Director of Industrial Engineering and Automation

Director of Industrial Engineering & Automation

About the Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced Director of Automation & Robotics to lead the strategy, engineering, implementation, and optimization of automation and robotics across a large-scale, high-volume fulfillment network.

This leader will be responsible for advancing the organization’s automation capabilities across both inbound and outbound operations, including automated material movement, storage, conveyance, packing, and specialized product-handling processes. The role will combine long-term automation strategy with hands-on technical leadership, ensuring solutions are scalable, reliable, financially sound, and successfully integrated into daily operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the long-term automation and robotics strategy and roadmap across the fulfillment network.
• Lead the design, implementation, optimization, and scaling of automation solutions including ASRS, high-speed conveyance, AMRs/AGVs, automated storage, material handling, and packing systems.
• Engineer automation solutions supporting both inbound and outbound product flows, improving throughput, capacity, space utilization, safety, and operating efficiency.
• Lead automation projects from concept and technical evaluation through vendor selection, system integration, commissioning, and operational stabilization.
• Partner with third-party automation vendors, equipment OEMs, and software providers, supporting RFPs, technical evaluations, contract negotiations, testing, and commissioning.
• Establish performance, reliability, uptime, preventive maintenance, spare-parts, and lifecycle standards for automation and MHE assets.
• Develop technical and financial assumptions supporting automation investments, including productivity improvements, capacity impact, capital requirements, implementation costs, reliability, and ROI/business-case development.
• Partner closely with Operations, Engineering, Technology/Product, Facilities, Finance, and other functional leaders to successfully integrate automation into existing operations.
• Lead and develop technical engineering and maintenance resources responsible for automation performance and continuous improvement.

What We're Looking For

• 10+ years of experience leading automation, robotics, engineering, or related technical functions within complex fulfillment or production environments.
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Industrial, Mechanical, Systems Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Deep experience with automation technologies such as ASRS, high-speed conveyance, AMRs/AGVs, robotics, automated material handling, and related fulfillment technologies.
• Demonstrated experience designing and implementing manual and automated workflows and material-flow solutions.
• Proven ability to take major automation initiatives from design and vendor selection through implementation and commissioning.
• Strong experience managing automation vendors, systems integrators, equipment OEMs, and other technical partners.
• Experience evaluating automation investments from both a technical and financial/business-case perspective.
• Strong understanding of equipment reliability, maintenance, uptime, and lifecycle management.
• Ability to operate at both the strategic and technical level, developing a long-term vision while remaining close enough to execution to ensure solutions work operationally.
• Strong leadership and communication skills with the ability to influence Operations, Technology, Finance, engineering teams, vendors, and senior leadership.

Preferred Experience

Experience within high-volume e-commerce, fulfillment, distribution, retail, or production environments involving complex or unique physical inventory is highly desirable. Experience supporting highly variable or single-unit inventory environments is a plus.

Why This Opportunity

This is an opportunity to have significant ownership over the next generation of automation and robotics within a sophisticated fulfillment network. Rather than simply maintaining existing systems, this leader will help determine where and how automation should be deployed, build the technical roadmap, evaluate emerging solutions, and lead transformational projects that directly impact capacity, productivity, reliability, and scalability. 

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