Material Flow Engineer

Material Flow Engineer

Client: Amazon

Location: Pittsburgh, PA, and Texas

Focus: Factory Warehouse Design and Material Flow

Experience: 5+ Years

Education: Bachelor's or Master's degree in Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical field.

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced Material Flow Engineer to design, develop, and implement automated and semi-automated material handling systems for manufacturing and warehouse operations.

The candidate will manage material flow systems from concept development and engineering design through installation, commissioning, and operational handover.

The role requires strong expertise in AGV, AMR, AGC, VRC, conveyors, robotics, ASRS, factory simulation, and warehouse optimization.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the full lifecycle of material flow and process equipment, from concept development through commissioning and handover.
• Design and deploy automated and semi-automated material handling systems, including AGV, AMR, AGC, VRC, conveyors, robotic cells, lifts, and ASRS.
• Define mechanical, electrical, and control system requirements.
• Ensure compliance with factory layout constraints, safety standards, and ergonomic guidelines.
• Develop system architecture, capacity, and throughput models.
• Evaluate technical feasibility and balance OPEX and CAPEX.
• Collaborate with Manufacturing, Operations, Controls, Facilities, Process, and Industrial Engineering teams.
• Integrate automation systems with MES, WMS, and PLC-based control systems.
• Lead material handling automation design and line balancing.
• Manage RFQs, vendor selection, procurement, FAT/SAT, schedules, budgets, and project milestones.
• Build and execute Discrete Event Simulation (DES) models using FlexSim or equivalent tools.
• Develop simulation-based recommendations for capacity, material flow, and resource utilization.
• Define fleet management, path optimization, and traffic control strategies for AGV/AMR systems.
• Analyze OEE, throughput, and downtime data to identify bottlenecks.
• Implement continuous improvement initiatives to improve uptime, safety, and scalability.
• Provide technical guidance and automation strategy recommendations.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related technical field.
• 5+ years of experience in manufacturing, automation, or material handling engineering.
• Experience with AGV, AMR, AGC, VRC, conveyors, robotics, and ASRS design, integration, and commissioning.
• Proficiency in AutoCAD and SolidWorks.
• Experience with FlexSim or equivalent factory simulation tools.
• Experience managing projects from concept through installation and commissioning.
• Program management experience covering scope, schedule, budget, and vendor coordination.
• Knowledge of PLC, MES, and WMS integration.
• Understanding of industrial safety standards (ANSI/ISO/IEC).
• Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, PFEP, and Just-in-Time (JIT).
• Experience working with manufacturing KPIs such as OEE, throughput, yield, and downtime.

Preferred Qualifications

• Python, SQL, Power BI, or Tableau.
• Exposure to IoT-enabled automation systems.
• Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma Green Belt certification.
• Experience in battery manufacturing, energy storage, or high-tech manufacturing.
• Project management experience involving budgeting, scheduling, and vendor collaboration.

Must-Have Skills

• End-to-end warehouse and material flow design.
• Buffer analysis and planning.
• Material handling equipment evaluation and procurement.
• Cart design and procurement.
• Lineside and finished goods buffer planning.
• Aisle sizing and optimization.
• PFEP (Plan for Every Part).