Automation Technician - A Shift

Job Description Summary

GE Vernova’s Gas Power business engineers advanced, efficient natural gas-powered technologies and services, along with decarbonization solutions that aim to help electrify a lower carbon future. It is a global leader in gas turbines and power plant technologies and services with the industry’s largest installed base

Job Description

Essential Responsibilities

Advanced Automation & Robotics Support

• •Install, maintain, troubleshoot, and optimize robotic systems, automated equipment, and manufacturing cells used in production.
• •Perform advanced fault isolation across integrated systems including robots, PLCs, HMIs, sensors, drives, conveyors, end-of-arm tooling, safety circuits, and peripheral equipment.
• •Diagnose and resolve complex equipment issues involving multiple failure modes across electrical, mechanical, controls, and process interactions.
• •Lead technical troubleshooting during high-impact downtime events, using a systematic approach to identify root cause and restore operation safely and efficiently.
• •Evaluate recurring failures and chronic equipment losses to determine whether issues stem from component wear, programming logic, process variation, setup conditions, operator interaction, or system design limitations.
• •Serve as the escalation point for difficult automation and robotics problems that cannot be resolved through standard maintenance practices.

Controls, Programming, and Diagnostics

• •Troubleshoot and support PLC logic, robot programs, CNC interfaces, servo systems, VFDs, and HMI-controlled processes.
• •Perform I/O diagnostics, signal tracing, device verification, and communication troubleshooting across control panels and machine networks.
• •Make controlled program edits, parameter adjustments, and recovery changes within approved procedures and change management expectations.
• •Analyze alarms, faults, interlocks, sequence issues, and machine state conditions to identify hidden causes of equipment stoppage or performance degradation.
• •Support backup, restoration, and version control of robot, PLC, and HMI programs in coordination with engineering and controls teams.
• •Assist in validating control system changes and startup performance after repairs, upgrades, or process adjustments.

Reliability, Root Cause, and Continuous Improvement

• •Drive a structured troubleshooting culture using root cause analysis tools such as 5 Whys, fishbone diagrams, fault trees, Pareto review, and failure trend analysis.
• •Investigate chronic downtime, nuisance faults, repeat failures, and intermittent issues with the goal of eliminating recurrence.
• •Identify weak points in equipment design, maintenance strategy, spare parts readiness, component selection, or operating practice and recommend durable corrective actions.
• •Participate in and support reliability-centered maintenance activities including PM optimization, predictive maintenance, spare parts strategy, FMEA, TPM, and critical asset planning.
• •Use historical downtime data, alarm history, failure patterns, and maintenance records to prioritize improvement efforts.
• •Develop and implement corrective and preventive actions that improve machine reliability, process stability, throughput, and safety.

System Integration & Technical Improvement

• •Support automation engineers with equipment upgrades, controls modifications, retrofits, and integration of new automation technologies.
• •Participate in commissioning, startup, debug, and validation of new robotic cells, automation systems, and production equipment.
• •Assist in proving out system functionality after installation or major maintenance, including verification of machine performance, safety systems, communications, and process repeatability.
• •Recommend and help implement improvements to increase equipment robustness, reduce cycle interruptions, improve fault recovery, and simplify maintenance access.
• •Support integration and troubleshooting of industrial communication systems including EtherNet/IP, Profinet, device-level networks, remote I/O, and smart instrumentation.
• •Contribute technical input to capital projects, controls upgrades, and equipment redesign efforts based on hands-on operational experience.

Production and Process Support

• •Respond rapidly to equipment downtime while balancing immediate recovery with thorough technical evaluation.
• •Work cross-functionally with production, engineering, and quality teams to resolve process-related automation issues that affect output, scrap, repeatability, or product quality.
• •Distinguish between machine faults, process faults, programming issues, setup errors, and operator-driven variation in order to apply the right corrective action.
• •Support product and process changeovers requiring advanced equipment adjustment, reteaching, recalibration, or program verification.
• •Assist in developing robust recovery methods for process interruptions to minimize scrap and unplanned downtime.
• •Provide technical mentorship and guidance to maintenance technicians and operators on equipment behavior, fault recovery, and basic troubleshooting practices.

Documentation, Standardization, and Knowledge Capture

• •Maintain detailed records of troubleshooting findings, root cause conclusions, corrective actions, program changes, and equipment modifications.
• •Update electrical schematics, troubleshooting guides, recovery procedures, PM documents, and maintenance work instructions as needed.
• •Document lessons learned from major failures and support creation of troubleshooting standards to improve future response.
• •Help build technical documentation that improves repeatability, accelerates diagnosis, and reduces dependency on tribal knowledge.
• •Ensure all repairs, modifications, and adjustments are properly communicated and recorded in accordance with site procedures.

Safety, Risk Reduction, and Compliance

• •Follow all GE Vernova, local site, and regulatory safety requirements related to electrical systems, robotics, automation equipment, and machine safeguarding.
• •Execute and support lockout/tagout, arc flash awareness, stored energy isolation, and machine safety verification activities.
• •Troubleshoot and maintain safety systems including light curtains, interlocks, guarding, safety relays, safety PLCs, and emergency stop circuits.
• •Identify equipment conditions that create safety, quality, or reliability risk and escalate or correct them appropriately.
• •Support safe startup and restart of automated systems following maintenance, fault recovery, or system modification.

Qualifications/Requirements

• •Associate degree, technical diploma, or certification in one of the following:
• •Mechatronics
• •Robotics
• •Industrial Automation
• •Electrical Technology
• •Mechanical Technology
• •Controls Technology
• or equivalent hands-on experience

• •4+ years of experience in a manufacturing, automation, robotics, or advanced maintenance environment.
• •Demonstrated experience troubleshooting integrated industrial equipment beyond routine component replacement.
• •Working knowledge of:
• •industrial robotics
• •PLC-controlled systems
• •industrial electrical systems
• •servo and motion systems
• •mechanical power transmission
• •pneumatic and hydraulic systems
• •machine safety systems

• •Flexibility: Willingness to work A, B, or C Shift.
• •A: 5AM - 3:30PM (MON, TUES, WED, TH)
• •B: 3:30PM - 2AM (MON, TUES, WED, TH)
• •C: 6AM - 6:30PM (FRI, SAT, SUN)

Desired Education/Experience

• •Experience supporting complex automated manufacturing systems with multiple integrated subsystems.
• •Experience with industrial robots and cobots such as:
• •FANUC
• •KUKA
• •ABB
• •Yaskawa Motoman

• •Familiarity with PLC and controls platforms such as:
• •Siemens
• •Rockwell Automation / Allen-Bradley

• •Experience with:
• •servo drives and motion control
• •VFDs and motor control systems
• •industrial networks such as EtherNet/IP and Profinet
• •vision systems
• •automated conveyors and material handling
• •safety