Technical Manager – Project, PLC Automation & Controls
About The Position
Hood Container Packaging Solutions is hiring a Technical Manager for Project, Automation & Controls in Rural Hall, North Carolina. The role owns automation work that supports production lines, from design review through installation, commissioning, and production ramp-up. The manager works closely with Operations, Engineering, Quality, and equipment vendors, with a focus on production speed, reliability, and sustainable equipment launches. The position supports, programs, and troubleshoots automated equipment and control systems; leads assigned project tasks and tracks schedules; participates in equipment design reviews, factory acceptance testing (FAT), installation, commissioning, IQ/OQ/PQ, and ramp-up; and partners with Process and Quality Engineering on validation protocols and data collection. It also involves analyzing line conditions, updating mechanical and electrical drawings when equipment changes, supporting JSA and preventive maintenance plan reviews, and contributing to CAPAs and change management.
Requirements
- 3–5 years of automation and controls experience in a manufacturing, packaging, or warehouse environment.
- Project engineering or project management fundamentals, including clear and confident communication with leadership.
- Hands-on experience with equipment design reviews, FAT, commissioning, and validation (IQ/OQ/PQ).
- Familiarity with CAPA and change management processes.
Nice To Haves
- Experience in a regulated industry, such as medical device, pharmaceutical, aerospace, or automotive.
- Experience with Allen-Bradley controls, including PLCs and servo drives.
- Experience with Cognex vision inspection systems.
- Experience with industrial marking or etching systems, such as Domino, Zebra, Keyence, or Markem.
- Experience with EtherNet/IP and TCP communication.
Responsibilities
- Support, program, and troubleshoot automated equipment and controls systems.
- Lead assigned project tasks, track progress against published schedules, and update Operations and Engineering leadership on status.
- Participate in equipment design reviews, FAT, installation, commissioning, IQ/OQ/PQ, and production ramp-up alongside vendors and colleagues.
- Partner with Process and Quality Engineering to run protocols and collect validation data for investigations, corrective actions, and improvements.
- Analyze line running conditions and recommend actions to meet production ramp goals.
- Update mechanical and electrical drawings when equipment is modified.
- Support reviews of documents such as Job Safety Analyses (JSA) and Preventative Maintenance (PM) plans.
- Contribute to CAPAs and follow change management processes such as ECO and CR.
Benefits
- Competitive base salary and annual bonus program.
- Comprehensive benefits package.
- Paid training and development.
- Opportunity to be mentored by industry experts.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Education Level
No Education Listed
