difficult conversations.

Additional skills and education that will strengthen your candidacy

• Previous experience working on a high-volume Consumer-Packaged Goods (CPG) or Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) environment.
• Exposure to enterprise systems such as SAP.
• Advanced knowledge of material flow, warehouse automation and robotics.
• PMP Certification.
• Master's degree in engineering or similar field.

This job description is not an exhaustive list of all functions that the employee may be required to perform, and the employee may be required to perform additional functions. Coke Florida reserves the right to revise the job description at any time and to assign additional duties and responsibilities as needed.

Employment with Coke Florida is at-will. The employee must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.

Coca-Cola Beverages Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state or local protected class.