Manager, Manufacturing Engineering Automation Integration, Air Manufacturing Innovation

Nike; Saint Charles (MO); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Nike Air Manufacturing & Innovation is seeking an Automation Engineering Manager to lead the engineering execution organization responsible for deploying and sustaining automation solutions across Air MI. You will focus on talent development, resource planning, engineering execution, and organizational readiness to mature Nike's smart manufacturing roadmap.

You will lead a team of Automation Engineers and Senior Automation Engineers, build a strong talent pipeline, and partner with the AM93 Lead

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering or related field.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in automation, controls, robotics, or engineering leadership.
• Experience leading engineers or technical teams.
• Strong communication and organizational leadership abilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of Automation Engineers and Senior Automation Engineers.
• Build long-term engineering talent pipeline through recruiting, onboarding, mentoring, and career development.
• Partner with the Lead Automation Engineer to translate strategies and investment into deployment plans.
• Drive project execution discipline, engineering standards, and deployment best practices across automation.
• Support resource planning, workload management, and project prioritization for delivery.
• Establish skills redundancy and succession plans across automation technologies.
• Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, collaboration, safety, and innovation.

Skills

Automation leadership

Team building

Stakeholder management

Engineering management

Communication

Project execution

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Electrical Eng

Tools

Robotics deployments

Job description

WHO YOU'LL WORK WITH

Nike Air Manufacturing & Innovation is transforming manufacturing through automation, robotics, connected systems, and Industry 4.0 capabilities. This role reports to the Director, Manufacturing Engineering Automation Global and provides direct leadership to Automation Engineers and Senior Automation Engineers supporting Air MI. You will partner closely with Lead Automation Engineers, Operations, Process Engineering, Maintenance, Quality, EHS, IT, and external technology providers to develop organizational capability and successfully deploy automation solutions.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We are seeking an Automation Engineering Manager who is passionate about building teams, developing technical talent, and creating the organizational capability required to support Air MI's long-term smart manufacturing vision.

This role is responsible for leading the engineering execution organization that transitions automation concepts into operational reality. This role focuses on building and leading the engineering team responsible for deployment, validation, commissioning, go-live, and operationalization of automation solutions.

The ideal candidate is a strong people leader who enjoys coaching engineers, developing talent, improving execution discipline, and building scalable engineering processes. They are equally comfortable navigating technical discussions and organizational challenges while creating an environment where engineers can thrive and grow their careers.

This individual will partner closely with the Lead Automation Engineer at AM93 to help mature Air MI's smart manufacturing roadmap, automation investment pipeline, and deployment capability.

Key attributes for this role include:

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering or related field. Will accept any suitable combination of education, experience or training.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in automation, controls, robotics, manufacturing systems, or engineering leadership.
• Previous experience leading engineers, technical teams, or project organizations.
• Demonstrated success developing technical talent and building high-performing teams.
• Experience supporting automation deployments in manufacturing environments.
• Strong communication, stakeholder management, and organizational leadership abilities.
• Experience balancing multiple priorities across project execution, resource planning, and team development.

WHAT YOU'LL WORK ON

As the Automation Engineering Manager, you will build and lead the engineering capability required to deploy and sustain automation solutions across Air MI. You will focus on talent development, resource planning, engineering execution, and organizational readiness while helping transform AM93 into Nike's benchmark smart manufacturing facility.

You will:

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of Automation Engineers and Senior Automation Engineers supporting Air MI initiatives.
• Build the long‑term engineering talent pipeline through recruiting, onboarding, mentoring, and career development.
• Partner with the Lead Automation Engineer at AM93 to convert automation strategies, roadmaps, and investment opportunities into executable deployment plans.
• Drive project execution discipline, engineering standards, and deployment best practices across the automation portfolio.
• Support resource planning, workload management, and project prioritization to ensure successful delivery.
• Establish skill redundancy and succession plans across critical automation technologies and manufacturing processes.
• Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, collaboration, safety, and innovation.

We offer a number of accommodations to complete our interview process including screen readers, sign language interpreters, accessible and single location for in‑person interviews, closed captioning, and other reasonable modifications as needed. If you discover, as you navigate our application process, that you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please complete the Candidate Accommodation Request Form .