AUTOMATION AND QUALITY MANAGER

Job Description

Job Description

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Automation Controls & Quality Manager is a combined technical and quality leadership role responsible for directing a team of Automation Controls Engineers while setting and enforcing engineering technical and quality standards across the organization. This role bridges hands-on automation and controls engineering leadership with ownership of design release standards, build quality, and field acceptance — ensuring that what we design, build, and deliver performs to standard the first time, every time.

This position is based on-site in Decatur, IL, with regular travel to our St. Louis, MO office and periodic travel to customer sites for installations and factory acceptance testing.

MUST-HAVES

If you don't meet every item below, this isn't the right role for you.

• 5+ years of experience in controls or automation engineering , with at least 2 years in a leadership or management role.
• 5+ years experience setting quality or engineering process standards across design and manufacturing.
• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or closely related engineering discipline.
• Strong expertise in PLC programming (structured text, ladder logic), system integration, and AutoCAD Electrical.
• Hands-on experience with design review, release and change control, functional testing, and factory acceptance testing.
• Based on-site in Decatur, IL; travel to our St. Louis, MO office and to customer sites as needed.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Lead the Automation Controls Team

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Automation Controls Engineers, ensuring project milestones are met and collaboration thrives.
• Lead hands-on ownership of programming, system logic creation for AGV fleets, and troubleshooting to ensure successful deployment.
• Oversee the design, development, and implementation of control systems from concept through customer delivery — on time and within budget.
• Work directly with AGV partners to integrate advanced technologies.
• Interface with customers to expand their understanding of automation systems and prepare their teams for deployment.

Own Engineering Quality — Design Through Delivery

• Define and enforce design release standards, review checklists, and release criteria within the stage-gate process.
• Review and challenge engineers' work on technical merit, scope, manufacturability, assembly, serviceability, and safety — and redirect when needed.
• Hold an engineering release or shipment that does not meet standard; escalate disputes to the Director of Operations with a recommendation.
• Own root cause and corrective action on every field issue; trace warranty cost back to its source.

Set and Enforce Build Standards

• Define build standards and inspection gates at fabrication, machining, paint, assembly, and final test.
• Own the last five percent: functional testing, labeling, correct hardware and torque, and presentation-grade finish.
• Build a machine-builder mentality across both sites, with engineers spending real time on the plant floor.

Lead Factory Acceptance Testing

• Set full functional pretest standards for every machine — including controls, automation, and safety systems — before shipment.
• Define FAT procedures and documentation; lead customer acceptance tests alongside program management.
• Ensure what is tested in Decatur is what the customer sees on their floor.

Drive Continuous Improvement

• Champion design reuse, standard components, templates, and configurable platforms to reduce rework and accelerate delivery.
• Introduce design automation and checking tools that catch errors before release.
• Run post-project reviews on significant programs so lessons learned become standards.
• Trace design-related rework and change orders to root cause and close the loop with engineering teams.
• Working directly with Sales, Application and Estimating, as needed. 
• Working directly with CPT (Core Products Team) on automation design support. 

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related field.
• 5+ years of controls or automation engineering experience; 2+ years in a leadership or management role.
• 5+ years setting and enforcing engineering quality or process standards across design and manufacturing.
• Expertise in PLC programming (structured text, ladder logic), AutoCAD Electrical, and system integration.
• Hands-on experience with design review, change control, functional testing, and factory acceptance testing.
• Experience with 3D CAD (SolidWorks preferred), PDM, and ERP systems.
• Familiarity with Kollmorgen systems, CANbus, and Ethernet communications is a plus.
• Six Sigma or ASQ certification a plus.