Senior Manager, Manufacturing Automation & Systems Engineering

Oracle • Santa Clara, CA

2d • $126,200 - $264,100

About The Position

The Senior Manager of Manufacturing Process Engineering leads process-engineering initiatives that improve manufacturing quality, efficiency, safety, and cost performance. The role manages a team of engineers and technical specialists and partners with Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, Design Engineering, and external manufacturing partners to develop, optimize, and scale reliable production processes.

The position develops and executes a multi-site automation roadmap, establishes common automation architectures and standards, and provides technical leadership across robotics, machine vision, automated inspection, material handling, PLC and control systems, motion systems, industrial safety, and equipment integration. It leads automation projects from feasibility and business-case development through specification, vendor selection, design reviews, testing, commissioning, qualification, and operational handoff.

The role monitors automation performance and leads continuous improvement and corrective actions. It also coaches automation, controls, and technical program resources and coordinates internal teams, suppliers, and system integrators. The work takes place primarily in flexible office and manufacturing-plant environments, with travel expected up to approximately 25%.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Controls, Industrial, Manufacturing, or a related engineering discipline.
• 8–12 years of progressive experience in manufacturing automation, industrial automation, robotics, controls, or related engineering disciplines.
• At least 3 years of people-management or technical-leadership experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading capital automation projects from concept through commissioning and production handoff.
• Experience deploying automation across multiple products, production lines, sites, or external manufacturing partners.
• Deep expertise in industrial robotics, machine vision and automated inspection, conveyance and material handling, and automated manufacturing equipment.
• Strong knowledge of PLC-based control systems, HMIs, industrial networks, sensors, motion systems, machine safety, and equipment/system integration.
• Experience with automation qualification, FAT/SAT, commissioning, validation, troubleshooting, and performance optimization.
• Ability to develop automation roadmaps, evaluate technical and operational tradeoffs, and convert priorities into executable programs.
• Strong vendor-management, stakeholder-management, and cross-functional leadership skills.
• Working knowledge of capital planning, ROI analysis, cost justification, and project risk management.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present complex technical recommendations to nontechnical audiences.
• Strong systems-thinking, analytical, and structured problem-solving capabilities.
• Hands-on technical judgment combined with practical program and project leadership.
• High degree of ownership, integrity, adaptability, and attention to safety, quality, and detail.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, results-driven manufacturing environment.

Nice To Haves

• Advanced degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Controls, Industrial, Manufacturing, or a related engineering discipline.
• Familiarity with manufacturing data, MES/ERP interfaces, traceability, and digital-manufacturing technologies.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a multi-site automation roadmap aligned with manufacturing, product, capacity, quality, and cost objectives.
• Identify, prioritize, and justify automation opportunities based on quality, yield, throughput, labor efficiency, safety, and return on investment.
• Translate operational needs into scalable automation concepts, technical requirements, and phased implementation plans.
• Define and maintain common automation architectures, equipment specifications, design standards, and technical best practices across products and manufacturing sites.
• Ensure automation solutions are reusable, supportable, maintainable, and appropriately standardized while accommodating product- and site-specific requirements.
• Partner with Product, Process Engineering, Quality, Operations, and Maintenance to align automation requirements early in product and process development.
• Provide technical leadership for robotics, machine vision and automated inspection, conveyance and material handling, PLC and control systems, motion systems, industrial safety, and equipment integration.
• Guide development of system concepts, layouts, interfaces, control strategies, and performance requirements for automated manufacturing equipment.
• Evaluate emerging automation technologies, pilots, and proof-of-concept solutions for practical production application.
• Define qualification and acceptance plans with measurable requirements for safety, quality, yield, cycle time, uptime, throughput, and defect detection.
• Lead automation projects from feasibility and business case through specification, vendor selection, design reviews, build, factory acceptance testing, site acceptance testing, commissioning, and handoff to Operations.
• Ensure successful startup, performance qualification, documentation, training, and closed-loop lessons learned for deployed systems.
• Establish and monitor automation KPIs, including uptime, yield, cycle time, throughput, defect detection, labor efficiency, and cost per unit.
• Lead structured root-cause analysis and corrective actions for automation-related performance gaps, reliability issues, and process bottlenecks.
• Partner with Operations, Quality, and Maintenance to optimize deployed systems and sustain performance over the equipment lifecycle.
• Lead, coach, and develop automation, controls, and technical program resources; build capability in system integration, qualification, and structured problem solving.
• Coordinate internal teams, external equipment suppliers, and system integrators to deliver projects safely, on schedule, within budget, and to defined performance targets.
• Communicate automation plans, risks, performance results, and recommendations to cross-functional and leadership stakeholders.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance, including expert medical opinion
• Short-term and long-term disability
• Life insurance and AD&D
• Supplemental life insurance for employees, spouses, and children
• Health care and dependent care Flexible Spending Accounts
• Pre-tax commuter and parking benefits
• 401(k) Savings and Investment Plan with company match
• Flexible vacation for eligible salaried employees or accrued vacation for other eligible employees
• 11 paid holidays
• 72 hours of paid sick leave upon hire, refreshed each calendar year, with unused balances carrying over up to a 112-hour maximum
• Paid parental leave
• Adoption assistance
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Financial planning and group legal benefits
• Voluntary auto, homeowner, and pet insurance
• May be eligible for bonus, equity, and compensation deferral
• Employee volunteer programs

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior