Senior Industrial Automation Project Lead

SAI SYSTEMS; Michigan; Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Benefits package

Professional development

Team oriented culture

Job summary

SAI SYSTEMS in Michigan seeks a Project Engineer with a strong automation background to lead projects from concept to commissioning, serving as primary customer liaison and coordinating with engineering, procurement, manufacturing, and field service teams.

The role requires a bachelor’s in Electrical/Mechanical/Systems Engineering, 10+ years in industrial automation, PLC experience (Allen‑Bradley/Siemens), and excellent communication. Travel to customer sites is expected; PMP is a plus.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Systems Engineering, or related field.
• 10+ years in industrial automation, controls engineering, or project engineering.
• Experience managing schedules, budgets, and deliverables.
• Proficiency with PLC platforms such as Allen-Bradley or Siemens.
• Experience with automation system design and integration.
• Strong communication and organizational skills; travel to sites as required.

Responsibilities

• Manage full project lifecycle including scope, scheduling, budgeting, execution, and closeout.
• Serve as primary customer liaison; conduct meetings and manage expectations.
• Develop and maintain schedules, budgets, change orders, and documentation.
• Oversee design, integration, and commissioning of automation systems (PLCs, HMIs, drives, panels).
• Coordinate execution with internal engineering, procurement, manufacturing, and field teams.
• Identify and resolve technical issues during design, installation, and startup.
• Conduct customer site visits and support on-site commissioning and startup activities.
• Ensure compliance with codes, standards, and customer specs; track progress and risks.

Skills

PLC experience

Client liaison

Cross-functional coordination

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering

Bachelor’s degree in Systems Engineering

Tools

Allen-Bradley PLC

Siemens PLC

Job description

SAI SYSTEMS in Michigan seeks a Project Engineer with a strong automation background to lead projects from concept to commissioning, serving as primary customer liaison and coordinating with engineering, procurement, manufacturing, and field service teams.

The role requires a bachelor’s in Electrical/Mechanical/Systems Engineering, 10+ years in industrial automation, PLC experience (Allen‑Bradley/Siemens), and excellent communication. Travel to customer sites is expected; PMP is a plus.