Role Automation Engineer
Location Sacramento, CA
Department Manufacturing
Reports To Head of Automation
Position Type Full-time
About the Role: Automation Engineer The Automation Engineer is the first automation engineer on Peak Energy's Sacramento manufacturing team and the most senior individual contributor on the automation function. This is a hands-on technical role with broad ownership: you will support the selection and commissioning of vendor-supplied manufacturing equipment, take technical ownership of that equipment once it is on the floor, and work alongside a peer Controls Engineer on in-house designed equipment as that program develops.
Our Sacramento manufacturing facility is in the planning and build-out phase. This person will be hired to help open it. That means participating in design reviews and Factory Acceptance Tests for vendor-supplied equipment before it ships, then being responsible for keeping that equipment running and driving targeted improvements to yield and cycle time once it is installed. For in-house designed equipment, the role starts as a supporting position and progresses toward full ownership as systems mature.
There is no existing automation team to inherit. This person will be the technical foundation of it.
Third-Party Equipment - Participate in design reviews for the acquisition of 3rd-party designed and programmed manufacturing equipment, providing technical input on automation architecture, PLC platform compatibility, and control system specifications
- Participate in Factory Acceptance Tests (FATs) at vendor facilities, including occasional international travel, to validate that systems meet Peak Energy's requirements before shipment
- Support Site Acceptance Tests (SATs) during installation and commissioning of incoming equipment at the Sacramento facility
- Take technical ownership of commissioned 3rd-party equipment: responsible for system uptime, troubleshooting control system issues, and implementing targeted improvements to yield and cycle time
- Equipment in scope includes welding systems, adhesive dispensing equipment, and torque tooling systems
In-House Designed Equipment - Collaborate with a peer Controls Engineer on program loading and commissioning of in-house designed manufacturing equipment
- Develop working knowledge of in-house equipment control architecture and progressively take on ownership responsibility as systems are commissioned and stabilized
- Once ownership is established, apply the same uptime and improvement standards as for 3rd-party equipment
Ongoing Automation and Controls Work - Design, configure, and maintain PLC programs using Beckhoff TwinCAT v3 to optimize production and ensure quality across facility equipment
- Design and maintain SCADA systems and HMI interfaces using TwinCAT HMI as the primary platform, giving operators and engineers clear visibility into equipment status and performance
- Establish and maintain connectivity between PLCs and MES systems to enable real-time production data, traceability, and process monitoring
- Implement data acquisition systems to collect and analyze production data; use that data to identify and drive process improvements
- Develop and maintain safety systems including emergency shutdown procedures and safety interlocks in compliance with applicable regulatory requirements
- Create and maintain comprehensive automation documentation: control system designs, change management records, operator manuals, and maintenance procedures
- Collaborate with equipment engineers, process engineers, and manufacturing leadership to ensure automation systems support production goals
- Support root cause analysis on control system issues; document findings and corrective actions systematically
What You'll Bring - Hands-on technical experience with Beckhoff PLCs, TwinCAT v3, and TwinCAT HMI; comfortable writing code and assessing the code of others
- Fanuc robot programming using TP (teach pendant) and ROBOGUIDE; able to develop, simulate, and deploy robot programs offline before installation
- Experience integrating vision systems into PLC and robot control logic, including pass/fail signal handling and communication with automation controllers
- Proficiency with industrial network protocols including EtherCAT, EtherNet/IP, and PROFINET; able to configure and troubleshoot device-level communications
- Working knowledge of robot cell safety architecture: safety-rated controllers, guarding design, light curtains, and safety I/O integration
- Demonstrated experience supporting or leading Factory Acceptance Tests (FATs) and Site Acceptance Tests (SATs) for industrial manufacturing equipment, including working with 3rd-party vendors
- Experience taking technical ownership of manufacturing equipment: troubleshooting, maintaining uptime, and driving yield and cycle time improvements
- Proficiency with SCADA systems, HMI design, and industrial data acquisition platforms
- Demonstrated experience establishing connectivity between PLC/SCADA systems and MES platforms for production traceability and data acquisition
- Strong documentation skills; able to produce clear control system designs, procedures, and change records that others can follow and build on
- Comfortable working as the most senior IC on a new team in an environment where standards and procedures are still being established
- BS or MS in Electrical Engineering, Control Systems Engineering, or a related engineering discipline, or equivalent hands-on experience
- Willingness to travel occasionally for Factory Acceptance Tests at vendor facilities, including internationally
Preferred Qualifications - Hands-on experience with welding systems, adhesive dispensing equipment, or torque tooling in an industrial manufacturing environment
- Experience with Cognex vision systems including In-Sight or VisionPro for inspection, guidance, or identification applications
- Experience with force/torque sensing in compliant assembly applications
- Experience integrating barcode or QR code scanning systems with MES for cell-level production traceability
- Experience in battery manufacturing, semiconductor manufacturing, or other high-precision industrial environments
- Familiarity with Ignition by Inductive Automation for SCADA and data acquisition
- Experience at a company scaling from pilot production to commercial-scale manufacturing
- Familiarity with BESS (Battery Energy Storage System) assembly processes and equipment
- Comfort using modern AI tools in day-to-day workflow; we operate with Claude as a company-wide platform and reward engineers who use these tools to compound their output
Compensation and Benefits The salary range for this role is $160,000 - $210,000, with actual pay varying based on work location, experience, and skills. Our competitive benefits package includes:
- Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
Join us to thrive in a supportive environment while making a meaningful impact in the energy sector.
