Lead Automation Engineer

Senior Automation & Robotic Cell Design Engineer$100,000 - $120,000/yr • Brown Deer, WI Area (Northern Milwaukee County) • 1st Shift / Mon-Fri (100% Onsite) • Full-Time / Direct HireCompensation & Environment: Base salary up to $120,000 with full benefits, joining an elite global OEM with design bays and assembly floor under one roof.Tech Stack & Tools: Advanced SolidWorks for large assemblies, custom robotic cell integration, high-speed pick-and-place, precision power transmission, pneumatics, and hydraulics.Autonomy & Impact: High-autonomy ground-up machine design with zero repetitive tweaks, immediate assembly feedback loops, and a clear path toward senior leadership.Schedule & Work Model: Stable 1st-shift schedule with 100% on-site collaboration in a high-growth, modern manufacturing environment.Strict Requirements: U.S. Citizenship or Permanent Residency (Green Card) required; residence within a dependable daily commute radius of Brown Deer, WI.If you are a veteran machine designer or BSME looking to escape rigid corporate silos and repetitive product tweaks, this direct-hire role provides an exceptional technical home. Our client is a high-growth, international OEM designing ground-up, complex custom automation and robotic cells for global market leaders across North America and Europe. Operating in a 100% SolidWorks environment as one of five Lead Engineers, you will enjoy the unique privilege of watching your custom mechanical creations manufactured, wired, and assembled right on-site with an immediate feedback loop from machinists, builders, and controls engineers.What You Will Be Doing (Daily Responsibilities)Ground-Up Machine Architecture: Lead mechanical design integrity and engineering accuracy for high-speed, multi-axis automated machinery and robotic work cells.Conceptual Design & Quoting: Develop concepts and collaborate with Project Managers to brainstorm cost-effective, high-performance automated solutions.Project & Team Leadership: Break down complex design scopes into milestones, guiding internal detailers/designers and coordinating with external fabrication partners.Fluid Power & Drive Systems: Integrate fluid power and drive mechanics, applying advanced engineering principles to select hydraulics, pneumatics, and servo systems.Design Reviews & Safety Verification: Conduct early-stage design reviews to eliminate safety hazards, pinch points, and ergonomic issues prior to shop release.Client & Assembly Floor Collaboration: Serve as technical contact for global clients while managing strict BOM engineering releases and resolving assembly floor issues in real time.What We Are Looking For (Requirements & Qualifications)Education & Experience: Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering (BSME) or 5–10 years of verifiable, ground-up custom equipment design experience in heavy machinery or high-speed automation.SolidWorks Expertise: Expert fluency modeling large assemblies, managing configurations, and drafting production-ready drawings in SolidWorks.Manufacturing Acuity: Practical understanding of structural weldments (GMAW/GTAW), material selection, machine shop processes, and precision machining tolerances.Project Management & Career Stability: Proven history of maintaining project schedules and budgets, paired with a solid employment history showing strong tenure.Local Residency: US Citizen or Green Card holder residing within a dependable daily driving radius of Brown Deer / Northern Milwaukee County, WI.Preferred Technical Assets (Bonus Skills)Robotic Cell Integration: Hands-on experience designing end-of-arm tooling (EOAT) and integrating Fanuc or ABB robotic arms into automated lines.International Standards: Familiarity with European machinery safety standards (CE marking, ISO/ISO 13849 safety integration).Cross-Functional Design: Background working directly alongside controls engineers to co-design servo-driven motion profiles and sensor placement.