Principal Automation Engineer

ICIMS - Lutron Electronics Company, Inc; Coopersburg (Lehigh County); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Lutron Electronics Company, Inc. is seeking a Principal Automation Engineer in Coopersburg, PA.

You will lead architecture, design, development, and deployment of automated systems across the production environment, focusing on throughput, quality, and efficiency with expertise in custom automation equipment, robotics, and advanced manufacturing technologies. You will mentor engineers, collaborate with cross-functional teams and third-party integrators, and drive standards, ROI analysis, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics or Robotics.
• 12+ years of automation engineering experience with hands-on work in custom automation machinery.
• GPA of 3.00 or higher across degrees.
• Experience overseeing automation projects with full lifecycle ownership.

Responsibilities

• Lead specification, development, and validation of custom automated machinery and robotic cells.
• Collaborate with integration partners to architect control systems with PLCs, motion control, robotics, machine vision, and safety systems.
• Define automation standards and design methodologies for long-term scalability.
• Serve as technical lead on large automation projects from concept to start-up at the destination facility.
• Develop specs, system layouts, risk assessments, and FAT/SAT plans.
• Oversee system integration, debugging, and factory acceptance testing.
• Partner with manufacturing, quality, operations, and product engineering to identify automation opportunities.
• Support ROI analysis and roadmap planning for automation investments.
• Communicate project status and design decisions to leadership and stakeholders.
• Evaluate emerging automation technologies for potential adoption.
• Drive continuous improvement to increase reliability and reduce cycle time.

Skills

Robotics

Automation

Systems thinking

Cross-functional collaboration

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Mechanical/ Electrical/ Mechatronics/ Robotics

Tools

PLC programming

Industrial networking

Vision systems

Job description

Principal Automation Engineer

Location: Coopersburg, PA

Job ID: 2026-5331 | Openings: 1 | Category: Engineering | Corporate Headquarters

Overview

We are seeking an accomplished Principal Automation Engineer to join our team out of our Global Headquarters in Coopersburg, PA. In this role, you will drive the architecture, design, development, and deployment of automated systems that improve throughput, quality, and operational efficiency across our production environment with deep expertise in custom automation equipment, robotics, and advanced manufacturing technologies. This position requires technical mastery, systems‑level thinking, and the ability to mentor engineers while collaborating with cross‑functional teams and third‑party integrators.

Responsibilities

• Lead the specification, development, and validation of custom automated machinery, robotic cells, and integrated manufacturing systems.
• Work closely with our integration partners to architect control system solutions involving PLCs, motion control, robotics, machine vision, industrial networking, and safety systems.
• Define automation standards, best practices, and design methodologies for long‑term scalability.
• Serve as the technical lead on large, complex automation projects from concept through start‑up in the destination manufacturing facility.
• Develop functional and technical specifications, system layouts, risk assessments, and factory and site acceptance test plans.
• Oversee system integration, debugging, optimization, and factory acceptance testing (FAT/SAT).
• Partner with manufacturing, quality, operations, and product engineering teams to identify automation opportunities and production constraints.
• Support business case development, ROI analysis, and roadmap planning for automation investments.
• Communicate project status, risks, and design decisions to engineering leadership and operations stakeholders.
• Evaluate emerging automation technologies, robotics platforms, sensors, and AIenhanced tools for potential adoption.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to increase reliability, reduce cycle time, and improve manufacturability.
• Champion automation safety, risk reduction, and compliance with all industry standards.
• Mentor junior and mid-level engineers in robotics, controls, machine design, and project execution.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, Robotics, or a related field.
• 12+ years of experience in automation engineering, with significant hands‑on work in custom automation machinery.
• Cumulative GPA of 3.00 for all degrees earned.
• Extensive experience overseeing automation projects with full lifecycle ownership of all technical aspects.
• Strong understanding of industrial safety standards (ISO, IEC, ANSI, NFPA).
• Proven ability to drive cross‑functional technical discussions and influence strategic decisions.

Lutron Electronics is an Equal Opportunity Affiryitive Action Employer. We welcome qualified, motivated applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics.