Manufacturing Automation Engineer – Cobots

GM•Warren, MI

1d•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. The engineer identifies processes suitable for automation, evaluates solutions such as collaborative and traditional industrial robots, vision systems, controls, and related technologies, and leads turnkey projects from concept through launch and sustainment. The work supports improvements in safety, quality, ergonomics, throughput, labor efficiency, equipment utilization, and cost performance across multiple plant locations. The position involves visiting manufacturing plants and collaborating with plant teams, manufacturing engineering, controls and automation teams, suppliers, OEMs, and business stakeholders. The engineer develops project scopes and requirements, manages supplier selection and project funding, coordinates equipment design and installation, and leads commissioning, validation, launch support, and transition to plant ownership. The role also includes troubleshooting, training, documentation, performance monitoring, continuous improvement, and project closeout. The role is categorized as onsite, with the selected candidate expected to report to a specific location full-time. Regular travel is required; the posting describes travel of 25–50% and notes it may reach or exceed 50% during critical project phases, including equipment build, installation, commissioning, and launch. Overnight travel and extended time at manufacturing plants may be needed. Relocation benefits are not provided. The role requires the ability to legally operate a motor vehicle regularly; a company vehicle is provided only after passing a Motor Vehicle Report review. GM does not provide immigration-related sponsorship for this role.

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 translate production needs into practical automation solutions and executable project plans.
Strong project execution, organization, prioritization, and follow-through skills, including managing multiple priorities, dependencies, risks, and competing business needs.
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.
Willingness and ability to travel extensively, including overnight travel and extended plant assignments, based on project needs.
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.

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 to 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 determine 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, issues, risks, dependencies, and deliverables; communicate status and escalate barriers.
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.