Material Flow Automation Engineer

Emotiv•Louisville, KY

11d•Hybrid

About The Position

Emotiv is seeking a strategic, hands-on Material Flow Automation Engineer to lead the design, standardization, implementation, and optimization of automated material handling and material flow systems across manufacturing and warehousing operations, including Manufacturing Support Services (MSS) and Value-Added Assembly (VAA). The role focuses on transforming material handling into safe, scalable, data-driven systems using technologies such as AMRs, autonomous forklift trucks, conveyors, lift-assist equipment, smart storage, fleet management tools, simulation software, digital twins, and integrated controls. This hybrid position is based in Kansas City, Louisville, or Detroit. It is part of the Engineering team and reports to the Director of AME & Automation. The role requires approximately 50% travel. The engineer will develop automation strategies and material-flow designs; lead equipment selection, supplier evaluations, testing, deployment, and project delivery; integrate automation with business and production systems; and use operational data, simulation, and digital twins to evaluate capacity, throughput, labor, equipment utilization, and future-state scenarios. The role also supports quoting, launches, expansions, and engineering changes, and establishes standards for fleet management, mapping, traffic control, charging, safety, machine interfaces, and interoperability. The position requires a bachelor's degree in a related field preferred, or an equivalent combination of education, military training, certifications, and relevant industry experience. Candidates should have at least three years of relevant experience and practical knowledge of material handling automation, industrial controls and safety, manufacturing or distribution processes, digital systems, simulation, and project and supplier management.

Requirements

At least 3 years of experience in manufacturing, warehousing, logistics, material handling, automation, or industrial engineering.
Experience designing, implementing, and optimizing material-flow and automation systems in manufacturing or distribution environments.
Hands-on experience with automated material-handling technologies, including AMRs, AGVs, conveyors, automated storage, robotics, controls, and fleet-management systems.
Knowledge of automation safety, machine integration, risk assessment, and industrial controls.
Familiarity with WMS, ERP, MES/FMS, inventory management, traceability, and digital replenishment systems.
Ability to develop layouts, process flows, labor models, equipment specifications, capital requests, and project plans.
Experience developing, validating, or applying digital twin and discrete-event simulation models to evaluate capacity, throughput, resource utilization, congestion, fleet sizing, material-flow performance, and future-state scenarios.
Working literacy in digital twin, simulation, and Industry 4.0 concepts, including connected assets, IoT/RTLS, data pipelines, production-system integration, KPI design, scenario modeling, and data-driven decision support.
Experience using operational data and simulation results for sensitivity analysis, capacity planning, equipment sizing, total-cost-of-ownership analysis, ROI/payback development, and capital justification.
Working knowledge of Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, ergonomics, and standard work principles.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office, AutoCAD or similar, project management tools, and industrial simulation platforms.
Strong analytical, project management, supplier management, problem-solving, communication, and cross-functional leadership skills, including the ability to work with plant teams and turn operational challenges into practical, scalable solutions.
Experience supporting RFQ/RFI development and technical supplier evaluation for material-handling or automation systems; familiarity with compliance matrices, acceptance criteria, FAT/SAT, functional safety, equipment interfaces, software licensing, service models, and lifecycle-cost comparisons.
Ability to sit, stand, and move freely within office and plant environments and perform standard computer-based work.
Valid driver's license required.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree in Industrial, Manufacturing, Mechanical, Mechatronics, Supply Chain, Logistics Engineering, or a related field preferred; equivalent education, military training, certifications, and relevant industry experience will be considered.
Knowledge of mixed-fleet orchestration and interoperability principles, including VDA 5050 or comparable open-interface approaches.

Responsibilities

Develop automation strategies for receiving, storage, kitting, sequencing, line-side delivery, finished goods, dunnage, and empty-container return.
Analyze material flow, inventory movement, forklift activity, routes, and replenishment processes to improve safety, quality, productivity, and throughput.
Develop and maintain material layouts, storage concepts, line-side presentation standards, traffic paths, and end-to-end material-flow designs for MSS and VAA operations.
Partner with plant leadership and cross-functional teams to identify constraints and root causes and implement solutions to material-flow, congestion, delivery, storage, quality, productivity, and capacity challenges.
Specify and integrate AMRs, AGVs, conveyors, automated storage, lift equipment, scanners, sensors, controls, and fleet-management systems.
Lead equipment selection, supplier assessment, proof-of-concept testing, factory and site acceptance testing, validation, and deployment of material-handling solutions.
Define equipment and system acceptance criteria, including payload and load stability, movement characteristics, aisle requirements, docking accuracy, stopping distance, obstacle avoidance, charging, availability, fleet sizing, traffic management, and production-rate capability.
Lead automation projects from concept and sourcing through installation, commissioning, validation, training, handoff, and ramp-up.
Design material-delivery standards for storage, line-side presentation, traffic flow, docking, charging, payload transfer, and facility interfaces.
Use layouts, time studies, labor analysis, simulation, and digital twins to validate concepts, size equipment, and reduce implementation risk.
Develop, validate, and maintain digital twin and discrete-event simulation models to evaluate capacity, throughput, congestion, storage, labor, equipment utilization, fleet mix, delivery cycles, bottlenecks, and future-state scenarios.
Translate operational data and simulation outputs into scenario comparisons, sensitivity analyses, capital requests, total-cost-of-ownership evaluations, ROI/payback cases, and recommendations for plant and executive decisions.
Integrate material automation with WMS, ERP, MES/FMS, inventory transactions, production signals, traceability, and dispatch systems.
Define data, controls, software, and interface requirements across business systems, PLCs, fleet-management systems, sensors, RTLS/IoT devices, APIs, and production signals, considering traceability, cybersecurity, data ownership, and maintainability.
Support quoting, launches, expansions, and engineering changes by defining equipment, labor, space, capital, assumptions, milestones, and risks.
Develop technical requirements, scopes of work, compliance and responsibility matrices, test plans, and RFQ/RFI packages; lead technical bid reviews, supplier clarifications, risk closure, and sourcing recommendations.
Evaluate supplier responses for technical compliance, safety, interoperability, controls, fleet and charging concepts, licensing, lifecycle support, spare parts, service coverage, lead time, implementation risk, scalability, warranty, recurring fees, and total cost of ownership.
Coordinate delivery from concept and supplier selection through design, interfaces, installation, commissioning, training, ramp-up, handoff, and post-launch performance verification; define owner-furnished equipment and supplier responsibilities.
Establish standards for fleet management, mapping, traffic control, charging, safety, machine interfaces, and interoperability.
Reduce forklift use, unnecessary movement, inventory handling, ergonomic risk, shortages, downtime, and floor-space requirements.
Maintain layouts, process flows, specifications, automation standards, launch checklists, and lessons learned.