Director of Manufacturing Automation
nVent · St Louis Park, MN
- Level
- Director+
- Team
- Controls
- Base pay
- $173k–$257k
- Travel
- 25%
- Degree
- Preferred
- Experience asked
- 10+ years
- Industry
- Industrial
- Posted
- 30+ days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A director-level controls role at nVent (industrial) in St Louis Park, MN. A dynamic global reach with diverse operations around the world that will stretch your abilities, provide plentiful career opportunities, and allow you to make an impact every day.
- They ask for
- 10+ years · degree preferred
- Tools it names
- Lean, Six Sigma, PLC, Robotics, Automation, MES
- Base pay
- $173k–$257k
- Day to day
- about 25% travel
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026
Controls Engineer roles in Minnesota: typical posted base $99k–$135k. This one lists $173k–$257k.
Median of the low and high ends of 15 live postings that list pay, out of 18 controls engineer openings in Minnesota, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Minnesota plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 17 other live controls postings in Minnesota.
- Base pay
- About 84% above similar roles
- Experience asked
- More than usual (10+ vs 6+)
Typical $99k–$135k, from 14 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 6+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ PLC 72%
- ✓ Automation 67%
- ✓ Robotics 39%
- ✓ MES 28%
- ✓ Lean 22%
- ✓ Six Sigma 22%
✓ = 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 nVent
We found 3 people at this company and state: 1 in this kind of role, 2 leaders, plus 2 likely hiring managers. 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 Rony → (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 25% 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: nVent in St Louis Park
1 other open role at this site · 3 people we found in controls roles at nVent.
- Sr. Director Lean Excellence · Lean / CI · Director+
Full description from nVentAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
What you will experience in this position
- ✓Strategic Planning & Road Mapping: Develop and implement a comprehensive automation strategy aligned with enterprise goals. Collaborate to assess current capabilities and define future-state automation roadmaps.
- ✓Technology Leadership & Integration: Identify and implement modern automation solutions including robotics, AI, IoT, and human-machine interfaces. Lead feasibility studies, business case development, and project execution tracking.
- ✓Innovation & Evaluation: Stay ahead of emerging technologies and assess their potential impact. Propose implementation approaches considering cost-efficiency, scalability, and alignment with strategic goals.
- ✓Automation Systems Management : Lead the design, programming, and implementation of automation systems incorporating PLCs, HMIs, robotics, and visual solutions. Secure seamless blending of automation with ERP, MES, and quality systems.
- ✓Project Execution: Lead multi-functional teams in the execution of automation projects from concept through commissioning. Lead capital budgets, timelines, and vendor relationships for automation initiatives.
- ✓Process Optimization: Find opportunities for automation in existing processes to reduce cycle time, improve quality, and lower costs. Implement continuous improvement initiatives using Lean, Six Sigma, and other methodologies.
- ✓Team Leadership: Develop and lead a team of automation engineers, controls specialists, and technicians. Provide mentorship, training, and development to build internal automation capabilities.
- ✓Data & Insights: Drive data-driven decision-making through advanced analytics and real-time monitoring. Uncover and implement process improvements to elevate efficiency and minimize inefficiencies.
- ✓Risk & Maturity Management: Anticipate and mitigate risks associated with automation deployment. Support assessments of operational technology risks and automation maturity levels.
- ✓Performance Measurement: Define and track KPIs to measure the impact of automation initiatives on efficiency, quality, and cost. Continuously refine strategies based on performance insights.
requirements
exist, employee pay will comply.
Depending on the position offered, employee may be eligible for other forms of compensation, such as annual or long-term incentives.
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
We’re looking for people who put their innovation to work to advance our success – and their own. Join an organization that ensures a more secure world through connecting and protecting our customers with inventive electrical solutions.
We are seeking a visionary leader to drive the transformation of our global manufacturing operations through automation and digitalization. As Director of Manufacturing Automation, you will lead the strategy, design, and implementation of advanced automation technologies across our manufacturing, assembly, packaging, and distribution processes. This role is ideal for a dynamic leader with deep technical expertise and a passion for innovation.
You have
- •Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, or related field (Master’s preferred in Mechanical Engineering or Industrial Design).
- •10+ years of leadership experience in manufacturing automation and transformation.
- •Proven success leading global teams and large-scale automation initiatives.
- •Expertise in robotics, mechatronics, AI, IoT, and vision systems.
- •Deep knowledge of Industry 4.0 technologies, automation systems, data analytics, and lean manufacturing.
- •Strong analytical, project management, and interpersonal skills.
- •Lean Six Sigma knowledge preferred.
- •Ability to travel approximately 25%, domestically and internationally.
Our Global Hybrid Schedule and Core Hours
At nVent, we value in-person collaboration and flexibility as key drivers of innovation and our strong, inclusive culture. We operate as an office-first, hybrid organization, where you will work in the office a minimum of four days a week, have one day of remote work, and follow core office hours daily (as determined by the local office) to ensure that you have the opportunity to connect face-to-face with teammates, problem-solve collaboratively, and elevate your employee engagement. Outside of the core hours, you will be able to adjust your start and end times in alignment with team guidelines and responsibilities. We have found success in having a structure that balances the benefits of in-person collaboration with the flexibility many of us value. Our global, hybrid approach ensures that you will be empowered and afforded flexibility for how you manage work and life.
We have
- •A dynamic global reach with diverse operations around the world that will stretch your abilities, provide plentiful career opportunities, and allow you to make an impact every day
- •nVent is a leading global provider of electrical connection and protection solutions. We believe our inventive electrical solutions enable safer systems and ensure a more secure world. We design, manufacture, market, install and service high performance products and solutions that connect and protect some of the world's most sensitive equipment, buildings and critical processes. We offer a comprehensive range of systems protection and electrical connections solutions across industry-leading brands that are recognized globally for quality, reliability and innovation.
- •Our principal office is in London and our management office in the United States is in Minneapolis. Our robust portfolio of leading electrical product brands dates back more than 100 years and includes nVent CADDY, ERICO, HOFFMAN, ILSCO