Automation Engineer

CONTRACT OPPORTUNITY

Equipment & Automation Engineer

Wire Harness Manufacturing Automation

Kalamazoo, MI

NOTE - NO SPONSORSHIPS OR VISA TRANSFERS AT THIS TIME 

About The Role We are seeking an experienced Equipment & Automation Engineer to lead the automation strategy for our next-generation wire harness manufacturing operation. This role is responsible for developing and implementing automated wire processing, material handling, and machine integration solutions that dramatically improve production speed, quality, and scalability.

Working at the intersection of manufacturing engineering, controls engineering, and industrial automation, you will evaluate, implement, and optimize equipment capable of processing more than 30 wire types with minimal operator intervention, zero-changeover capability, and seamless integration between engineering design systems and production equipment.

This is a highly visible role where you'll help build a digitally connected manufacturing environment that transforms engineering data directly into machine-ready production instructions.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and implementation of automated wire processing solutions for wire harness and cable assembly manufacturing.
• Design and optimize automated production cells capable of cutting, stripping, crimping, labeling, terminating, and inspecting wire with minimal manual intervention.
• Develop manufacturing processes supporting high-mix, low-volume production while minimizing changeover time.
• Evaluate and implement automation technologies to improve throughput, quality, and ROI.
• Integrate equipment with manufacturing software and engineering design systems.
• Support PLC, HMI, servo motion, robotics, and industrial networking integration.
• Evaluate equipment vendors, commission new equipment, and drive continuous improvement.
• Design automated material handling, kitting, barcode tracking, and modular workstations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Mechatronics, Automation, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field.
• 3+ years of industrial automation experience in manufacturing.
• Experience with PLCs, HMIs, motion control, and industrial protocols (Profinet, EtherNet/IP, Modbus).
• Experience integrating manufacturing equipment through APIs or machine interfaces.
• Experience commissioning and troubleshooting automated equipment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Wire harness or cable assembly manufacturing experience.
• Experience with Komax, Schleuniger, Samec, or KMUSA equipment.
• Experience with Arcadia, Zuken, EPLAN, or Rittal ECAD software.
• Knowledge of robotics, vision systems, Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and Industry 4.0.

Success Measures

• Increase manufacturing automation.
• Reduce setup and changeover time.
• Improve throughput, quality, and OEE.
• Enable digital integration from engineering through production.

Additional Requirement

U.S. Person status may be required to support ITAR-controlled manufacturing programs.