Senior Automation Engineer - Virginia Beach, VA

About the position

Operations is at the heart of Amazon's business. We are known for our speed, accuracy, and exceptional service. Our buildings deliver tens of thousands of products to hundreds of countries worldwide, every day. The Reliability & Maintenance Engineering (RME) team are the business partners that work tirelessly behind the scenes to make it happen. We drive continuous improvement, and maintain all of the robotics and material handling equipment (MHE) to ensure our customers are met with the Amazon smile. Come join us on our journey! As a Senior Automation Engineer, you will play a crucial role in maximizing equipment reliability and operational performance in our fulfillment centers by providing proactive controls automation and technical support. Your expertise will be essential in troubleshooting complex control systems, analyzing performance metrics, and driving continuous improvement initiatives. You'll mentor junior engineers and lead cross-functional teams to optimize material handling equipment (MHE) systems, implement innovative projects, and develop system design improvements to enhance site throughput. You'll work with state-of-the-art technology, including conveyors, sortation systems, scanners, cameras, print and apply systems, and SCADA devices and programs. Through your technical leadership and design optimization efforts, you'll directly contribute to ensuring our customers receive their orders with Amazon's signature speed and accuracy while building team capabilities and driving operational excellence.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the site expert for maintaining automation systems critical to operations
• Collaborate with building Operations, Operations Engineering teams, FC Start-up Team, AFT Software teams, ACES team, and Safety to support MHE systems optimization and project implementation
• Understand, maintain and troubleshoot material handling control systems, including PLC/PC controllers and industrial networks such as Ethernet, ControlNet, DeviceNet, Profibus, motor control systems, servo drives, frequency drives, and electrical distribution systems
• Monitor MHE metrics and partner with maintenance/operations to address system performance issues and provide analysis across all operations
• Provide second-level escalation support to site technicians and automation engineers, both locally and remotely
• Appropriately escalate downtime situations to vendors or headquarters for support to restore equipment operation
• Facilitate Failure Analysis and Incident Review processes to drive continuous improvement
• Perform and analyze building System Assessments to enhance material handling system performance
• Communicate technical issues and project timelines clearly to building managers, operations staff and maintenance teams

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in electrical or mechanical engineering, engineering technology or equivalent, or 4+ years of professional or military experience
• Work a flexible schedule/shift/work area, including weekends, nights, and/or holidays
• 2+ years of experience with PLC-controlled automation and issue diagnosis in a continuous process or production environment
• 2+ years of experience with robotics work cells and control systems
• 2+ years of experience with Ladder Logic and structure programming from Siemens, Allen-Bradley, or Codesys PLCs
• 2+ years of experience with electrical theory, robotics, controls components, and automated equipment
• Experience with a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS)

Nice-to-haves

• Advanced degree in computer science, electrical engineering, automation engineering
• Experience acting in a team lead capacity, supporting, training, and mentoring less experienced automation engineering professionals
• Experience with HMI and control network components, including maintenance, troubleshooting, programming and design
• Experience identifying, maintaining, troubleshooting, and modifying Motor Controls including motor starters, Variable Frequency Drives, DC drives, and standard electrical components
• Hands-on industrial electrical experience, including 480V 3-phase, 110 VAC, and 24VDC systems
• Experience interpreting, modifying, and developing mechanical and electrical drawings
• Experience identifying, maintaining, and utilizing SCADA systems and KPIs
• Experience with programming software such as RSLogix5000 studio, FT View, and other controls software platforms
• Experience in controls design or programming
• Systems integration experience
• Field service engineering or systems training experience
• Experience supporting various conveyors and sortation systems
• Excellent written, verbal and customer service skills
• Proven track record in remote technical support
• Experience driving continuous improvement or programmatic solutions in relation to automated equipment
• Experience with advanced automation controls systems and industrial robotics
• Experience with Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (ASRS)

Benefits

• Competitive compensation packages including comprehensive healthcare benefits starting on Day 1
• Matching 401(k) program
• Up to 20 weeks of paid parental leave
• Lightweight fire-resistant daily wear and composite toe safety shoes for your safety