Lead Product Development Engineer, Automation Controls & Safety , Air MI

Nike • St. Charles, MO

20h

About The Position

WHO YOU’LL WORK WITH Nike Air Manufacturing and Innovation is a fast-paced production environment. This role will work with a highly skilled team of Automation and Controls engineers to lead solutioning, technology scouting, and playbook development for automation initiatives. You will partner with Production, Planning, Maintenance, EHS, Product Engineering, IT, and external vendors to define, pilot, and scale automation solutions. This role reports to the Director, Product Development Engineering, Automation Controls and Safety, and will collaborate with the wider Nike ecosystem to drive best-in-class automation strategies. WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR We are seeking a Lead Engineer dedicated to Automation Solutioning. This role is responsible for technology scouting, PoC development, and playbook creation for scalable deployment. You will own the technical roadmap for automation, ensuring solutions are aligned with business priorities and ready for network-wide scale. Candidates should be comfortable with ambiguity, demonstrate strong collaboration and leadership skills, and have a bias for action and results.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering or related field. Will accept any suitable combination of education, experience or training
• Minimum 6 years’ experience in automation solution development, controls, or robotics.
• Proven experience leading automation projects from concept through pilot and scale.
• Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally and influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Experience with structured problem solving and technology scouting.
• Familiarity with automation project lifecycle (PoC → Pilot → Scale).
• Knowledge of robotic systems (ABB, Denso), vision systems (Keyence, Cognex), and integration to MES/WMS and OT security standards.
• Experience developing technical playbooks and solution standards for scalable deployment.
• Strong vendor management and external partnership skills.

Responsibilities

• Own the technical roadmap for automation themes, including technology scouting, solution definition, and playbook development.
• Scout and evaluate new technologies for feasibility and impact; define PoC protocols and success criteria.
• Lead PoC development and pilot execution, partnering with vendors and internal teams to validate solutions.
• Develop and maintain playbooks for scalable deployment, including BOMs, drawings, standards, and acceptance criteria.
• Collaborate with site engineering and integration teams to ensure solutions are production-ready and meet business needs.
• Drive benefit validation and readiness for scale, working closely with the Global Process Owner and Finance.
• Provide technical leadership and training to cross-functional teams on new automation solutions and standards.
• Communicate progress, risks, and learnings to leadership and stakeholders.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees