Manufacturing Automation Engineer – Cobots
General Motors · Warren, MI
- Level
- Engineer
- Team
- Controls
- Travel
- 50%
- Degree
- Required
- Industry
- Automotive
- Posted
- Today
The role in 30 seconds
An engineer-level controls role at General Motors (automotive) in Warren, MI.
- They ask for
- degree required
- Tools it names
- Lean, Root cause, Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ), Robotics, Automation, Tooling
- Day to day
- about 50% travel
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026
Controls Engineer roles in Michigan: typical posted base $76k–$141k.
Median of the low and high ends of 17 live postings that list pay, out of 57 controls engineer openings in Michigan, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Michigan plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 56 other live controls postings in Michigan.
- Base pay
- Not listed in this posting
- Experience asked
- Not stated
Typical $76k–$141k, from 17 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Automation 75%
- ✓ Robotics 67%
- PLC 60%
- ✓ New product launch 33%
- ✓ Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ) 30%
- AutoCAD 23%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Controls team at General Motors
We found 14 people at this company and state: 11 in this kind of role, 3 leaders. Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. See them ↓
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
Write to Nicholas → (free) - 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- The posting says about 50% travel. Between which sites?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
This plant: General Motors in Warren
21 other open roles at this site · 14 people we found in controls roles at General Motors.
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- Electrode Quality Engineer – Battery Cell Development Center · Quality
- Senior Manufacturing Engineer-Manufacturing Process Analysis · Process · Senior
- Manufacturing Engineer – Fluid Power Engineer · Manufacturing
- Senior Tactical Operations Manager · Production · Manager
Full description from General MotorsAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
The Role
The Manufacturing Automation Engineer – Cobots leads the development, deployment, optimization, and sustainment of manufacturing automation solutions across GPS manufacturing sites. This role combines deep manufacturing engineering expertise with end-to-end project leadership.
You will identify processes suitable for automation, evaluate the right solution—including collaborative robots (cobots), traditional industrial robots, vision systems, controls, and other automation technologies—and lead turnkey projects from concept through launch and sustainment. You will partner with plant teams, manufacturing engineering, controls and automation teams, suppliers, and business stakeholders to deliver solutions that improve safety, quality, ergonomics, throughput, labor efficiency, equipment utilization, and cost performance.
This role supports projects across multiple plant locations. Travel is expected to vary by project phase and may reach 50% or more, including overnight travel and extended time at manufacturing plants during equipment build, installation, commissioning, and launch. Travel may exceed 50% during critical launch periods.
Requirements
(SORs), technical specifications, project plans, timing, deliverables, and risk and issue-management plans.
- ✓Obtain and evaluate OEM and supplier quotes; lead supplier and integrator selection in partnership with stakeholders.
- ✓Secure project funding through applicable governance and approval processes.
- ✓Coordinate design reviews and equipment development with plant manufacturing engineering, CME, controls and automation teams, safety and ergonomics stakeholders, suppliers, and OEMs.
- ✓Ensure equipment and process designs meet manufacturing, quality, safety, ergonomic, capability, repeatability, and specification requirements.
- ✓Coordinate equipment delivery, installation, production downtime windows, commissioning, startup, and launch support.
- ✓Troubleshoot technical and process issues, perform root cause analysis, develop recovery plans, remove obstacles, and drive corrective actions through completion.
- ✓Track project timing, open issues, risks, dependencies, and deliverables; communicate status and escalate barriers when needed.
- ✓Validate equipment capability, repeatability, quality, safety, and process performance before transition to plant ownership.
- ✓Develop standard work, process documentation, technical specifications, troubleshooting guides, training materials, and lessons learned.
- ✓Train and support plant engineers, maintenance personnel, operators, and other stakeholders on system
requirements
and standardized methods.
- ✓Review process data and performance metrics to identify gaps and drive continuous improvement.
- ✓Complete project deliverables, deauthorization, and closeout activities.
- ✓Benchmark and evaluate emerging technologies, tools, and methods that can improve manufacturing performance.
Required Qualifications
- ✓Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechatronics, Industrial Engineering, Controls Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
- ✓Five or more years of manufacturing experience, including experience in manufacturing execution, manufacturing engineering, controls, automation, process engineering, or continuous improvement.
- ✓Experience implementing, launching, optimizing, or s
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
Job Description
What You’ll Do
- •Visit manufacturing plants and assess current processes, production requirements, and operational constraints.
- •Identify and prioritize automation opportunities that improve safety, ergonomics, quality, cycle time, labor efficiency, uptime, and cost.
- •Conduct feasibility studies and determine the appropriate solution, including cobots, traditional industrial robots, vision systems, controls, tooling, sensors, and related technologies.
- •Lead turnkey automation projects from concept and planning through design, equipment build, installation, commissioning, validation, launch, sustainment, and closeout.
- •Develop project scopes, Statements of
Your Skills and Abilities
- •Strong manufacturing technical depth and hands-on experience solving production and process problems.
- •Ability to evaluate manufacturing processes and translate production needs into practical automation solutions and executable project plans.
- •Demonstrated ability to lead projects from feasibility and concept through implementation, launch, validation, sustainment, and closeout.
- •Strong project execution, organization, prioritization, and follow-through skills.
- •Ability to manage multiple priorities, dependencies, risks, and competing business needs in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
- •Ability to influence without direct authority and gain alignment across plant teams, manufacturing engineering, controls, quality, maintenance, safety, ergonomics, leadership, suppliers, and OEMs.
- •Strong communication, collaboration, facilitation, and stakeholder-management skills.
- •Hands-on technical problem-solving, troubleshooting, recovery planning, and root cause analysis capability.
- •Knowledge of manufacturing and assembly processes, equipment integration, lean manufacturing, standardized work, process improvement, and continuous improvement practices.
- •Understanding of safety principles, risk reduction, machine and cell integration, quality requirements, and process validation.
- •Familiarity with controls, vision systems, sensors, tooling, robotics, and automation software.
- •Ability to use Microsoft Office and common engineering, project-management, data-analysis, and manufacturing tools.
- •Willingness and ability to travel extensively, including overnight travel and extended plant assignments, based on project needs.
- •Demonstrated behaviors aligned with GM values: Be Inclusive, Commit to Customers, Innovate and Embrace Change, Move with Urgency, Lead as One Team, Speak Fearlessly, Own the Outcome, and Win with Integrity.