Manufacturing Automation Engineer – Cobots

Job Description

The Role

The Manufacturing Automation Engineer – Cobots leads the development, deployment, optimization, and sustainment of manufacturing automation solutions across GPS manufacturing sites. This role combines deep manufacturing engineering expertise with end-to-end project leadership.

You will identify processes suitable for automation, evaluate the right solution—including collaborative robots (cobots), traditional industrial robots, vision systems, controls, and other automation technologies—and lead turnkey projects from concept through launch and sustainment. You will partner with plant teams, manufacturing engineering, controls and automation teams, suppliers, and business stakeholders to deliver solutions that improve safety, quality, ergonomics, throughput, labor efficiency, equipment utilization, and cost performance.

This role supports projects across multiple plant locations. Travel is expected to vary by project phase and may reach 50% or more, including overnight travel and extended time at manufacturing plants during equipment build, installation, commissioning, and launch. Travel may exceed 50% during critical launch periods.

What You’ll Do

• •Visit manufacturing plants and assess current processes, production requirements, and operational constraints.
• •Identify and prioritize automation opportunities that improve safety, ergonomics, quality, cycle time, labor efficiency, uptime, and cost.
• •Conduct feasibility studies and determine the appropriate solution, including cobots, traditional industrial robots, vision systems, controls, tooling, sensors, and related technologies.
• •Lead turnkey automation projects from concept and planning through design, equipment build, installation, commissioning, validation, launch, sustainment, and closeout.
• •Develop project scopes, Statements of Requirements (SORs), technical specifications, project plans, timing, deliverables, and risk and issue-management plans.
• •Obtain and evaluate OEM and supplier quotes; lead supplier and integrator selection in partnership with stakeholders.
• •Secure project funding through applicable governance and approval processes.
• •Coordinate design reviews and equipment development with plant manufacturing engineering, CME, controls and automation teams, safety and ergonomics stakeholders, suppliers, and OEMs.
• •Ensure equipment and process designs meet manufacturing, quality, safety, ergonomic, capability, repeatability, and specification requirements.
• •Coordinate equipment delivery, installation, production downtime windows, commissioning, startup, and launch support.
• •Troubleshoot technical and process issues, perform root cause analysis, develop recovery plans, remove obstacles, and drive corrective actions through completion.
• •Track project timing, open issues, risks, dependencies, and deliverables; communicate status and escalate barriers when needed.
• •Validate equipment capability, repeatability, quality, safety, and process performance before transition to plant ownership.
• •Develop standard work, process documentation, technical specifications, troubleshooting guides, training materials, and lessons learned.
• •Train and support plant engineers, maintenance personnel, operators, and other stakeholders on system requirements and standardized methods.
• •Review process data and performance metrics to identify gaps and drive continuous improvement.
• •Complete project deliverables, deauthorization, and closeout activities.
• •Benchmark and evaluate emerging technologies, tools, and methods that can improve manufacturing performance.

Your Skills and Abilities

• •Strong manufacturing technical depth and hands-on experience solving production and process problems.
• •Ability to evaluate manufacturing processes and translate production needs into practical automation solutions and executable project plans.
• •Demonstrated ability to lead projects from feasibility and concept through implementation, launch, validation, sustainment, and closeout.
• •Strong project execution, organization, prioritization, and follow-through skills.
• •Ability to manage multiple priorities, dependencies, risks, and competing business needs in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• •Ability to influence without direct authority and gain alignment across plant teams, manufacturing engineering, controls, quality, maintenance, safety, ergonomics, leadership, suppliers, and OEMs.
• •Strong communication, collaboration, facilitation, and stakeholder-management skills.
• •Hands-on technical problem-solving, troubleshooting, recovery planning, and root cause analysis capability.
• •Knowledge of manufacturing and assembly processes, equipment integration, lean manufacturing, standardized work, process improvement, and continuous improvement practices.
• •Understanding of safety principles, risk reduction, machine and cell integration, quality requirements, and process validation.
• •Familiarity with controls, vision systems, sensors, tooling, robotics, and automation software.
• •Ability to use Microsoft Office and common engineering, project-management, data-analysis, and manufacturing tools.
• •Willingness and ability to travel extensively, including overnight travel and extended plant assignments, based on project needs.
• •Demonstrated behaviors aligned with GM values: Be Inclusive, Commit to Customers, Innovate and Embrace Change, Move with Urgency, Lead as One Team, Speak Fearlessly, Own the Outcome, and Win with Integrity.

Required Qualifications

• •Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechatronics, Industrial Engineering, Controls Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
• •Five or more years of manufacturing experience, including experience in manufacturing execution, manufacturing engineering, controls, automation, process engineering, or continuous improvement.
• •Experience implementing, launching, optimizing, or sustaining manufacturing equipment and processes.
• •Demonstrated experience leading projects from beginning to end and delivering manufacturing solutions in a plant or launch environment.
• •Experience coordinating cross-functional teams and managing stakeholders to solve technical problems and deliver results.
• •Ability and willingness to travel up to 50% or more, with travel increasing during equipment build, installation, and launch phases.

Preferred Qualifications

• •Ten or more years of manufacturing experience.
• •Significant manufacturing launch experience and a proven record of program or capital-project execution.
• •Experience supporting multiple manufacturing sites or plant locations.
• •Experience with OEM, supplier, integrator, or vendor selection and management.
• •Experience developing Statements of Requirements, equipment specifications, project scopes, funding requests, or governance materials.
• •Experience with equipment capability studies, repeatability, process validation, risk assessments, and production-readiness activities.
• •Experience training plant personnel and transitioning new systems into operational ownership.

What Will Give You a Competitive Edge

• •Direct experience designing, integrating, deploying, or sustaining collaborative robot applications, also known as cobots.
• •Experience selecting between cobots and traditional industrial robots based on process requirements, safety, ergonomics, throughput, flexibility, and business case.
• •Experience with robot integration projects, robot programming or deployment, vision systems, controls automation, sensors, tooling, or end-of-arm tooling.
• •Experience leading automation projects from front-end feasibility through OEM development, installation, commissioning, launch, and sustainment.
• •A strong record of improving safety, ergonomics, cycle time, labor efficiency, uptime, quality, process capability, or cost through automation.
• •Experience navigating complex stakeholder environments and driving execution across plant te