Strategic Automation & Capital Projects Leader

Smithfield Foods, Inc.

Oregon

Hybrid

USD 115,000 - 150,000

Full time

7 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Relocation package available

Job summary

Smithfield Foods, Inc. seeks an experienced Automation Engineering Leader to drive multi-year automation initiatives across facilities. You will align engineering investments with enterprise objectives and deliver complex automation projects from concept to commissioning.

You will lead cross-functional teams, manage budgets, and ensure standardization across electrical, instrumentation, and software platforms while coaching engineers and maintaining a strong focus on safety and quality.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Automation, Controls, Industrial Engineering, or related field.
8+ years of relevant engineering experience.
2+ years of team management/project leadership.
Strong understanding of PLCs, HMIs, SCADA, instrumentation, VFDs, motion control, robotics, and networks.
Basic coding and scripting with ability to understand software integration, databases, APIs, and industrial protocols.
Experience with automation project execution including controls design, procurement, installation, commissioning, startup.
Ability to read electrical schematics, P&IDs, controls narratives, and automation architecture docs.
Strong capital project management knowledge: budgeting, scheduling, risk management.
Experience with robotics, machine vision, IIoT, MES and digital manufacturing is a plus.
Excellent communication, leadership, organizational, and problem-solving skills; willing to travel up to 50%.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute a multi-year automation engineering roadmap for facility expansion and modernization.
Partner with cross-functional teams to define requirements, scope, and implement automation solutions.
Lead automation and capital engineering initiatives involving PLCs, robotics, motion control, machine vision, and industrial software.
Manage projects from concept through commissioning, including budgets, schedules, procurement, risks, and performance.
Provide oversight for controls architecture, electrical, instrumentation, networking, SCADA, HMI, and system testing/validation.
Coordinate with vendors, OEMs, contractors, and internal teams for delivery.
Develop business cases, capital requests, ROI analyses, and executive updates while tracking scope, budget, safety, quality, and schedule.
Coach and develop engineers to build a strong leadership culture.