Robotics Engineer — CNC Machining

Ruger • Prescott, AZ

13d

About The Position

The Robotics Engineer maintains, troubleshoots, and continuously improves robotic machine-tending systems that support CNC machining operations. The role focuses on restoring equipment promptly, preventing recurring faults, improving preventive maintenance, and helping production and maintenance teams recover automated cells safely. It also supports development work such as robot programming changes, tooling improvements, new-part introductions, equipment upgrades, and selected automation projects.

Success requires hands-on troubleshooting across robots, CNC machines, PLC interfaces, safety systems, sensors, end-of-arm tooling, and cell peripherals. The engineer also develops maintenance and recovery procedures, trains staff, uses downtime data to prioritize reliability improvements, supports production changeovers and commissioning, and ensures work meets company and applicable safety requirements.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in robotics, electrical engineering, mechatronics, manufacturing engineering, mechanical engineering, or a related field preferred; an associate degree or equivalent technical experience may be considered for candidates with strong hands-on automation experience.
• Hands-on experience maintaining, troubleshooting, programming, and recovering industrial robots in a production environment.
• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot robot-to-CNC and robot-to-PLC interfaces, discrete and networked I/O, safety systems, sensors, pneumatics, and end-of-arm tooling.
• Working knowledge of CNC machining, machine-tool operation, workholding, part presentation, cutting-tool considerations, and automated loading and unloading.
• Ability to read and interpret robot programs, sequence-of-operations documents, electrical schematics, pneumatic diagrams, mechanical drawings, and equipment manuals.
• Experience using structured root-cause analysis and downtime data to eliminate recurring equipment failures.
• Ability to work effectively on the manufacturing floor, manage urgent downtime priorities, and communicate clearly with operators, technicians, engineers, suppliers, and leadership.
• Ability to support off-shift troubleshooting, planned shutdown work, installations, runoffs, and occasional travel as business needs require.
• Must successfully pass a drug and background screen.
• Must be eligible to handle firearms under the Federal Firearms Act.

Nice To Haves

• Experience supporting FANUC, ABB, Yaskawa Motoman, KUKA, Universal Robots, or other industrial robot platforms.
• Experience with CNC controls and machine tools from manufacturers such as FANUC, Siemens, Okuma, Mazak, DMG MORI, or similar.
• Experience troubleshooting PLCs, HMIs, safety PLCs, industrial Ethernet networks, servo systems, vision systems, and automated gaging.
• Knowledge of robot preventive maintenance, calibration, mastering, backup and restore procedures, battery replacement, grease service, dress-pack inspection, and spare-parts planning.
• Experience with machine tending, bin picking, automatic tool changing, force sensing, part cleaning, marking, inspection, and error-proofing.
• Experience with offline simulation, CAD, basic PLC programming, and developing or commissioning new robotic applications.
• Knowledge of robotic and machinery safety standards, risk assessment, lockout/tagout, and safety validation.

Responsibilities

• Provide daily hands-on support for robotic CNC machine-tending cells, responding to downtime and restoring safe production.
• Troubleshoot robot programs, CNC handshakes, PLC interfaces, HMIs, industrial networks, safety circuits, sensors, grippers, pneumatic devices, conveyors, vision systems, gaging equipment, and other cell peripherals.
• Diagnose intermittent and recurring failures using alarms, logs, trends, I/O states, sequence logic, and structured root-cause analysis, then implement lasting corrective actions.
• Create, improve, and execute preventive and predictive maintenance plans for robots, tooling, safety equipment, dress packs, cables, sensors, and automation peripherals.
• Maintain robot programs, mastering data, backups, recovery procedures, spare-parts lists, electrical and pneumatic documentation, and change records.
• Develop standard work for startup, shutdown, fault recovery, changeover, calibration, and safe manual operation.
• Train maintenance technicians, operators, and engineers to recognize common failures, recover equipment safely, and escalate issues.
• Track downtime and failure data, identify chronic losses, and prioritize improvements to uptime, mean time between failures, cycle-time stability, quality, and overall equipment effectiveness.
• Support production changeovers, new-part introductions, fixture and gripper changes, robot path adjustments, and process validation.
• Modify and optimize robotic cells to improve reliability, maintainability, safety, part presentation, gripping, error recovery, and mixed-model performance.
• Support selected development projects, including concepts, reach and payload studies, robot programming, supplier reviews, runoffs, installation, commissioning, and production launch.
• Ensure work complies with company requirements and applicable machinery, electrical, lockout/tagout, and robotic safety standards.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation package, including competitive salary, profit sharing, and bonus.
• Medical, dental, and vision benefits.
• 401(k) match and company 401(k) contribution.
• Basic and supplemental life insurance options.
• Short- and long-term disability plans.
• Paid time off (PTO).
• Relocation assistance is available for the right candidate.
• Casual work environment.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: Associate degree