Sr. Automation Program Manager: Manufacturing Robotics

HBD Industries; El Cajon (CA); Hybrid; USD 130,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

HBD Industries is seeking an Automation Project Manager to define, develop, and execute the automation roadmap across multiple sites. You will collaborate with business leaders to select initial projects and manage them through to measurable improvements in safety, quality, delivery, or productivity.

The role partners with the Automation Project Engineer and requires leading projects from concept through production, including feasibility studies, risk assessments, and investment proposals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related technical discipline.
• Three years of manufacturing experience with automation/robotics.
• Leading automation projects from concept to implementation.
• Developing capital project justifications, ROI analyses, and business cases.
• Experience managing external suppliers, system integrators, and contractors.
• Experience commissioning and stabilizing manufacturing equipment.
• Strong project management and cross-functional leadership.
• Experience leading organizational change and technology adoption.

Responsibilities

• Lead shop-floor assessments to identify automation opportunities.
• Facilitate feasibility studies including technical, safety, quality, and financial evaluations.
• Quantify improvements in safety, quality, productivity, or costs.
• Evaluate alternative technologies and implementation approaches.
• Present recommendations and investment proposals to leadership for approval.
• Manage automation projects from concept to production stabilization.
• Develop charters, schedules, budgets, risks, and implementation plans.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams and external partners.
• Track performance against scope, schedule, and benefits.

Skills

Industrial robotics

Automation systems

Project management

Cross-functional leadership

ROI analyses

Vendor management

Safety and risk assessment

Communication skills

Lean Manufacturing

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Tools

PLC programming

HMI systems

Job description

Position Summary

HBD Industries is an integrated operating company of middle market manufacturing businesses. HBD operates four business platforms, each of which designs and manufactures highly-engineered industrial products for mission-critical applications. HBD operates eleven (11) manufacturing sites across the United States. HBD is embarking on a new initiative to surgically deploy automation into select sites. The Automation Project Manager is responsible for defining, developing, and executing the company’s automation roadmap. Collaboration with business leaders on selecting the best “first” projects will be a critical first milestone for this role. It will follow with responsibility to actively manage the selected projects across the finish line to measurably improve safety, quality, delivery, or productivity. This role will partner with another new role, Automation Project Engineer, to get the projects done.

Principle Duties And Responsibilities

• Lead shop-floor assessments to identify, validate, and prioritize automation opportunities.
• Facilitate feasibility studies including technical, operational, safety, quality, and financial evaluations.
• Quantify expected improvements in safety, quality, productivity, throughput, or operating costs.
• Evaluate alternative technologies, concepts, and implementation approaches.
• Present recommendations and investment proposals to plant and senior leadership teams for approval.
• Lead automation projects from initial concept through production stabilization.
• Develop project charters, schedules, budgets, risk assessments, and implementation plans.
• Coordinate cross-functional implementation teams including operations, maintenance, quality, safety, supply chain, IT, finance, and external integration partners.
• Manage equipment suppliers, system integrators, contractors, and technical consultants.
• Track project performance against scope, schedule, budget, and expected benefits.
• Identify and mitigate technical and operational risks throughout the project lifecycle.
• Ensure successful startup, commissioning, validation, and throughput achievement.

Required

Experience and Education

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, Robotics Engineering, or related technical discipline.
• Three (3) years of manufacturing experience with increasing responsibility in automation, robotics, manufacturing engineering, operations engineering, or advanced manufacturing.
• Demonstrated experience leading automation projects from concept through implementation.
• Experience developing capital project justifications, ROI analyses, and business cases.
• Proven success managing external suppliers, system integrators, and technical contractors.
• Experience commissioning, troubleshooting, and stabilizing manufacturing equipment.
• Strong project management and cross-functional leadership experience.
• Experience leading organizational change and technology adoption initiatives.

Preferred

• Experience leading automation deployments in factories with limited prior automation exposure, and limited manufacturing engineering resources.
• Experience in forging, machining, metal fabrication, industrial manufacturing, or heavy manufacturing environments.
• Familiarity with Lean Manufacturing, Operational Excellence, TPM, and Continuous Improvement methodologies.

Technical Skills

• Deep understanding of industrial robotics, automation systems, controls, sensors, and manufacturing processes.
• Ability to perform automation feasibility studies and financial evaluations.
• Experience developing technical specifications for both the internal and external resources required for an automation project.
• Skilled at developing statements of work with external contractors, locking down on formal contracts with them, then managing the contractor to successfully deliver on their commitments.
• Understanding of robot integration, machine controls, PLCs, HMI systems, and industrial networking.
• Strong troubleshooting and root cause analysis capabilities.
• Understanding of machine safety standards and risk assessment methodologies.
• Proficiency with project management tools and engineering documentation systems.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and decision‑making skills.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication skills.

Organizational Relationships

• Reports to VP Operational Excellence.

Travel Required

The automation projects will require on‑ground project management at the sites where the implementations are taking place. The role will require up to two (2) weeks per month of travel. There is no fixed schedule for the travel. Projects that are in the early phases will require less travel. Sites in the final phases of a project will require more. This role will determine where and when they will be at the factories. When not in an HBD factory, the role can work from home. Home base would preferably be in southern California, North Carolina, or Georgia. These are areas where the automation projects will most likely start.

The estimated base salary range for this position is $130,000 - $150,000. Actual compensation will be determined based on a variety of factors, including relevant experience, skills, education, certifications, geographic location, internal equity, and business needs.

Employment visa sponsorship is not available for this position now or in the future. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without employer sponsorship.

HBD Industries is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

HBD NOTICE OF COLLECTION - CALIFORNIA – December 2022