Industrial Automation and Application Engineer

G A Richards Company•Kentwood, MI

2d•$70,000 - $85,000

About The Position

An energetic and creative role responsible for designing, developing, installing, managing, and maintaining hardware and software systems used to monitor, control, and automate engineering and manufacturing business processes. This blended role requires craft-level skill and agility to deliver controls systems and web-based applications that drive production and operational efficiencies. The position works under general supervision and collaborates with design engineers, operations engineers, purchasers, IT, and other internal staff to understand operational processes. It converts customer requirements into technical designs, flow charts, and user instructions, and manages engineering and software projects within cost and time constraints. The role also involves hardware wiring and cabinet installation, integration of third-party components and protocols, troubleshooting, and compliance with health, safety, and quality standards. The employee should handle changing priorities professionally and be willing to relocate to other business units when urgent needs arise.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree from a four-year college or university in Electrical, Computer, or Mechanical Engineering.
1–5 years of experience desired.
Knowledge or experience with APC, DCS, PLC platforms (Allen Bradley, GE Fanuc, Siemens, Direct Automation), and SCADA.
Knowledge or experience with C#, JavaScript libraries (Vue, Angular, JQuery), HTML, CSS, ASP.NET, Python, PowerShell, .NET Framework, and MVC/Web API.
Knowledge or experience with Visual Studio, Visual Studio Code, Vuetify, AXIOS, Vuex Store, and NPM.
Knowledge or experience with MS SQL Server, TSQL, and Pervasive databases.
Knowledge or experience with YouTrack, GitLab (SVN), Git, AWS, and WordPress.
Knowledge or experience with CAD, SolidWorks, Signal R, Crystal Reports, Bartender Label Making Software, RFID, and EDI.
Familiarity with robotic controls and single- or multi-axis linear-actuated robotic transfer systems.
Willingness to relocate to other business units when urgent needs arise.

Nice To Haves

Undergraduate projects in automation are a plus.

Responsibilities

Design, develop, maintain, and modify new and existing control systems and computer programs to automate business processes across manufacturing operations.
Collaborate under general supervision with design engineers, operations engineers, purchasers, IT, and other internal staff to understand operational processes.
Discuss and document application requirements with internal and external customers, translating business requirements into technical designs, flow charts, and user instructions.
Establish wiring designs and cabinet layouts, and install cabinet components such as relays, terminal strips, surge suppressors, PLC components, power supplies, fiber-optic terminations, and CAT 5 and CAT 6 components.
Integrate third-party components, including laser sensors, camera systems, proximity switches, and mechanical switches, using supported communication protocols.
Manage engineering and software projects within cost and time constraints.
Troubleshoot technical problems while ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations and quality standards.
Handle new and changing priorities professionally and relocate to other business units when urgent needs arise.