Automation Engineer Manager

Short Intro and About the Job

This position will work closely with Senior Plant Leadership to direct and manage the controls and automation team. This person will be an engineering professional with hands-on experience in Automation and Controls Systems design, implementation, management, and continuous improvement.

At Danone, Manufacturing the best products and supplying them to meet demand is a key driver for our plant teams. We are currently looking to hire an Automation Engineer Manager based in City of Industry, CA !

About the Job:

• Understand and document current Automation and Controls Systems, identify areas for improvement, develop solutions for future states including the latest Automation technology, where applicable, and implement sustaining improvements.
• Optimize current Automation and Control Systems to meet all customer, regulatory, and internal requirements.
• Demonstrated project management experience in placing new Automation and Control Systems equipment and processes into operation is required.
• Proficient in visual communication of relevant information to Operations, including the reporting of historical events / trends to support root cause analysis and continuous improvement.
• Must practice proven decision-making skills, work effectively under pressure and possess the integrity to make the right decisions.
• Utilize contracted resources to ensure the correct expertise is fully utilized to achieve project scope.
• Effective in delegating project tasks ensuring that key project initiatives/objectives, scope, budget and timelines are uninterrupted and met.
• Effectively interface with multiple cross functional teams including quality, technical services, R&D and with all levels of plant personnel.
• Develops, conducts, and coordinates automation and controls training plans for plant mechanics
• Coaches and guides automation engineer team within assigned areas of responsibilities
• Develop relationships and solicit input into the Automation and Control Systems continuous improvement considerations from key technical resources, plant leadership team, supervisors, maintenance personnel, and operators to facilitate the seamless Automation and Control Systems improvement project implementation into operation.
• Proficient in developing Requests for Proposals (RFP) for industrial automation related projects.
• Review automation controls related documents (electrical drawings, functional analysis), HMI design and programming to ensure it adheres to the Automation standard.
• Ensure Automation and Control Systems minimum performance, meet safety requirements, make sure that the product/system/process is consistent and repeatable, and provide for interfacing with other standard-compliant equipment (ensure compatibility).
• Set standards on Networking and Server System configuration and proper cabling specifications.
• Responsibilities also include development of internal policies, procedures, documentation, and facilitating training on current and new Automation and Control Systems across the organization.
• Support Danone North Americas initiatives and goals as assigned.
• Facilitate Automation and Control System feasibility studies and plant operations impact studies. Including completion of design concepts, information flow diagrams, and capital estimates.
• Develop Automation and Controls Systems documentation including functional descriptions, equipment specifications, standards, and best practices.
• Analyze, compare, and recommend Automation and Control Systems engineering proposals.
• Experience providing relevant information: Optimize data acquisition, alarming, reporting, archiving, and retrieval.
• Strong foundation in electrical controls and computerized control systems required

Physical Demands

• Ability to travel to all areas in the facility which may require climbing, ascending, and descending stairs, and traveling long distances, as required.
• Ability to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as required. Ability to respond to audible and visual alarms. Ability to communicate verbally and in written form

Work Environment

• Work is performed in a manufacturing environment with exposure to moderate noise and temperature variations.
• Work schedules could include nights, weekends and/or holidays to provide the ability to support a 24/7 manufacturing environment as business needs dictate.

Engagement in our Integrated Work Systems

Ensure adherence to plant standards and procedures (including but not limited to GMP, AIB, FDA, IWS, Quality, Safety, Finance, ISO, HOPE, Danone Behaviors, Daily Direction Setting, Driving OE). As a fundamental piece of the organization, your responsibility is to participate and own the implementation and deployment of IWS system and its pillars (Leadership foundation, Daily Direction Setting, Driving OE; Autonomous Maintenance; planned Maintenance; Focused Improvement; Education and Training; Environmental, Health and Safety; Quality; Organization; Supply Network; Early Equipment Management) with the objective of owning your space, owning your performance (Safety, Quality, Cost, Delivery, Mobilization, Nature) and owning your continuous improvement.


Compensation & Benefits:

The salary range for this position is: $130K - $160K. Danone North America additionally offers a performance-based bonus and has a strong benefits package including Medical, Dental, Vision, Prescription Drug Coverage, 401k Plan, Wellness Program, Life Insurance, Tuition Reimbursement, Flexible Time Off, and Paid Parental Bonding Leave, among other benefit plan options.


About You

Education and experience

• Bachelor of Science degree in engineering and science discipline (Electrical or Computer Software Engineering, Computer Science preferred) or a related field preferred.
• A combination of equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered in lieu of completed degree.
• Minimum five (5) years' Automation and Control Systems Engineering Project Management experience required, preferably in CPG beverage/food manufacturing.
• Automation and Control Systems installation, supervision, maintenance, and continuous improvement experience required.
• High School/GED required.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Experience and working knowledge of the following distributed Scada systems
  • Inductive Automation's Ignition Platform
  • Wonderware System platform,
  • Factory Talk View SE
• Experience and working knowledge in MSSQL.
• Experience and working knowledge in plant wide automation network design
• Experience and knowledge in logic controller communications
• Experience and working knowledge of Allen Bradley/ Rockwell PLC programming
  • RS Logix 500
  • Studio 5000 (Ladder, Function Block, Sequential function chart, Structured Text is a plus)
• Experience and working knowledge in Industrial networking
  • Ethernet/IP, Modbus TCP, IO Link, AS-I, Device Net
• Experience and working knowledge of historical data management and reporting software
  • Factory Talk Historian
  • Wonderware Historian
• Experience and working knowledge in Microsoft Office suite and windows operating system
• Experience and working knowledge in AutoCAD and Microsoft Visio
• A successful candidate will possess a strong knowledge of automation electrical design
• Experience in supervising Systems Integrators in the mechanical and electrical installations of the control systems, as well as commissioning.
• Must be highly self-directed and able to work independently as well as part of a team.
• Flexible to consider additional information or ideas when formulating solutions.
• Must be organized and self-disciplined to accommodate the management of concurrent multiple projects.
• Excellent conflict resolution and interpersonal skills.
• Fast learner and quickly adapts to change
• Must have fully developed written and presentation skills.
• Strong Automation and Control Systems engineering experience in the food, dairy and or pharmaceutical industries.
• Understanding of food safety regulations - PMO, 3A and FDA Food Safety knowledge / experience is a plus
• Proven experience in planning and implementation of MES reporting according to ISA-95 systems model is a plus
• Experience with SIEMENS logic controller programming is a plus.
• Formal Management of Change (MOC) experience is a plus.
• SAP enterprise resource planning software for materials and production planning integration with PLC environment for product traceability and process optimization is a plus.
• Dairy / Plant Based Beverage experience a plus.
• Ignition gold certification in a plus

About Us, We offer and What's next

Danone U.S. is part of Danone North America, a purpose-driven company and an industry leader in the food and beverage category. You'll work with some of the best-known food and beverage brands in the world. Our strong portfolio of brands includes: Activia®, DanActive®, Danimals®, Dannon®, evian®, Follow Your Heart®, Happy Family® Organics, International Delight®, Light + Fit®, Nutricia ®, Oikos®, Silk®, So Delicious® Dairy Free, STōK® Cold Brew Coffee ®, Too Good & Co™, and YoCrunch®.


With approximately 5,000 employees and 13 production locations across the U.S., Danone North America's mission is to bring health through food to as many people as possible.


You'll be part of one of the largest Certified B Corps™ in the world , working to make sure our company creates real value for people and the planet. Come join our movement for a healthier world: One Planet. One Health BY YOU.

Danone North America is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. It is our policy to give equal employment opportunities to all qualified persons without regard to legally protected characteristics, or any other consideration made unlawful by applicable federal, state/provincial and/or local law. For our EEO policy statement and your EEO rights under law click here.

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