Industrial Automation & Application Engineer

Summary: An energetic and creative role responsible for designing, developing, installing, managing, and maintaining hardware and software systems used to monitor, control, and automate engineering and manufacturing business processes. This blended role requires craft-level skill and agility to deliver controls systems and web-based applications that drive production and operational efficiencies.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

· System Automation & Development: Design, develop, maintain, and modify new and existing control systems and computer programs to automate specific business processes across all aspects of manufacturing operations.

· Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work collaboratively under general supervision with design engineers, operation engineers, purchasers, IT, and other internal staff to understand operational processes.

· Requirements & Documentation: Discuss and document application requirements with internal and external customers, transforming business requirements into technical designs, flow charts, and user instructions.

· Hardware Integration: Establish wiring design, cabinet layouts, and installation of cabinet components (relays, terminal strips, surge suppressors, PLC components, Power Supplies, Fiber Optic Termination, CAT 5, and CAT 6).

· Component & Protocol Integration: Integrate third-party components including laser sensors, camera systems, proximity switches, and mechanical switches using Modbus, Ethernet, DH/DH+, Device Net, Control Net, and TCP/IP.

· Project Management: Manage engineering and software projects within cost and time-constrained environments.

· Compliance & Safety: Troubleshoot technical problems while ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations and quality standards.

· Handles new and changing priorities with professionalism and is willing to relocate to other business units when urgent needs arise

Other Qualifications:

· Control Disciplines & Platforms: APC, DCS, PLC (Allen Bradley, GE Fanuc, Siemens, Direct Automation), and SCADA.

· Programming & Scripting Languages: C#, JavaScript Libraries (Vue, Angular, JQuery), HTML, CSS, ASP.NET, Python, PowerShell, .NET Framework, and MVC/Web API.

· Development Tools & IDEs: Visual Studio, Visual Studio Code, Vuetify, AXIOS, Vuex Store, and NPM. Databases: MS SQL Server, TSQL, and Pervasive.

· Project Management & Cloud Infrastructure: YouTrack, GitLab (SVN), Git, AWS, and WordPress.

· Specialized Software & Protocols: CAD, SolidWorks, Signal R, Crystal Reports, Bartender Label Making Software, RFID, and EDI.

· Robotic Systems: Familiarity with robotic controls and single/multi-axis linear actuated robotic transfer systems.

Education and/or Experience:

Bachelor's degree (B. S.) from four-year college or university in Electrical Computer, or Mechanical Engineering, Undergraduate projects in automation a plus. 1-5 years’ experience desired.

Computer Skills:

Must be very capable for MS Office Suite of products. Ideal candidate would also be familiar with various methods of robotic automation, single and multi-axis linear actuated robotic transfer systems.

THE G.A. RICHARDS GROUP

The G. A. Richards Group consists of several Michigan-based operations that each engineer and build components for various global manufacturers. With 100 years of experience, we compete across the general industrial and office furniture market. We provide the necessary input to our customers that optimizes component design for our manufacturing processes.