Automation Technician / Automation Engineer
Location
Liberty Packing Company, LLC
About the Company
The Morning Star Company and its affiliates operate three tomato processing facilities in Central California, processing about 40% of the California processing tomato crop, in addition to tomato growing, transplanting, farming, harvesting and trucking operations. The company employs approximately 500 year-round and over 3,000 seasonal colleagues, with annual sales of about $1 billion.
The Morning Star Company is the largest producer of bulk tomato ingredient products (tomato paste and diced tomatoes) in the world. We also produce canned tomatoes, tomato products and specialty sauces in pouches for customers in the retail and food service markets. The company is known worldwide for its innovation and integrity.
We are organizationally structured through a system we term Mission Focused Self-Management. Our company is operated by Colleagues without titles or an appointed hierarchy of authority. Authority relative to other Colleagues' activities is lateral, with our Mission as our guiding principle of action, and respect, influence and success built based on each Colleague's integrity, competency, effort, persistence and straightforward persuasiveness. Although we have grown significantly, we intend to maintain a culture of individual responsibility and Mission Focused Self-Management.
Role Summary
The Automation Technician / Automation Engineer is responsible for the design, implementation, maintenance, and optimization of industrial automation systems across processing and packaging operations. This role supports reliable plant operation by maintaining PLC, HMI, instrumentation, and electrical control systems while driving continuous improvement, troubleshooting, and automation upgrades in a food and beverage manufacturing environment.
The position works closely with Engineering, Maintenance, Operations, and external vendors to ensure safe, robust, and efficient automation systems that meet production, quality, and food safety requirements.
Key Responsibilities
Automation & Controls
Design, program, troubleshoot, and maintain PLC-based control systems, including logic, I/O, and communications
Develop and support HMI/SCADA systems for process monitoring and operator interaction
Diagnose and resolve automation-related downtime in processing and packaging equipment
Support startup, commissioning, and validation of new automation systems and equipment
Electrical & Instrumentation
Troubleshoot electrical control panels, motor controls, VFDs, sensors, and field devices
Maintain and calibrate instrumentation (flow, pressure, temperature, level, pH, etc.)
Interpret and update electrical schematics, loop diagrams, and P&IDs
Ensure compliance with electrical codes, safety standards, and plant LOTO procedures
Continuous Improvement & Projects
Identify opportunities to improve OEE, reliability, and process consistency through automation
Support capital projects involving new equipment, line upgrades, or controls modernization
Standardize controls architectures, programming practices, and documentation
Collaborate with vendors, integrators, and internal engineering teams
Food & Beverage Manufacturing Support
Ensure automation systems support
Food safety, quality, and sanitation requirements
Participate in CIP/SIP automation, batching, and recipe management systems
Support traceability, alarms, data logging, and process controls critical to food production
Required Qualifications
Experience
Education (preferred, not mandatory depending on level)
Preferred Qualifications
Soft Skills & Attributes
Compensation
The salary for this role is $180,000-$200,000, depending heavily upon qualifications.
Benefits
Morning Star offers a top-tier, comprehensive health plan, including medical, dental, and vision, and we pay the full monthly premiums for the Colleague and all eligible family members. The company also contributes to Colleagues Health Savings Accounts. Year-round Colleagues are eligible to enroll in our 401K plan, with 4% match.