Sr. OT Automation Engineer

Who We Are:
Challenge Manufacturing’s mission is to manufacture with operational excellence by empowering our employee-owners. As a leading tier 1 supplier of complex metal assemblies for the global automotive industry, we drive innovative solutions for future mobility. We believe the best ideas come from individual unique perspectives. These ideas combined with the teamwork of industry leaders allow us to accomplish any challenge. Our team members take pride in the work we do and embody our core values of safety, ownership, and teamwork every day; they are the true driving force in our operations.

Challenge is proud to be one of the largest employee-owned automotive companies in North America. One of the many benefits of joining the Challenge team is the ESOP program. This program allows Challenge to give shares of the Company to all employee-owners annually. These shares are an additional retirement benefit that will continue to grow during your time at Challenge. Being part of an ESOP means our employee-owners share in Challenge’s success!

Challenge is #QualityDriven and #PeoplePowered!

Who We Want:
We are seeking a Senior OT Automation Engineer to lead strategic automation initiatives across multiple automotive plants. This role is responsible for architecting and optimizing high-performance, secure, and reliable OT/automation systems — including Rockwell PLCs, HMIs, and robotics — that drive high-volume production, enable Industry 4.0 transformation, and support complex new vehicle program launches.

The ideal candidate brings advanced technical expertise, proven leadership in multi-plant environments, and a track record of driving operational excellence through automation, innovation, and cross-functional alignment.

What You'Ll Do:

• Provide technical and strategic leadership in the design, deployment, and optimization of automation systems across multiple plants, including Rockwell PLCs, HMIs, and robotics.
• Define, implement, and enforce standardized automation and controls practices to ensure consistency, system reliability, and adherence to automotive standards (IATF 16949, ISO 10218).
• Lead integration efforts between automation systems and enterprise-level platforms including MES, SCADA, IIoT, and advanced analytics for real-time visibility and predictive insights.
• Drive Industry 4.0 initiatives such as AI/ML-based predictive maintenance, anomaly detection, and automated quality monitoring.
• Partner with Production, Engineering, OT, and IT stakeholders to deliver measurable improvements in throughput, line efficiency, system uptime, and product quality.
• Lead resolution of complex automation and robotics issues across sites, ensuring rapid root cause analysis, system recovery, and long-term corrective actions.
• Oversee automation readiness for new vehicle programs and plant expansions, ensuring seamless integration, testing, and commissioning.
• Evaluate and lead deployment of emerging automation technologies including collaborative robots (cobots), AMRs, AGVs, and digital twin platforms.
• Develop and manage plant-wide automation KPIs and drive continuous improvement initiatives across facilities.
• Provide mentorship and technical direction to Controls & Robotics Engineers and support staff across all sites.
• Collaborate with IT/OT teams to ensure automation systems follow OT cybersecurity best practices and secure network architecture.
• Maintain and oversee robust SOPs, system documentation, and disaster recovery strategies across the automation landscape.
• Champion lean manufacturing principles in automation design and continuous improvement projects.
• When and Where:
• This will be a M-F position located at our Corporate Office in Walker, MI.
• Occasionally, this may require you to arrive early, stay late, or work on weekends, outside of our regular hours, to ensure we successfully meet customer needs, deadlines, or urgent requests.

What You Need To Have:

• Associate or Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Mechatronics, Robotics Engineering, Industrial Automation, or related field.
• 5+ years of hands-on industrial automation experience in multi-plant, high-volume automotive manufacturing (10+ years preferred for senior-level consideration).
• Extensive experience with Rockwell PLCs, HMIs, and robotics systems (Fanuc, ABB, Kawasaki).
• Proven ability to standardize automation practices and deploy scalable solutions across multiple sites.
• Experience integrating automation with MES, SCADA, IIoT, and analytics platforms.
• Strong troubleshooting, root cause analysis, and problem-solving skills in multi-site environments.
• Experience supporting new vehicle program launches and major plant expansion projects.
• Robotics vendor certifications (Fanuc, ABB, Kawasaki) are a plus.
• Familiarity with collaborative robotics (cobots), AMRs, AGVs, and Industry 4.0 technologies, including digital twins and AI/ML-driven solutions.
• Automotive launch/change management experience in high-volume production environments.
• Demonstrated leadership in mentoring or managing cross-functional OT and automation teams.
• Excellent communication, documentation, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Understanding of OT cybersecurity best practices and secure automation network design.

What We Offer:
We’re excited to offer a range of awesome benefits, including medical, dental, and vision insurance, a Health Savings Account with annual employer contributions, Flexible Spending Accounts, company-paid Short-Term Disability and Basic Life Insurance, Voluntary Life and Long-Term Disability options, an Employer 401k Match, ESOP shares, tuition reimbursement, a Referral Bonus Program, Challenge Incentive Program, and paid time off.

Please note, while these benefits are part of what we offer, they may not all apply to this specific role. The details shared in this job description are intended to give you a general idea, but duties and responsibilities may evolve over time, with or without notice. And of course, we’re happy to provide reasonable accommodations to help individuals with disabilities succeed in their role.