Lead Commissioning, Service & Support Engineer

fehr Lagerlogistik AG; Indian Trail, Northern (NC, KY); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare benefits (incl. dental &amp

401(k) with company match

Paid holidays

Job summary

Fehr USA is seeking a Lead Commissioning, Service & Support Engineer to drive new plant implementations and upgrades across North America. You will coordinate with customers and an engineering team to deliver on-time, within budget, and to safety and quality standards.

The role is based at Fehr USA's Charlotte, NC headquarters, with optional remote work from a home office and up to 75% travel across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. A German-speaking engineer brings critical advantage.

Qualifications

• Associate’s degree required, or six years of related experience in lieu of degree.
• Eight years of progressive experience in industrial automation as Commissioning Engineer or Project Manager or related role.
• Four years of mechanical and electrical industrial automation installation experience with ASRS, cranes, conveyors and related systems.
• Four years of experience with Siemens PLCs, HMI/SCADA, drive inverters, and safety interlocks.
• Fluency in German is required.

Responsibilities

• Execute orders for new plants and modernizations from contract signing to handover, including installations and commissioning.
• Coordinate with customer and Fehr engineering team to implement project solutions.
• Plan and assign fitters, technicians, and deliver components to sites; manage timelines and budgets.
• Prepare order proposals with technical specs and release for production; coordinate requirements with customers.
• Supervise assembly personnel and subcontractors to ensure safety, quality, and standards.
• Manage service interventions and modernization projects across North America.

Skills

German (fluent)

Project management

Industrial automation

Commissioning engineering

Mechanical engineering

Electrical engineering

Safety compliance

Education

Associate’s degree in Engineering Technology

Tools

Siemens PLCs (TIA Portal)

HMI/SCADA

Drive-CLiQ encoders

Electrical wiring & terminations

Job description

Lead Commissioning, Service & Support Engineer

As part of the Fehr Group, Fehr Warehouse Solutions Inc., is responsible for the implementation of new projects and the support of existing customers throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. In addition to sales activities, our North American subsidiary focuses on new system installations, after-sales support, spare parts management, as well as service and repair operations. With the famous Swiss precision and experience of over 70 years, today, Fehr is the go-to contact for individual storage systems for all industries.

Become part of our success story and support our team with your personality, expertise, and commitment.

Job Description

Execute orders for new plants and modernizations from contract signing to handover to the customer, including necessary installations, commissioning, and system improvements. Conduct technical processing and coordination with the customer and Fehr engineering team to implement project solutions according to specifications. Ensure compliance with preliminary cost calculations and project budget goals while supporting long-term customer relationships and maximizing order profitability. Organize and conduct order and site meetings with the customer. Monitor and control time schedules and milestones, including planning and assignment of fitters, technicians, and delivery of components and parts to customer sites. Prepare order proposals including technical specifications and functional descriptions for cassettes, shelves, and purchased assemblies, as well as their release for production. Coordinate requirement specification discussions for warehouse management systems with the customer. Supervise and technically guide assembly personnel and subcontractors to ensure compliance with safety, quality, and design standards. Manage service interventions, upgrades, and modernization projects for existing systems in North America. Prepare technical reports, documentation, and improvement proposals to enhance system reliability and efficiency. Position based at the company’s headquarters in Charlotte, NC. May work from home office anywhere in the U.S. or at various unanticipated worksites throughout the U.S. Up to 75% domestic and international travel required to customer sites across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

Position requires an Associate’s degree (or foreign equivalent) in Engineering Technology, Mechanical, Electrical, or Mechatronics Engineering, or related field of study. Employer will accept six years of relevant experience in Engineering Technology, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, or a related field in lieu of an associate’s degree. Any suitable combination of education, training, or experience is acceptable. Position requires eight (8) years of progressive experience in industrial automation as a Commissioning Engineer, Project Manager, or in a related engineering role. Position requires four (4) years mechanical and electrical industrial automation installation experience with each of the following: Assembly, mechanical alignment, and precision installation of automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS), cranes, lifters, and conveyor subsystems, including frame alignment within ±0.5 mm tolerances; Electrical wiring, field terminations, and loop-checking of low-voltage and control circuits, including safety-rated devices, encoders, and field I/O modules (ET200SP, ET200AL, etc.); Installation and calibration of position measurement systems (laser distance sensors, optical line sensors, Drive-CLiQ encoders); Integration of electrical and mechanical subsystems into fully automated environments, including motion control coordination and interlocks; Testing and validation of motor control centers, servo drives, and protection devices prior to energization; Configuration and verification of safety circuits (E-stop chains, safety relays, and safety PLC channels); Implementation and documentation of wiring corrections, field modifications, and design feedback to engineering; Designs and proposes improvements to mechanical, pneumatic, and hydraulic assemblies to enhance machine performance, reliability, and maintainability; Pneumatic and hydraulic system assembly, hose routing, leak testing, and integration with motion control components; Compliance with international installation standards (IEC, EN ISO 13849, OSHA, NFPA 79) and adherence to UL and CE certification requirements; Operation and certification for handling and lifting equipment including forklifts, scissor lifts, boom lifts, and overhead cranes. Position requires four (4) years of experience with each of the following: Integration and testing of Siemens PLCs, HMI, and SCADA systems using TIA Portal, WinCC, and Safety Integrated; Frequency inverter setup and parameterization (Siemens S120/G120 family, Drive-CLiQ encoders); Field troubleshooting, optimization, and validation of motion control and crane automation systems; Adapting European-designed automation systems to North American electrical and safety standards; Reading, modifying, and validating electrical schematics, mechanical blueprints, and functional specifications; Hands‑on customer training, reporting, and documentation during commissioning and service phases; Creation of operating manuals, maintenance documentation, and problem‑handling procedures for installed systems to support customer operation and service teams. Position requires fluency in German.

We offer you an interesting challenge in a dynamic, international and future-oriented company. A well‑rehearsed team and a position capable of development await you with plenty of room for initiative. Additional benefits:

• Employer supplemented healthcare benefits (incl. dental and vision)
• 401(k) with 6% company match
• Paid company holidays

David Veldung Head of Human Resources, Fehr USA

At Fehr, we don’t just manage material flows—we shape careers. Look forward to international projects, lively team events, flexible work arrangements, and an environment that values dedication. Here, you can grow, take on responsibility, and break new ground with us.