Operational Technology Engineer

Magna International•Shepherdsville, KY

About The Position

Magna Seating is seeking an Operational Technology Engineer to lead manufacturing automation and connected-factory initiatives. The role covers automation projects from concept through implementation, including project justification, equipment and supplier management, capital execution, and integration of new equipment into production operations. The engineer will develop, program, troubleshoot, and optimize control, robotics, vision, and advanced automation systems, and will support smart manufacturing, production data integration, analytics, and predictive maintenance. The position also drives continuous improvement, safety and regulatory compliance, and quality-system documentation and change controls. As the plant automation subject matter expert, the engineer will establish standards and best practices, mentor and train personnel, contribute to global automation initiatives, and assess emerging technologies. The role is part of Magna Seating, which develops and manufactures complete seating systems and related products for automotive, heavy truck, and bus industries.

Requirements

Undergraduate degree in Engineering (Manufacturing, Electrical, Mechatronic, Automation, or Controls), or an equivalent combination of education and related work experience.
Experience with PLC programming and troubleshooting, robotics, and industrial automation equipment.
Knowledge of manufacturing systems and production processes.
Strong project management capability.

Nice To Haves

5+ years of manufacturing automation experience.
Automotive manufacturing experience.
Industry 4.0 or smart factory experience.
Experience with Ignition, MES systems, OPC-UA, MQTT, SQL databases, Power BI, vision sensors or systems, and AGVs/AMRs.
Six Sigma Green Belt.
Experience leading multi-site automation deployments.

Responsibilities

Lead automation initiatives from concept to implementation, including labor reduction, quality improvement, throughput gains, ROI justification, equipment and supplier management, and capital project execution.
Design, program, troubleshoot, and optimize PLC, HMI, SCADA, industrial network, and motion control systems; establish control standards and integrate new equipment into manufacturing operations.
Program and optimize robotic, vision, and advanced automation systems, including collaborative robots and AGV/AMR technologies, to improve error-proofing, equipment reliability, and operational efficiency.
Lead Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing initiatives by integrating connected-factory technologies, production data systems, real-time analytics, and predictive maintenance solutions.
Drive continuous improvement by analyzing production losses, applying structured problem-solving methodologies, and implementing automation solutions to improve cycle time, labor efficiency, process capability, and operational performance.
Support compliance with safety, regulatory, and environmental requirements through risk assessments, audits, equipment validation, machine safeguarding, and workplace safety practices.
Manage automation-related documentation and change controls; contribute to PFMEA, control plans, audits, and error-proofing initiatives while supporting ISO 9001 and IATF 16949 compliance.
Serve as the plant automation subject matter expert by establishing standards and best practices, mentoring and training personnel, supporting global automation initiatives, and evaluating emerging technologies.