Manufacturing Automation Engineer – Cobots

General Motors•Warren, MI

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Manufacturing Automation Engineer – Cobots leads the development, deployment, optimization, and sustainment of manufacturing automation solutions across GPS manufacturing sites. The role combines manufacturing engineering expertise with end-to-end project leadership. It identifies processes suitable for automation, evaluates technologies such as collaborative and traditional industrial robots, vision systems, controls, and other automation solutions, and leads projects from concept through launch and sustainment. The engineer partners with plant teams, manufacturing engineering, controls and automation teams, suppliers, and business stakeholders to improve safety, quality, ergonomics, throughput, labor efficiency, equipment utilization, and cost performance. The role supports projects across multiple plant locations. Travel varies by project phase and may reach 50% or more, including overnight travel and extended time at manufacturing plants during equipment build, installation, commissioning, and launch. The position is categorized as onsite, with regular travel stated as 25–50%. The selected candidate must be able to legally operate a motor vehicle; a company vehicle is provided only after passing a Motor Vehicle Report review. Relocation benefits are not available, and GM does not provide immigration-related sponsorship for this role. Success is measured by delivery of safe, capable, repeatable, and sustainable automation solutions that meet timing and launch milestones while improving manufacturing performance. The role owns outcomes, communicates clearly, resolves issues with urgency, and ensures plant teams receive the documentation, training, and support needed for long-term sustainment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechatronics, Industrial Engineering, Controls Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
Five or more years of manufacturing experience, including manufacturing execution, manufacturing engineering, controls, automation, process engineering, or continuous improvement.
Experience implementing, launching, optimizing, or sustaining manufacturing equipment and processes.
Demonstrated experience leading projects from beginning to end and delivering manufacturing solutions in a plant or launch environment.
Experience coordinating cross-functional teams and managing stakeholders to solve technical problems and deliver results.
Ability and willingness to travel up to 50% or more, with travel increasing during equipment build, installation, and launch phases.
Strong manufacturing technical depth and hands-on experience solving production and process problems.
Ability to evaluate manufacturing processes and translate production needs into practical automation solutions and executable project plans.
Demonstrated ability to lead projects from feasibility and concept through implementation, launch, validation, sustainment, and closeout.
Strong project execution, organization, prioritization, and follow-through skills.
Ability to manage multiple priorities, dependencies, risks, and competing business needs in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
Ability to influence without direct authority and gain alignment across plant teams, engineering, controls, quality, maintenance, safety, ergonomics, leadership, suppliers, and OEMs.
Strong communication, collaboration, facilitation, and stakeholder-management skills.
Hands-on technical problem-solving, troubleshooting, recovery planning, and root cause analysis capability.
Knowledge of manufacturing and assembly processes, equipment integration, lean manufacturing, standardized work, process improvement, and continuous improvement practices.
Understanding of safety principles, risk reduction, machine and cell integration, quality requirements, and process validation.
Familiarity with controls, vision systems, sensors, tooling, robotics, and automation software.
Ability to use Microsoft Office and common engineering, project-management, data-analysis, and manufacturing tools.
Demonstrated behaviors aligned with GM values: Be Inclusive, Commit to Customers, Innovate and Embrace Change, Move with Urgency, Lead as One Team, Speak Fearlessly, Own the Outcome, and Win with Integrity.
Ability to legally operate a motor vehicle on a regular basis.
Must not require GM immigration-related sponsorship now or in the future.

Nice To Haves

Ten or more years of manufacturing experience.
Significant manufacturing launch experience and a proven record of program or capital-project execution.
Experience supporting multiple manufacturing sites or plant locations.
Experience with OEM, supplier, integrator, or vendor selection and management.
Experience developing Statements of Requirements, equipment specifications, project scopes, funding requests, or governance materials.
Experience with equipment capability studies, repeatability, process validation, risk assessments, and production-readiness activities.
Experience training plant personnel and transitioning new systems into operational ownership.
Direct experience designing, integrating, deploying, or sustaining collaborative robot applications (cobots).
Experience selecting between cobots and traditional industrial robots based on process requirements, safety, ergonomics, throughput, flexibility, and business case.
Experience with robot integration projects, robot programming or deployment, vision systems, controls automation, sensors, tooling, or end-of-arm tooling.
Experience leading automation projects from front-end feasibility through OEM development, installation, commissioning, launch, and sustainment.
A strong record of improving safety, ergonomics, cycle time, labor efficiency, uptime, quality, process capability, or cost through automation.
Experience navigating complex stakeholder environments and driving execution across plant teams, union stakeholders, engineering functions, leadership, and suppliers.
Ability to combine technical judgment with practical project leadership, remove obstacles, and deliver results without direct authority.

Responsibilities

Visit manufacturing plants and assess processes, production requirements, and operational constraints.
Identify and prioritize automation opportunities to improve safety, ergonomics, quality, cycle time, labor efficiency, uptime, and cost.
Conduct feasibility studies and select appropriate automation solutions, including cobots, industrial robots, vision systems, controls, tooling, and sensors.
Lead turnkey automation projects from concept and planning through design, equipment build, installation, commissioning, validation, launch, sustainment, and closeout.
Develop project scopes, Statements of Requirements, technical specifications, project plans, timing, deliverables, and risk and issue-management plans.
Obtain and evaluate OEM and supplier quotes, and lead supplier and integrator selection with stakeholders.
Secure project funding through applicable governance and approval processes.
Coordinate design reviews and equipment development with plant manufacturing engineering, CME, controls and automation teams, safety and ergonomics stakeholders, suppliers, and OEMs.
Ensure equipment and process designs meet manufacturing, quality, safety, ergonomic, capability, repeatability, and specification requirements.
Coordinate equipment delivery, installation, production downtime windows, commissioning, startup, and launch support.
Troubleshoot technical and process issues, perform root cause analysis, develop recovery plans, remove obstacles, and drive corrective actions to completion.
Track project timing, open issues, risks, dependencies, and deliverables; communicate status and escalate barriers as needed.
Validate equipment capability, repeatability, quality, safety, and process performance before transition to plant ownership.
Develop standard work, process documentation, technical specifications, troubleshooting guides, training materials, and lessons learned.
Train and support plant engineers, maintenance personnel, operators, and other stakeholders on system requirements and standardized methods.
Review process data and performance metrics to identify gaps and drive continuous improvement.
Complete project deliverables, deauthorization, and closeout activities.
Benchmark and evaluate emerging technologies, tools, and methods that can improve manufacturing performance.