Digital Factory Engineer / Plant Simulation

Plant Simulation Engineer -

Autonomous Material Flow & Digital Factory

Position Summary

Actalent is seeking a Plant Simulation Engineer to support the design, validation, and optimization of next-generation autonomous material flow

solutions across OEM manufacturing facilities. This role is responsible for creating and maintaining digital factory models using Siemens Plant Simulation to evaluate AGVs, AMRs, conveyors, production systems, and facility layouts before physical implementation. The engineer will leverage discrete event simulation (DES) and digital twin methodologies to analyze material flow, identify bottlenecks, validate manufacturing concepts, and provide data-driven recommendations that improve throughput, efficiency, and launch readiness. The ideal candidate combines simulation expertise with a strong understanding of manufacturing operations, production systems, and material flow. This role will work closely with manufacturing, controls, industrial engineering, operations, and automation teams to support the deployment of innovative material handling solutions across manufacturing facilities.

Key Responsibilities

Digital Factory Modeling

• Develop, maintain, and enhance digital factory models using Siemens Plant Simulation.
• Create discrete event simulation (DES) models representing manufacturing, assembly, logistics, and material handling operations.
• Model AGV/AMR fleets, conveyors, warehouses, staging areas, supermarkets, and production lines.
• Simulate future-state manufacturing concepts and evaluate operational performance prior to implementation.

Material Flow & Capacity Analysis

• Perform capacity and throughput analysis for Body Shop, Paint Shop, General Assembly, and supporting logistics operations.
• Evaluate jobs-per-hour (JPH), cycle times, utilizations, queue lengths, and bottleneck conditions.
• Analyze material flow strategies and recommend optimal transportation methods, buffer sizing, and equipment utilization.
• Support material handling network design and AGV fleet sizing activities.

AGV & Autonomous Material Flow

Optimization

• Simulate AGV and AMR traffic patterns, routing strategies, charging requirements, and fleet utilization.
• Evaluate autonomous material handling concepts and identify opportunities to improve safety, efficiency, and scalability.
• Quantify operational impacts of AGV deployments through simulation-based analysis.
• Support development of standardized AGV solutions for deployment across manufacturing facilities.

Manufacturing Launch Support

• Support new vehicle launches through simulation-based validation and risk assessment.
• Verify manufacturing concepts, layouts, and process designs before physical implementation.
• Identify operational constraints early in the launch process and recommend mitigation strategies.
• Validate production readiness and manufacturing performance targets.

Continuous Improvement &

Collaboration

• Partner with Manufacturing Engineers, Controls Engineers, Material Flow Engineers, Industrial Engineers, and Plant Operations teams.
• Develop business cases and recommendations based on simulation results.
• Present technical findings and improvement opportunities to plant leadership and stakeholders.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives focused on productivity, cost reduction, and operational excellence.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor"s degree in:

• Industrial Engineering

• Manufacturing Engineering

• Mechanical Engineering

• Mechatronics Engineering

• Supply Chain Engineering

• Related Engineering discipline

• Experience using Siemens Plant Simulation.

• Experience developing discrete event simulation (DES) models.

• Understanding of automotive manufacturing processes and production systems.

• Knowledge of material flow, logistics, and manufacturing operations.

• Experience analyzing:

• Throughput (JPH)

• Cycle Times

• Capacity Utilization

• Buffer Sizing

• Bottlenecks

• Familiarity with Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement methodologies.

• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.

• Ability to present technical findings to both engineering and non-technical stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience modeling AGVs, AMRs, automated storage systems, or material handling equipment.
• Automotive manufacturing experience.
• Experience supporting production launches or factory startup activities.
• Knowledge of warehouse operations, line-side delivery, and intralogistics systems.
• Experience with digital twin technologies and smart manufacturing initiatives.
• Exposure to AnyLogic, FlexSim, Simul8, AutoMod, or other simulation platforms.
• Knowledge of Industry 4.0 concepts and data-driven manufacturing systems.

What Success Looks Like

In this role, you will help answer critical manufacturing questions

before capital is committed:

• How many AGVs are required to support production targets?
• Will material flow support planned throughput?
• Where are the bottlenecks in the system?
• What buffer sizes are needed to maintain uptime?
• Will the plant achieve launch volume targets?
• How can operational performance be improved before implementation?

By creating accurate digital representations of Automotive manufacturing

facilities, you will help shape the future of autonomous material handling and

support the successful deployment of advanced manufacturing solutions across the

company.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Warren, MI.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $40.00 - $65.00/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: • Medical, dental & vision • Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital • 401(k) Retirement Plan - Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available • Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) • Short and long-term disability • Health Spending Account (HSA) • Transportation benefits • Employee Assistance Program • Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Warren,MI.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Aug 20, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.