Engineering Program Manager — Industrial Automation Systems

A day in this role

Morning stand-up with engineering and manufacturing. You open Microsoft Project to reconcile timelines across several custom machine builds. A customer call follows—clarifying system requirements and uncovering one missing spec needed to complete a design. After lunch, you walk the shop floor to support buy-off preparation, then jump into a cross-project planning session to resolve a resource conflict. You close the day by publishing portfolio metrics, updating stakeholders in sales, supply chain, operations, and leadership.

What you’ll do

• Partner with customers and the sales team to capture technical, schedule, and delivery needs; translate voice-of-customer into clear system requirements.
• Surface any gaps in information that could impact machine design or assembly and drive closure.
• Evaluate quotations, specifications, and contracts for technical feasibility and risk.
• Own detailed, resource-aware project schedules from order through commissioning; maintain on-time delivery across a global activity set.
• Lead engineering and manufacturing project/equipment engineers to execute builds and acceptance testing (including buy-off support).
• Coordinate cross-project priorities to resolve scope, resource, and timeline conflicts.
• Track changes, manage risks, and issue updated plans in alignment with sales, engineering, supply chain, operations, and customers.
• Continuously improve project and program management practices using lean principles.
• Interface daily with manufacturing, purchasing, quality, and planning; communicate progress, utilization, and project metrics.
• Safeguard scope, quality, cost, and delivery targets while working under cross-functional direction from engineering and senior leadership.

What you bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (or equivalent experience).
• Hands-on understanding of complex mechanical systems and PLC-driven machine automation.
• Strong background in project planning/analysis, risk evaluation and mitigation, and clear written/verbal communication.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Project and the Microsoft 365 suite.
• Relationship-builder who communicates comfortably with internal and external customers.

Additional capabilities

• Continuous improvement mindset; lean practices.
• Machine construction/build exposure and mechanical design fundamentals.
• Budgeting and forecasting awareness; root-cause analysis; process development.
• Fluency with SOPs and ERP software.
• Core strengths: speaking and persuasion, reading complex technical materials, service orientation, active learning, complex problem solving, coordination, deductive reasoning/critical thinking.

Travel and schedule

• Travel: typically 5–20% (as business requires).
• Work hours: generally 40–47 per week; may include on-call, evenings, and/or weekends. Extended weeks can occur with fluctuating business demands.