Automation Technology Manager

Abacus Solutions Group is currently recruiting for an Automation Technology Manager to be based out of a facility in Northeast, MD area. Bilingual in English and Spanish is required!

Summary: Own the strategy, deployment, and day-to-day performance of all automation technologies across the fulfillment center — spanning robotics, conveyor and sortation systems, auto-bagging equipment, RFID/print infrastructure, and warehouse execution software. Lead a team of automation technicians and engineers, partner with operations and IT, and ensure maximum system uptime during both steady-state and peak-season operations.

Responsibilities:

• Own SLA for system uptime across all automated equipment — robotics, conveyors, sorters, baggers, RFID, and print-and-apply
• Establish and manage preventive maintenance (PM) programs via CMMS for all MHE and automation assets
• Lead escalation bridge during critical outages; coordinate with OEM field service and internal technicians for rapid recovery
• Monitor Locus Origin fleet health (bot charging, job completion rates, obstacle avoidance alerts) and tune dispatch rules
• Oversee RFID read-rate performance at inbound, outbound, and cross-dock portals; troubleshoot interference, antenna placement, and label quality issues

• Lead a team of 5–15 automation technicians (mechanical, electrical, software) across multiple shifts; hire, develop, and performance-manage
• Build technician skill matrices for robotics, PLC/SCADA, RFID, and conveyor systems; create structured training and certification paths
• Partner with operations managers to align automation staffing with production schedules and peak surge plans
• Champion a safety-first culture including LOTO, robot exclusion zone protocols, and electrical safety compliance

• Manage WES/WCS configuration changes and release management in coordination with IT and WMS teams
• Own integration testing for new equipment onboarding — from API handshakes and PLC programs to end-to-end throughput validation
• Lead capital projects for automation expansion or technology refresh: scope, RFP, vendor selection, installation, UAT, and go-live
• Evaluate emerging technologies (AI-driven picking vision, autonomous packing cells, RFID-on-conveyor) and build business cases for adoption

• Track and report weekly OEE, MTBF, MTTR, and throughput by system; publish to operations leadership and engineering
• Drive root cause analysis on repeat failures — conveyor jams, bagger film breaks, RFID read errors, and robot charging faults
• Partner with process engineers on slotting, wave design, and bot path changes to maximize picks-per-bot-hour
• Reduce automation-driven defects: mis-sorts, unsealed bags, unlabeled cartons, and lost RFID reads
  

Requirements:

• Bachelor degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Mechatronics, Computer Science, or Industrial Engineering
• Masters degree preferred.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish required.
• 5–8+ years in automation, MHE, or systems engineering in a DC or FC environment; 2+ years in a people-management role required.
• Hands on experience with AMR fleet management, horizontal bagger operations and changeovers, RFID system tuning, WES/WCS configuration, and conveyor PLC troubleshooting.
• Locus Robotics certified operator/admin, Six Sigma Green Belt, PLC programming (Allen-Bradley / Siemens), CMRT or CPMM preferred.