About The Position
The Associate Principal Engineer leads, maintains, and improves warehouse automation system reliability, capability, and operational stability. The role develops and applies programs and governance to address losses and improve reliability. It partners with engineering, project teams, site resources and maintenance, IT, Finance, and automation vendors to identify problems and improve operational efficiency and throughput. The position provides operational performance updates, analyzes downtime and fault/error codes, manages open support tickets, coordinates early interventions and escalations, and establishes governance for automation technology health. It develops expertise across automation processes and strategies, applies reliability methods to reduce planned and unplanned downtime, leads root-cause problem solving, and ensures project and post-installation training remains relevant to operational support strategies. The role requires frequent travel and must be based at headquarters or an automated facility.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Warehousing, Engineering, or Supply Chain Optimization.
- 5–10+ years of experience in Beverage/Food field operations.
- Understanding of warehouse automation.
- Analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills.
- Process-oriented approach and drive for sustainable results.
- Strong organizational skills.
- Leadership and management skills.
- Ability to influence and inspire key decision makers.
- Motivated self-starter able to navigate ambiguity to resolve issues.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills.
- Ability to travel more than 75% of the time.
- Must be based at the headquarters location or an automated facility.
- Working/skilled knowledge of TPM pillars: AM, PM, FI, and EM.
- Knowledge of project management processes and CQV (Commissioning, Qualification, Verification).
Nice To Haves
- Process Improvement Engineer background.
- Understanding of AGV, ATLS, and ASRS warehouse automation.
- Electromechanical experience in automation.
- Understanding of hydraulic and electrical schematics.
- Experience with product/vendor manuals.
- Proven track record with LSS, TPM, and/or continuous improvement methodologies.
Responsibilities
- Provide weekly, period, and year-to-date updates to operations and key stakeholders on performance, downtime trends, improvement plans, fault/error code analysis, and open help desk tickets.
- Correct negative trends through early intervention and coordinate support, resources, and escalation.
- Develop governance for automation technology health, including annual technical audits and controls for systems and equipment.
- Develop and manage mastery of automation processes, uses, and strategies to improve efficiency, utilization, reliability, and throughput.
- Apply reliability expertise to improve efficiency through procedural, operational, or capital improvements addressing planned and unplanned downtime or outages.
- Lead evaluations requiring deeper expertise and root-cause analysis; identify problem statements, potential solutions, prioritized actions, and timely resolutions.
- Ensure training delivered during projects and after installation remains relevant to applications and aligned with operational program support strategies.
- Partner with engineering, project teams, site resources and maintenance, IT, Finance, and automation vendors.
Benefits
- Performance-based annual bonus with a target payout of 12% of annual salary, subject to eligibility.
- Paid time off, subject to eligibility, including paid parental leave, vacation, sick, and bereavement leave.
- Medical, dental, vision, and disability coverage, subject to elections and eligibility.
- Health and dependent care reimbursement accounts.
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
- Accident, group legal, and life insurance.
- Defined Contribution Retirement Plan.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
