Lead Automation Engineer

Power Design, Inc.; Town of Florida (NY); On-site; USD 140,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and dental plans

Life insurance

Disability plans

Paid vacations and holidays

National discount programs

401(k) retirement plan

Relocation opportunities

Job summary

Power Design, Inc. is seeking a Lead Automation Engineer to anchor manufacturing automation across prefab, LFG/switchgear, and wire divisions. You’ll evaluate cobots, machine vision, and bending automation while directing FAT/SAT and defining controls standards on the plant floor.

You will interface with automation vendors, assess claims, and help deploy real-time data feeds into Oracle Fusion, ensuring scalable, reliable systems with clear implementation timelines.

Qualifications

• 7+ years in industrial automation or robotics in manufacturing.
• Hands-on with two or more cobot platforms (UR, FANUC, KUKA).
• Strong PLC/SCADA background.
• Able to read ladder logic and troubleshoot floor controls.
• Experience running FAT/SAT processes with documented criteria.
• Ability to evaluate automation vendors critically.
• Exposure to prefab, manufacturing, or electrical construction a plus.
• Demonstrates Power Design values: integrity, accountability, teamwork, innovation, growth.

Responsibilities

• Lead evaluation and selection of automation systems across prefab and manufacturing domains.
• Own FAT and SAT for all manufacturing robotics deployments.
• Define acceptance criteria, run tests, sign off or escalate.
• Develop and maintain controls architecture standards across PLC/SCADA and OT data integration.
• Serve as primary technical interface with automation vendors.
• Evaluate vendor claims and protect project scope and timelines.
• Partner with Integration Engineer to feed real-time data into Oracle Fusion.
• Support wire division automation deployments as needed.
• No shadow systems; ensure reliability of deployed solutions.

Skills

Industrial automation

Robotics deployment

Cobot platforms

Machine vision

PLC/SCADA

Education

Electrical / mechanical / industrial engineering background

Tools

Universal Robots

FANUC

KUKA

Cognex

Keyence

Job description

Lead Automation Engineer

About the Position Power Design Inc. is a $1.4B national design-build multi-trade contractor operating across 28 states with 3,000+ employees. We self-perform everything — design, prefabrication, installation, and delivery. Our manufacturing operations produce panels, assemblies, unit kits, switchgear, and processed wire at scale. We are building the automation platform that lets us grow output without growing headcount proportionally. Our manufacturing division is young, profitable, and growing. For the right operator, that means the ability to build something with real visibility — and real stakes.

About the Opportunity

The Senior Director of Robotics & Automation is building the function from the ground up. As Lead Automation Engineer, you are the technical anchor for the manufacturing domains: prefab, LFG and switchgear manufacturing, and the wire division (supported by CI). You own vendor evaluations, FAT/SAT execution, controls architecture, and deployment credibility across the manufacturing floor. When a cobot vendor says their system can do something, you are the person in the room who knows if that's true. This is not a role for someone who needs time to ramp up — you will be evaluating vendors and leading deployments in the first 90 days.

Position Responsibilities

• Lead technical evaluation and selection of automation systems across prefab and LFG/switchgear manufacturing — cobots, machine vision, bending automation, heavy material handling robotics.
• Own FAT (Factory Acceptance Testing) and SAT (Site Acceptance Testing) for all manufacturing robotics deployments.
• Define acceptance criteria, run the tests, sign off or elevate.
• Develop and maintain controls architecture standards across manufacturing domains — PLC/SCADA, safety systems, and integration points with the Operational Technology (OT) data layer.
• Serve as the primary technical interface with automation vendors.
• Evaluate claims, negotiate scope, and protect PDI from being oversold on capability or timeline.
• Partner with the Integration Engineer to ensure every deployed system feeds real-time operational data into Oracle Fusion.
• No shadow systems.
• Support capital investment cases with technical content — scope definition, system specs, risk flags, and realistic implementation timelines.
• Work closely with the CI team on wire division automation deployments as needed.

Here’s What We’re Looking For

• 7+ years in industrial automation or robotics engineering, with direct deployment experience in manufacturing environments.
• Hands-on experience with two or more: cobot platforms (Universal Robots, FANUC, KUKA), machine vision (Cognex, Keyence), industrial robotics for bending automation or heavy material handling.
• Strong PLC/SCADA background.
• You can read ladder logic, troubleshoot controls issues on the floor, and define integration requirements for the OT layer.
• Experience running FAT/SAT processes — you have written acceptance criteria, not just participated in testing.
• Ability to evaluate vendors critically.
• You know the gap between a demo and a production deployment.
• Electrical, mechanical, or industrial engineering background preferred.
• Experience in prefab, manufacturing, or electrical construction is a significant plus.
• Demonstrate and uphold Power Design's core values, which include integrity, accountability, teamwork, innovation, and growth.

Benefits

• Power Design has national health and dental plans, and we also offer life insurance and short and long term disability plans.
• You’ll receive paid vacations and holidays as well as national discount programs for everything from movie tickets to flowers, rental cars, phones and vehicles!
• We also offer a 401(k) retirement plan as well as incentive and recognition programs.
• Relocation opportunities may also be available!

Power Design is a National Design Build Contractor, focused on innovative construction across multiple trades: electrical, mechanical, plumbing, and systems technologies. Since 1989, we’ve disrupted the industry by putting next-generation ideas to powerful, practical use because we care. We design breakthrough solutions that push the limits of what’s possible by harnessing the collaborative power of our teams to elevate experiences and empower the communities where we live and work. In an industry that tends to look back, we’re building better by staying grounded in our values, dedicated to our unique culture, and supportive of work-life balance – making us built to last. By investing in our people and doing things differently, we’re designing what’s next. To learn more, visit www.powerdesigninc.us .