Automation Engineer - Advanced Manufacturing
Wabtec · Pennsylvania
- Level
- Engineer
- Team
- Controls
- Degree
- Required
- Experience asked
- 3+ years
- Industry
- Industrial
- Posted
- Today
The role in 30 seconds
An engineer-level controls role at Wabtec (industrial) in Pennsylvania. You will support the development, justification, design, simulation, implementation, and optimization of manufacturing automation systems across a diverse industrial environment.
- They ask for
- 3+ years · degree required
- Tools it names
- Lean, Six Sigma, OEE, Root cause, PLC, Robotics
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of October 26, 2026
Controls Engineer roles in Pennsylvania: typical posted base $88k–$133k.
Median of the low and high ends of 7 live postings that list pay, out of 24 controls engineer openings in Pennsylvania, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Pennsylvania plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 23 other live controls postings in Pennsylvania.
- Base pay
- Not listed in this posting
- Experience asked
- Less than usual (3+ vs 5+)
Typical $88k–$133k, from 7 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Automation 75%
- ✓ PLC 71%
- ✓ Root cause 38%
- ✓ Robotics 33%
- ✓ Lean 29%
- Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ) 29%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for OEE, Machining, Tooling, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with 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 Wabtec
We found 4 people at this company and state: 2 in this kind of role, 2 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 Lohith → (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?
- 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.
Full description from WabtecAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Responsibilities
include evaluating automation opportunities, creating layouts and simulations, developing technical concepts and specifications, supporting capital project execution, and helping replicate successful solutions across manufacturing facilities.
What do we want to know about you?
- ◆Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Manufacturing, Mechatronics, Automation/Controls, Robotics Engineering, or a related discipline.
- ◆3+ years of industrial automation, manufacturing engineering, robotics, controls, or advanced manufacturing experience.
- ◆Hands-on experience applying industrial robots and automation equipment in a production environment.
- ◆Ability to design automation concepts, cell layouts, tooling approaches, and equipment interfaces.
- ◆Experience with robot or manufacturing simulation, offline programming, or digital manufacturing tools.
- ◆Strong understanding of machine safety, controls, integration, manufacturing processes, and production readiness.
- ◆Effective project execution, problem-solving, documentation, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
- ◆Ability to travel as required to support enterprise manufacturing sites.
Preferred Qualifications
- ✓Automation or robotics experience in high-volume manufacturing environment
- ✓Industrial robots (FANUC preferred; ABB, KUKA, or Yaskawa/Motoman experience also valuable)
- ✓Robot simulation and offline programming tools such as FANUC ROBOGUIDE, Process Simulate, Visual Components, or equivalent
- ✓3D CAD, equipment layouts, reach studies, cycle-time analysis, and design-for-automation
- ✓Machine vision, inspection, and robotic guidance systems
- ✓Automated material handling, end-of-arm tooling, fixtures, and sensor integration
- ✓PLCs, HMIs, industrial networking, MES, SCADA, OEE, or manufacturing data systems
- ✓FAT, SAT, commissioning, production launch, and structured root-cause problem solving
- ✓Lean or Six Sigma certification
What will your typical day look like?
Responsibilities
- ◆Support automation projects from concept through production launch.
- ◆Evaluate manufacturing processes and identify practical automation opportunities.
- ◆Develop automation concepts, layouts, simulations, cycle-time estimates, and technical specifications.
- ◆Perform robot reach, payload, interference, and process simulations to reduce project risk.
- ◆Support capital estimates, ROI business cases, equipment scopes, and project documentation.
- ◆Participate in vendor selection, RFQs, design reviews, FAT, SAT, commissioning, and startup.
- ◆Work with controls, manufacturing, quality, maintenance, EHS, suppliers, and integrators to resolve technical issues.
- ◆Troubleshoot and optimize existing robotic and automated manufacturing systems.
- ◆Document lessons learned and help replicate successful automation solutions across sites.
- ◆Support Automation & Advanced Manufacturing standards, roadmap, and preferred technology strategy.
- ◆Evaluate emerging technologies including robotics, vision, simulation, digital twins, and AI-enabled manufacturing.
- ◆Provide hands-on technical support and knowledge sharing for site engineering teams.
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
Who will you be working with?
You will partner with cross-functional teams across operations, product engineering, maintenance, quality, procurement, information technology (IT), operational technology (OT), environmental health & safety (EHS), and business leadership to deliver advanced manufacturing automation solutions across the global supply chain (GSC) consisting of all business segments.
This role collaborates closely with manufacturing sites, technical specialists, external automation suppliers, and system integrators to identify, design, simulate, deploy, and optimize automation solutions that improve safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and cost performance.
How will you make a difference?
As part of the Automation & Advanced Manufacturing organization, you will support the development and deployment of automation solutions for machining, fabrication, assembly, material handling, and related manufacturing processes across multiple sites and business units. You will apply practical automation and robotics experience to convert manufacturing needs into safe, repeatable, production-ready concepts.
As a member of the Automation & Advanced Manufacturing team, you will support the development, justification, design, simulation, implementation, and optimization of manufacturing automation systems across a diverse industrial environment.
This role combines hands-on engineering with project execution. You will serve as a technical resource for robotics, automation, machine integration, simulation, vision, and advanced manufacturing systems. Experience gained in automotive or another high-volume, highly automated manufacturing environment is especially valuable.