Senior Automation Support Engineer (Controls)

Job Title

Senior Automation Support Engineer (Controls)

Job Description

Position Summary:

As an Automation Support Engineer (Controls), you will be part of a dedicated Launch Support Team, focused on supporting large, high-throughput customer sites during system startup. This includes ramp-up-support during go live, and hyper care phases, where system stability, fast recovery, and clear communication are critical to daily operations.

You will work closely with the customer’s on‑site technical teams, acting as a local technical coach and helping them understand, troubleshoot, and stabilize the system. During incidents, you will be the primary technical link between the site team and Vanderlande, ensuring effective troubleshooting, timely escalation, and clear alignment between all parties.

This role supports fast paced environments where systems operate at high speed and high volume. You will help customers achieve reliable system availability, meet performance targets, and build confidence to operate the system independently. The role requires flexibility and being comfortable working irregular hours during launch windows, including nights and weekends when system availability is critical.

While launching new sites is the primary focus, you will also support existing customer sites when not deployed on new launches.

You will routinely work on-site at customer buildings for extended periods (typically 2 to 4 weeks). During these assignments, Vanderlande’s Short-term Assignment policy will apply. You will work alongside customer employees in a consultant role, supporting incident recovery, root cause analysis, and system automation improvements.

The role includes a specialization in Vanderlande Cross Belt Sorter (SCS) controls, which are based on a Siemens IPC communicating with field devices via Profinet. When not on-site, you will support the North American Service Center (NASC) by providing remote support and technical guidance for Cross Belt Sorter issues at existing sites.

Essential Functions

• Support and troubleshoot incidents on Cross Belt Sorter systems both on-site and remotely
• Support systems during go‑live, ramp‑up, and hyper care phases
• Work alongside customer teams and the NASC to perform root cause analysis
• Act as the main technical liaison between the site and NASC for SCS-related issues
• Provide clear direction during incidents and escalate issues when required
• Work effectively under time pressure and changing priorities in live operations
• Challenge assumptions and work with incomplete or evolving documentation
• Write incident summaries and provide reports as required
• Maintain a safety‑first mindset when working on or near live automated systems

Required Education & Experience

• Education or equivalent hands‑on experience in Electrical Engineering, Controls, Automation, Mechatronics, or a related field
• Minimum 3 years of experience in controls or automation support
• Hands ‑on experience with industrial networks (Profinet, Profibus, Ethernet/IP)

Preferred Education & Experience

• Experience with distributed control architectures
• On‑site commissioning, ramp‑up, or launch support experience
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or computer science
• 5 years of experience supporting Material Handling Systems or automated logistics environments

Required Competencies

• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal
• Strong troubleshooting and root‑cause analysis skills
• Ability to work effectively under pressure and ambiguity, especially during launches
• Comfortable acting as “the expert in the room” during technical incidents
• Strong stakeholder management skills when working with customers on‑site
• Ability to work independently and take ownership of issues
• Able to prioritize work in fast‑changing, high‑volume environments
• Willing to learn, adapt, and continuously improve technical skills
• Practical, solution‑oriented mindset
• Strong safety awareness and commitment to safe working practices
• Flexible and comfortable working irregular hours during launch windows

Travel

This role is focused on launching new customer sites in North America and requires frequent travel on short‑term assignments. Expected travel is approximately 25%–75%, depending on launch schedules.