The Lead Automation Engineer is responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining automation systems that improve manufacturing efficiency, productivity, quality, and equipment reliability. This role leads automation initiatives across production environments in the Airfoil shop, works closely with safety, operations, maintenance, and quality teams, and provides technical leadership to ensure automation solutions align with business goals, industry standards, and plant safety requirements. Job Description. Lead the design, development, implementation, and support of automation systems used in manufacturing operations. Develop and maintain automated control systems, including PLC, HMI, SCADA, robotics, and machine vision solutions where applicable. Collaborate with production, maintenance, quality, and engineering teams to identify opportunities for automation and process improvement. Troubleshoot automation equipment, control systems, and production issues to minimize downtime and improve reliability. Guide automation standards, best practices, and system architecture across manufacturing equipment and processes. Support commissioning, testing, validation, and startup of new or modified equipment and automation systems. Ensure automation solutions comply with manufacturing safety requirements, quality standards, and regulatory expectations. Lead root cause analysis and implement corrective actions for recurring automation and equipment performance issues. Evaluate new technologies and recommend solutions that enhance productivity, reduce manual effort, and improve operational performance. Maintain technical documentation, control logic records, system specifications, and support procedures. Coordinate with vendors and integrators to support system selection, implementation, and long-term system performance. Required Qualifications. Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Automation Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical field . years' experience in manufacturing automation, industrial controls, or process automation. Strong knowledge of PLC programming, HMI development, SCADA systems, and industrial networks. Experience with Fanuc robotics, sensors, motion control, or machine vision systems is preferred. Proficiency in programming or scripting languages such as Python, Java, C#, or ladder logic, depending on the environment. Solid understanding of manufacturing processes, equipment integration, and industrial safety practices. Must be 18 years or older. Legal authorization to work in the US is required. We will not sponsor individuals for work visas, now or in the future, for this position. Preferred Qualifications. Experience with troubleshooting electrical, mechanical, and control system issues in a production setting. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to drive root cause resolution. Leadership and mentorship abilities with experience guiding technical teams or project contributors. Excellent communication and collaboration skills for working across engineering, operations, maintenance, and quality teams. Ability to manage multiple priorities and support projects from concept through commissioning. Familiarity with industry standards and best practices for manufacturing automation and control systems.