Robotics Engineering Manager

Universal Logistics Holdings, Inc.; Warren (MI); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Universal Logistics Holdings, Inc. is seeking an Robotics Engineering Manager to lead the engineering organization responsible for developing and delivering advanced automation systems across Universal Logistics operations and customer facilities.

You will build and scale a high-performing engineering team, develop customer solutions, manage budgets, establish standards, and ensure programs are delivered safely, on time, and to defined performance requirements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical, electrical, manufacturing, industrial, mechatronics, robotics, automation engineering, or a related technical field.
• 7+ years in robotics, automation, manufacturing engineering, controls, or related fields, including delivery of complex automation projects.
• 3+ years leading engineers or cross-functional automation programs and managing budgets and schedules.
• Strong customer-facing communication and willingness to travel to project sites.

Responsibilities

• Lead, build, and scale a multidisciplinary engineering team for warehouse robotics and industrial automation systems.
• Recruit, coach, and retain engineers; set objectives and drive ownership.
• Serve as senior technical and customer interface; develop automation roadmaps and align scope, performance, and schedule.
• Own project portfolio from RFQs/SOWs through installation, commissioning, and ramp-up.
• Manage budgets, forecasts, and change control; drive ROI and program performance.
• Provide technical governance across robotics, AMR/AGV, ASRS, vision, controls, safety, and IT/OT integration.
• Plan capacity and allocate resources across programs while balancing execution and capability growth.
• Manage system integrators and suppliers; evaluate proposals and resolve escalations.
• Lead launch support and ensure safety, quality, and throughput targets are met before handoff.
• Establish engineering standards and scale solutions across Universal's customer portfolio.

Skills

Leadership

Robotics

Project management

Stakeholder comms

Education

Bachelor's degree in robotics/automation

Job description

The Robotics Engineering Manager will lead the engineering organization responsible for developing and delivering advanced automation systems across Universal Logistics operations and customer facilities. The portfolio includes industrial and collaborative robotic systems, Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs), AGVs and autonomous forklifts, Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (ASRS), robotic material handling, machine vision, conveyance, controls, and related automation technologies.

This role combines people leadership, technical direction, customer interface, project portfolio ownership, and financial accountability. The manager will build and scale a high-performing engineering team, develop customer solutions, manage budgets and resources, establish engineering standards, and ensure programs are delivered safely, on time, on budget, and to defined performance requirements.

Responsibilities:

• Lead, build, and scale a multidisciplinary engineering team responsible for concept development, design, integration, commissioning, and launch of warehouse robotics and industrial automation systems.
• Recruit, develop, coach, and retain high-performing engineers; establish clear objectives, technical expectations, accountability, career development plans, and a culture of ownership, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Serve as a senior technical and customer interface; develop automation roadmaps, translate operational needs into executable concepts, and align scope, performance requirements, business cases, schedule, risks, and implementation strategy.
• Own the engineering project portfolio from requirements and RFQs/SOWs through supplier selection, design reviews, FAT/SAT, installation, commissioning, production ramp-up, and operational handoff; manage priorities, resources, timing, and escalations.
• Own engineering and project budgets, capital estimates, forecasts, change control, and technical deliverables; drive cost, schedule, return-on-investment, and overall program performance in partnership with customers and internal stakeholders.
• Provide technical governance across industrial robotics, collaborative robotics, AMR/AGV systems, autonomous forklifts, ASRS, vision, controls, safety, material flow, and IT/OT integration; lead critical design, risk, and readiness reviews.
• Plan engineering capacity and assign resources across multiple customer programs based on business priority, technical complexity, project risk, and launch timing; balance near-term execution with capability growth.
• Manage system integrators, automation suppliers, and technology partners; establish technical requirements and acceptance criteria, evaluate proposals, resolve commercial and technical escalations, and hold partners accountable for results.
• Lead critical launch support and complex problem solving; ensure systems achieve defined safety, quality, throughput, reliability, maintainability, and operational-readiness targets before formal handoff.
• Establish engineering standards, preferred architectures, design practices, SOW templates, acceptance methods, documentation, and lessons learned; benchmark emerging technologies and scale successful solutions across Universal's customer portfolio.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical, electrical, manufacturing, industrial, mechatronics, robotics, automation engineering, or a related technical field.
• 7+ years of experience in robotics, automation, manufacturing engineering, controls, material handling, warehouse automation, or systems integration, including delivery of complex automation projects from concept through production launch.
• 3+ years of experience leading engineers, technical teams, or cross-functional automation programs, with demonstrated ability to develop talent, set priorities, and drive accountability for results.
• Demonstrated experience managing customer requirements, project scope, schedules, budgets, capital estimates, suppliers, technical deliverables, and executive-level program communications.
• Strong customer-facing communication, leadership, and presentation skills, with the ability and willingness to travel to support project development, design reviews, commissioning, and critical production launches.

Preferred Requirements:

• Broad experience across industrial and collaborative robotics, AMR/AGV systems, autonomous forklifts, ASRS, machine vision, EOAT, PLC controls, safety systems, conveyance, and industrial networking.
• Direct people-management experience including recruiting, organizational design, performance management, coaching, succession planning, and scaling engineering capability across multiple programs.
• Experience developing automation strategies, equipment specifications, RFQs/SOWs, business cases, capital budgets, supplier quotations, project forecasts, and return-on-investment models.
• Working knowledge of machinery, industrial robot, mobile robot, and functional safety standards, including risk assessments and applicable ANSI/RIA, ISO, and material-handling safety requirements.