Sr Automation Engineer

Alloy Piping Products (APP); Shreveport (LA); On-site; USD 95,000 - 145,000; Full time

Job summary

Alloy Piping Products (APP) seeks a Senior Automation Engineer to lead the Innovation Team in modernizing a buttweld fitting manufacturing facility. You will own end-to-end automation design, drive ROI-driven milestones, and collaborate with operations to execute plans.

The role reports to the Engineering Department and Engineering Manager, with cross-functional engagement across the plant to deliver tangible throughput improvements and reduced downtime.

Qualifications

• 5–10 years of industrial automation engineering experience, preferably in heavy manufacturing.
• Minimum 2 years of experience leading engineering teams or CapEx projects.
• Advanced programming capabilities in Rockwell/Allen-Bradley, Siemens, Omron, and Delta PLC/HMI environments.
• Proficiency with electrical design and schematic software.
• Strong understanding of hydraulics, heavy industrial machinery, safety gating circuits, and industrial networks (EtherNet/IP, Modbus).

Responsibilities

• Lead the innovation team to implement automation upgrades safely and on schedule.
• Program, troubleshoot, and bridge communication across mixed PLC environments (Allen-Bradley, Siemens, Omron, Delta).
• Retrofit legacy machinery with modern HMIs, motion control, and SCADA systems.
• Implement IoT sensors and feed real-time data into CMMS to reduce downtime.
• Own the full lifecycle of automation projects from CAD schematics to commissioning and safety verification.

Skills

Team leadership

Industrial automation

Project management

Tools

Rockwell/Allen-Bradley PLC

Siemens PLC

Omron PLC

Delta PLC/HMI

Electrical design software

Job description

We are seeking a high-caliber Senior Automation Engineer to lead our Innovation Team and

spearhead the modernization of our buttweld fitting manufacturing facility. This role goes

beyond standard engineering; you will be responsible for identifying high-impact

production areas, owning the end-to-end design of automated systems, and hitting clear,

timeline-based modernization milestones with defined ROI. This position will report to the

engineering department and engineering manager while working heavily with the

operations team on execution of plans.

Key Responsibilities

• Team Leadership: Direct, mentor, and task a team of direct reports on the innovation team to execute automation upgrades safely and on schedule.


• Multi-Platform Integration: Program, troubleshoot, and bridge communication between mixed PLC environments containing Allen-Bradley, Siemens, Omron, and


• System Design & Modernization: Retrofit heavy legacy machinery (hydraulic presses, forging cells, machining/beveling centers) with modern HMIs, advanced motion control, and SCADA systems.


• Smart Maintenance Integration: Implement IoT tracking sensors to pipe real-time cycle data and machine health straight into our CMMS to prevent unplanned downtime.


• Project Management & Lifecycle: Own the entire lifecycle of automation projects, from initial CAD schematics and part procurement to physical line commissioning and safety verification.

First-Year Performance Goals (Timeline & ROI Driven)

• Months 1–3 (Assess & Plan): Complete a comprehensive audit of the current legacy lines. Identify a specific, bottlenecked production area (e.g., fitting beveling or material handling) and present a detailed automation proposal complete with a budgeted bill of materials (BOM) and projected ROI calculation (e.g., labor reduction, throughput increase, or scrap reduction).


• Months 4–9 (Execute): Lead the innovation team through the physical layout, multi- PLC programming phase, and hardware deployment of the approved project area.


• Months 10–12 (Commission & Prove): Successfully bring the automated system online. Train the maintenance and operations crews, eliminate system bugs, and deliver a formal report proving the system achieved its defined operational and

Qualifications & Skills

• Experience: 5 to 10 years of industrial automation engineering experience, with strong preference given to heavy manufacturing, metal forming, or machining backgrounds.


• Management: Minimum 2 years of experience leading engineering teams, managing direct reports, or directing major capital expense (CapEx) projects.


• Technical Mastery: Advanced programming capabilities in Rockwell/Allen-Bradley, Siemens, Omron, and Delta PLC/HMI environments.


• Engineering Tools: Proficiency with electrical design and schematic software (e.g.,


• Process Knowledge: Strong understanding of hydraulics, heavy industrial machinery, safety gating circuits, and industrial networks (EtherNet/IP, Modbus)