Principal Engineer - Automation

Wesco•Nashville, TN

About The Position

The Principal Engineer - Automation leads the architecture and development of automation solutions for warehouse material management. The role provides expert guidance to engineers and leads complex integration, development, and deployment of commercially available fulfillment automation systems designed to interact with other automation, including robotics, and with people supporting material movement and handling. The position contributes to creating and communicating the Global Automation Roadmap and leads the execution of automation and robotic designs and implementation. The Principal Engineer works with interdisciplinary teams to take product designs from concept through production, including specification, design, validation, testing, and launch. The role collaborates with Operations, Lean, Safety, Quality, vendors, integrators, and financial analysts to evaluate and implement automation solutions, and educates technology deployment and plant-floor operations teams on complex automation systems. It also provides technical leadership, establishes design guidelines, manages project scope and delivery considerations, and develops holistic hardware solutions for ambiguous problems with evolving requirements. Travel is 25%–50%.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Electronic Engineering, Mechatronic Engineering, Robotics Engineering, or a similar field.
10 years of experience developing, integrating, and deploying mechatronic and robotic systems, with exposure to distribution center automation and digitization.
5 years of CAD/CAM experience and understanding of best practices for part design, advanced assemblies, and complex configuration management.
5 years of hands-on experience crafting proof-of-concept models and prototypes.
Expert-level organizational skills and ability to work well with teams.
Ability to communicate concepts effectively and write technical documents.
Desire and energy to work in a fast-paced agile environment.
Project management experience across the full lifecycle and proficiency completing tasks to meet associated milestones.
Experience evaluating design, performance, and logistical tradeoffs for hardware systems.
Ability to travel 25%–50%.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree.
Certified Automation Professional (CAP), Project Management Professional (PMP), or Certified Lean Six Sigma designation.

Responsibilities

Execute product designs from concept to production, including specification, design, validation, and testing, in collaboration with an interdisciplinary team.
Ensure smooth product launches in collaboration with Operations, Lean, Safety, and Quality organizations, as well as vendors and integrators.
Benchmark third-party and internally derived automation systems against specifications and select pragmatic solutions with long development and predictable implementation timelines for future efforts.
Create guidelines for design for automation in warehouse material handling processes and collaborate with engineering and operations teams to establish expectations; define scope of work and description of operation.
Review and interpret customers’ project specifications and manage design budget, schedule, and scope.
Participate in simulation and emulation as needed, and design and implement automation systems in operational environments.
Collaborate with the Financial Analyst to evaluate automation systems through cost analysis and capital expenditure requests to justify automation projects.
Educate technology deployment and plant-floor operation members on complex automation system architecture, usability, and functionality.
Model thorough engineering analysis and cradle-to-grave ownership, and provide expert-level guidance to other automation engineers.
Lead the design and adaptation of holistic hardware solutions for ambiguous problems with fluid requirements.
Contribute to the creation and communication of the Global Automation Roadmap and lead execution of automation and robotic designs and implementation.