Solution Design Project Engineer

KION Group; Grand Rapids (MI); On-site; USD 91,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Career Development

Competitive Compensation and Benefits

Pay Transparency

Global Opportunities

Job summary

Dematic is hiring a motivated Solution Development Project Engineer to develop large-scale material handling systems. You will lead multi-disciplinary teams, collaborate closely with customers and bring industry leading solutions to the market!

Your skill in translating complex requirements into actionable system concepts will directly impact project success and customer value. If you are ambitious, innovative, and ready to make a significant impact, we want to hear from you.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related technical field or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of experience in material handling, warehouse automation, systems engineering, solution development, or related field.
• Experience with construction estimating, project management, mechatronics, or industrial engineering.
• Strong knowledge of material handling systems, warehouse automation technologies, and distribution center operations.

Responsibilities

• Review customer requirements, RFPs, and sales inputs to develop practical material handling and automation solutions.
• Develop system concepts, layouts, proposal drawings, and supporting documentation defining the proposed solution.
• Apply knowledge of material handling systems, controls, WCS, and DC operations to develop cost-conscious solutions.
• Prepare material lists, scope-of-work summaries, cost estimates, and change order quotations.
• Develop quote requests, evaluate vendor proposals, and incorporate standard subsystems and technologies.
• Evaluate solution alternatives and apply value engineering to optimize performance, cost, schedule, and risk.
• Coordinate engineering activities, priorities, resources, and deliverables during quotation phase.
• Lead pricing reviews and support proposal development and customer presentations.
• Ensure deliverables meet quality expectations and align with North America processes and standards.

Skills

Material handling systems

Warehouse automation

Systems engineering

Value engineering

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field

Tools

PLC controls

WMS/WCS

Simulation tools

Job description

Job Description Summary Dematic is hiring a motivated Solution Development Project Engineer to develop large-scale material handling systems. You will lead multi-disciplinary teams, collaborate closely with customers and bring industry leading solutions to the market! Your skill in translating complex requirements into actionable system concepts will directly impact project success and customer value. At Dematic, your expertise will drive our success and build the future of intralogistics. We are committed to your professional growth and offer opportunities to collaborate globally, develop your skills, and become a leader in automation. If you are ambitious, innovative, and ready to make a significant impact, we want to hear from you!

We Offer

• Career Development
• Competitive Compensation and Benefits
• Pay Transparency
• Global Opportunities

Dematic provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

The base pay range for this role is estimated to be $90,750 to $125,000 at the time of posting. Final compensation will be determined by various factors such as work location, education, experience, knowledge, and skills.

What You Will Do in this Role

• Review customer requirements, RFPs, and sales inputs to develop practical, executable material handling and automation solutions.
• Develop system concepts, layouts, proposal drawings, and supporting documentation that clearly define the proposed solution.
• Apply knowledge of material handling systems, controls, WCS, and distribution center operations to develop effective, cost-conscious solutions.
• Prepare material lists, scope-of-work summaries, cost estimates, customer change order quotations, cost breakouts, and bridging analyses.
• Develop quote requests, evaluate vendor proposals, and incorporate standard subsystems and technologies where appropriate.
• Evaluate solution alternatives and apply value engineering to optimize performance, cost, schedule, and risk.
• Identify key assumptions, dependencies, and project risks and develop appropriate mitigation strategies.
• Coordinate engineering activities, priorities, resources, and deliverables throughout the quotation phase.
• Partner with Sales, Engineering, Controls, Software, Procurement, Operations, customers, and vendors to align solution requirements and scope.
• Lead pricing reviews for assigned projects.
• Support proposal development and customer presentations by clearly communicating solution scope, assumptions, and value.
• Ensure engineering deliverables meet quality expectations and align with established Solution Development North America processes and standards.
• Support a smooth transition from proposal to project execution, providing scope clarification as needed.
• Contribute to continuous improvement through value engineering, process enhancements, standardization, and knowledge sharing.

What We Are Looking For

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a related technical field, or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of experience in material handling, warehouse automation, systems engineering, solution development, or a related technical field.
• Experience in areas such as Construction Estimating, Project Management, Mechatronics, Systems Engineering, Controls, Applications Engineering, or Industrial Engineering.
• Strong knowledge of material handling systems, warehouse automation technologies, and distribution center operations.
• Working knowledge of mechanical systems, controls architecture, WCS, and integrated automation solutions.
• Experience developing system solutions, preparing estimates, evaluating risk, and applying value-engineering principles.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills with the ability to balance solution performance, cost, schedule, and risk.
• Ability to manage priorities and collaborate effectively across cross‑functional teams.
• Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills with the ability to communicate technical concepts clearly to customers and internal partners.
• Experience with ASRS/unit load systems, bulk handling, monorail, structural systems, conveyor and sortation systems, including case, pallet, linear, and crossbelt applications.
• Experience with PLC controls, WMS/WCS, simulation, or modeling tools is a plus.
• Ability to travel up to 10%. Additional travel may be required during the first 6–12 months for training.

KION brands keep the world moving – globally, regionally, and locally. KION is the Supply Chain Solutions Company. With over 42,000 employees in more than 100 countries, we enable smart, sustainable, and reliable supply chains worldwide - wherever goods are stored, moved, or delivered. KION offers its customers the full spectrum of solutions to make their supply chains future-ready. Our international brands, Linde Material Handling, STILL, and Baoli and our regional brands, Fenwick and OM, stand for outstanding technological innovation, intelligent automation and service excellence in forklift trucks and warehouse equipment. Dematic complements this expertise with state‑of‑the‑art automation technology and AI-supported software solutions that optimize intralogistics across warehousing, production, and distribution. Whether locally or globally – we offer exciting career opportunities in an innovative environment shaped by our core values: Integrity, Collaboration, Courage, and Excellence. Together, we create the magic of supply chain solutions.