Senior Process Automation Engineer

GEA•Oakdale, MN

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Process Automation Engineer is based in Oakdale, Minnesota, and contributes to the Automation Engineering team by supporting service project upgrades across GEA’s Nutrition Plant Engineering Division in North America. The role designs, develops, tests, and commissions industrial process automation systems, serving as technical lead on assigned projects while working independently and collaborating with cross-functional teams. Projects span food, dairy, beverage, brewery, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries. A hybrid work schedule is available. The engineer supports sales and pre-sales activities, develops automation software and process functional descriptions, and collaborates on electrical and control-system design. The role includes software testing, equipment procurement support, system wiring and installation coordination, customer-site commissioning, troubleshooting, and operator and maintenance training. The engineer also leads project execution, manages assigned automation and electrical engineers, supports project scheduling and change management, maintains project documentation, and ensures compliance with customer specifications, applicable regulations, GEA standards, environmental health and safety requirements, and OSHA requirements. The position requires a bachelor’s degree in a related engineering field and typically five or more years of experience in a similar automation engineering role. Travel of up to 40% may be required. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without current or future visa sponsorship. The expected starting base pay range is $110,000–$130,000 per year; eligible additional rewards may include a discretionary bonus and/or equity awards.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Automation Engineering, Instrumentation Engineering, or a related field.
Typically, 5+ years of experience in a similar automation engineering role.
Willingness to travel up to 40% as required.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English.
Strong interpersonal, leadership, and customer service skills.
Ability to work effectively independently and within a team.
Strong organization, attention to detail, and time-management skills.
Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
Self-motivated and proactive, with the ability to work in fast-paced and occasionally high-pressure environments.
Demonstrated commercial and business acumen.
Ability to prioritize and delegate tasks appropriately.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and related software tools.
Authorization to work in the United States without current or future visa sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

Previous experience with Rockwell Automation hardware and software.

Responsibilities

Support Sales in driving automation upgrades and digital service product growth.
Participate in customer meetings, pre-sales technical support, cost estimation, and proposal development; provide technical input for scope definition, pricing, and execution planning.
Develop detailed Process Functional Descriptions from general process descriptions.
Design automation software using knowledge of computer systems, networks, and industrial control platforms.
Coordinate with product departments to ensure automation programming meets system and customer requirements and complies with GEA process automation standards and quality requirements.
Test software through simulations on applicable hardware platforms or emulators.
Collaborate with electrical designers on control-panel and automation-system design, incorporating customer specifications and technical requirements.
Create requisitions for automation and electrical equipment; assist with electrical testing in-house and at customer sites.
Coordinate and inspect electricians’ work during system wiring and installation.
Commission instrumentation, electrical, and control systems at customer sites; perform I/O checkout and support close-out of automation punch-list items.
Assist with operator and maintenance training during project start-up and provide technical troubleshooting and on-site support for system performance and process issues.
Act as Automation Lead on assigned projects unless otherwise designated, and manage automation and electrical engineers assigned to projects.
Monitor team tasks, generate project schedules aligned with program milestones, and provide Project Managers with project information including risks, work breakdown structures, and activity plans.
Support scope-change identification and estimate cost and schedule impacts and change orders.
Evaluate projects for cost-reduction opportunities and efficiency improvements.
Maintain accurate records of customer meetings, correspondence, and technical project files; manage project document control, including versioning, transmittals, approvals, and deliverables.
Use GEA tools, templates, and documentation standards throughout project phases; assist with O&M manuals and spare-parts lists.
Ensure compliance with customer specifications, applicable regulations, GEA Environmental Health & Safety requirements, and OSHA requirements.
Prepare RFQs and support Procurement with vendor technical evaluations, selection, and management.
Work with process engineers and cross-functional teams to ensure effective project execution and automation designs that meet customer and process requirements; support the service organization as needed.
Deliver technical or project progress presentations to management and customers as needed.
Respond to additional duties as assigned.