Senior AI & Automation Program Manager - Manufacturing

Mckinstry; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 111,000 - 191,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

401(k) with employer match

Paid time off & holidays

Comprehensive medical, dental, vision

Job summary

McKinstry is seeking a Senior Program Manager – AI and Automation to lead a pipeline of intelligent automation initiatives in Seattle, WA. You will own pilots from design through deployment, coordinating with production, engineering, and IT to deliver measurable business value.

The role requires eight+ years in program management, knowledge of manufacturing automation and AI, and the ability to build solid business cases with ROI analyses. Competitive pay and comprehensive benefits are offered.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in engineering, computer science, or operations management.
• Minimum eight years of team or program management experience.
• Experience carrying technology from evaluation through pilot to production deployment in manufacturing/industrial settings.
• Working knowledge of manufacturing automation technologies (robotics, material handling, machine vision, sensors, PLCs).
• Experience with applied AI/ML and building quantified business cases.

Responsibilities

• Lead AI/automation pilots with explicit hypotheses, success criteria, and gates.
• Coordinate with Manufacturing Engineering, Enterprise IT, Data, Cybersecurity, and Legal on architecture and deployment.
• Develop and present business cases, ROI analyses, and investment proposals to leadership.
• Track pilot outcomes and ensure transition to production with accountability for benefits.

Skills

Team management

Program management

AI/Automation deployment

Structured pilot design

Vendor/integrator procurement

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering/CS/operations

Tools

APIs

Data pipelines

Manufacturing automation tools

Job description

McKinstry is seeking a Senior Program Manager – AI and Automation to lead a pipeline of intelligent automation initiatives in Seattle, WA. You will own pilots from design through deployment, coordinating with production, engineering, and IT to deliver measurable business value.

The role requires eight+ years in program management, knowledge of manufacturing automation and AI, and the ability to build solid business cases with ROI analyses. Competitive pay and comprehensive benefits are offered.