Automation Engineer

Thedrivingdesk•Richmond, VA

11d•Onsite

About The Position

A leading global manufacturing organization is seeking an experienced Automation Engineer to lead automation, digital transformation, and operational technology (OT) cybersecurity initiatives across multiple manufacturing facilities. This is a senior-level position offering the opportunity to drive Industry 4.0 innovation, modernize manufacturing operations, and lead high-impact capital projects within a large-scale production environment.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in Engineering
8+ years of automation engineering and project management experience
Strong hands-on industrial automation experience
Experience leading digital transformation initiatives in manufacturing environments
OT/ICS cybersecurity experience
Experience within one of the following industries: Food & Beverage, Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
Ability to travel as needed
Authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship

Nice To Haves

Industry 4.0 and Smart Manufacturing experience
PLC and SCADA systems experience
SAP and/or Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) knowledge
Multi-site manufacturing experience
Capital project budgeting experience

Responsibilities

Develop and execute automation and digitalization strategies across manufacturing facilities
Lead automation-related capital projects from planning through implementation
Manage manufacturing automation systems and OT cybersecurity programs
Support new equipment installations and production line integrations
Improve plant connectivity, visibility, and operational efficiency through automation
Oversee lifecycle management of control systems and automation technologies
Serve as a technical leader and escalation point for automation and controls issues
Collaborate with engineering, operations, and leadership teams to optimize plant performance