Senior Manager, Automation Projects Engineering

Job Purpose

As the Senior Manager of Automation Projects Engineering, you will be the driving force behind the execution of advanced automation programs that scale VulcanForms' production capabilities. This role is built for a strategic leader who looks at the bigger picture—someone who defines how our technology, processes, and people intersect to deliver 24/7 "lights-out" manufacturing solutions. Rather than focusing on the delivery of an individual machine or a single technical problem, your scope is organizational. You will own the technology roadmap, program-level KPI planning, and CapEx budgets, while cultivating a culture of engineering excellence across your team. Success in this position means successfully guiding engineers through complex technical challenges, fostering their career growth, and acting as a key partner to company executives and cross-functional teams to turn ambitious automation concepts into seamless factory realities.

Key Responsibilities

• Talent Evaluation & Team Management: Drive career development, growing core engineering skills, and managing performance loops for your team.
• Strategic Technical Delivery: Maintain clear visibility and status of all automation projects within your scope, effectively communicating health and metrics up to executive leadership and down through your report structure. Ensure all programs meet rigorous high-level KPIs.
• Technical Development Roadmap: Lead the continuous improvement of our automation infrastructure by driving the technology roadmap and executing program-level KPI planning.
• Organizational & Technical Process improvements: Establish systems to ensure all in house standards and processes are continually improving through feedback on completed projects and forward looking architectural changes.
• Executive & Cross-Functional Partnership: Act as a primary automation authority interfacing with Company Executives, Program Management, and Customer Management teams, as well as management-level internal teams.
• Technical Discussion Support: Serve as the ultimate escalation point and champion for your project engineers during complex technical discussions, ensuring systems remain robust, repeatable, and safe.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of hands-on experience in manufacturing engineering, factory automation project management, or industrial systems development within a high-stakes, high-precision production environment.
• 3+ years of formal people management experience with direct responsibility for performance management, resource allocation, and team career development within a matrixed engineering organization.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, Robotics Engineering, or a related technical field.
• Proven track record of successfully managing multi-million dollar capital equipment lines and navigating cross-functional complexities to deliver projects on time and within budget.
• Strong foundational expertise in the lifecycle deployment of industrial robotics, PLC-based control systems, automated material handling, and custom automation machinery to effectively support team engineering reviews.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience leading the organizational strategy and scaling required for high-throughput, "lights-out" manufacturing lines.
• Hands-on familiarity with metal Additive Manufacturing (AM) systems and managing the deployment of complex post-processing automation equipment.
• Experience establishing standardized stage-gate review processes for hardware development and commissioning inside a centralized factory framework.

VulcanForms offers a competitive salary and equity package. Actual compensation is based on factors such as the candidate's skills, qualifications, and experience. In addition, VulcanForms provides comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, vision, and life insurance; generous paid time off; and a 401(k) plan with company match. 

The annual base salary range for this position is $155,000 to $211,000.