** Manufacturing Automation Engineer II

Dwyer Instruments, LLC.; New Jersey; On-site; USD 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Collaborative work environment

Opportunity for technical leadership

Job summary

A leading manufacturing company in New Jersey seeks a Manufacturing Automation Engineer II to design and optimize automated systems. You will collaborate with various teams, lead engineering activities, and enhance production efficiency. Ideal candidates will have a degree in engineering, hands-on experience with PLCs, and a strong focus on continuous improvement, ensuring that automation solutions drive quality and safety in production.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of manufacturing engineering experience preferred with significant responsibility for automation.
• Hands-on experience programming and troubleshooting PLC-controlled production systems.
• Proven experience designing and supporting automated equipment.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement automated manufacturing systems.
• Lead and facilitate engineering activities for automation.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams for automation initiatives.

Skills

Programming PLCs

Problem-solving

Automation troubleshooting

Data analysis with Excel

Continuous improvement strategies

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

PLC Systems

SAP

AutoCAD

Job description

Manufacturing Automation Engineer II

Swedesboro, NJ | Full-Time

About the Role

We’re looking for a Manufacturing Automation Engineer II who thrives at the intersection of automation, continuous improvement, and hands-on engineering. In this role, you’ll design, implement, and optimize automated and semi-automated manufacturing systems that improve throughput, reduce waste, and elevate product quality.

If you enjoy solving complex production challenges, working cross-functionally, and seeing your automation solutions come to life on the factory floor, this is a role where your impact will be immediate and visible.

Why Join Us

• Make a real impact by designing automation that goes directly into production
• Work in a collaborative, cross-functional environment where engineering drives results
• Be part of a culture focused on continuous improvement, innovation, and safety
• Opportunity to mentor others and grow your technical leadership

What You’ll Do

As a key technical leader within manufacturing, you will:

• Design, specify, procure, commission, and implement automated and semi-automated manufacturing equipment
• Develop and optimize automation strategies involving PLCs, robotics, motion control, machine vision, and automated test systems
• Lead and facilitate engineering activities such as DFA, PFMEA, A3 problem solving, DOE, RCA, and data analysis
• Serve as the operations lead for New Product Introductions (NPI) and engineering changes (ECNs/ECRs), ensuring automation readiness
• Partner with Lean/CI teams to drive continuous improvement initiatives that reduce defects, cycle time, and labor cost
• Support production through automation troubleshooting, PLC logic updates, HMI adjustments, and system upgrades
• Create and maintain routings, work instructions, process flows, control plans, and BOMs in ERP systems
• Apply Lean Manufacturing principles (5S, Kanban, SMED, line balancing) with an automation-first mindset
• Collaborate with suppliers and system integrators to evaluate and deploy new automation technologies
• Ensure compliance with OSHA and machine safety standards, implementing safety systems such as light curtains, e-stops, and LOTO
• Mentor and coach engineers, supporting technical growth and best practices
• Work cross-functionally with Operations, Quality, Logistics, Maintenance, IT/OT, and Technical Sales teams

Technologies You’ll Work With

• PLCs & Controls: Allen-Bradley/Rockwell, Siemens, Omron, Mitsubishi, Schneider Electric
• Robotics: ABB, FANUC, Yaskawa Motoman, Universal Robots, Kawasaki
• Vision & Sensors: Cognex, Keyence, Sick, Banner, Panasonic
• Motion Control: Kinetix, Bosch Rexroth, Festo, Parker Hannifin
• Design & Manufacturing Software: SolidWorks, AutoCAD, Mastercam, ANSYS
• Data & Quality: Minitab, JMP, SPC, MES, NI LabVIEW
• ERP Systems: SAP, Oracle, Infor, Epicor, Microsoft Dynamics

What You Bring

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Electrical, Controls, Mechatronics, Manufacturing, Mechanical, or related), or equivalent hands-on automation experience
• 5+ years of manufacturing engineering experience preferred with significant responsibility for automation
• Hands-on experience programming and troubleshooting PLC-controlled production systems
• Proven experience designing and supporting automated equipment (robotics, motion control, sensors, actuators, safety devices)
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to diagnose and resolve automation-related production issues
• Experience supporting NPI and design changes, with DFMA/DFA focus
• Working knowledge of PFMEA, control plans, routings, BOMs, and ERP/MRP systems
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, especially Excel for automation data analysis

Preferred / Nice to Have

• Lean or Six Sigma certification
• Experience with automated electromechanical assembly or joining processes (welding, brazing, soldering)
• Familiarity with CE/UL compliance, safety PLCs, and machine risk assessments

Compensation & Transparency

We believe in transparent and equitable pay. All U.S. job postings include a good-faith salary range based on role, location, experience, and internal equity. We’re happy to discuss compensation openly throughout the hiring process.