Principal Engineer - Automation & Assembly

Job Summary

Join our team as a Principal Engineer supporting Automation and Assembly. We’re looking for an experienced, hands-on individual contributor to support product development and manufacturing operations within our medical device business. In this role, you’ll partner with cross-functional teams to design, commission, validate, and improve automated assembly equipment and manufacturing processes.

This is a high-impact opportunity for someone who enjoys solving complex technical challenges, bringing highly technical equipment from concept through production, mentoring engineers, and advancing manufacturing excellence in a regulated environment. In this position, you will serve as a senior technical resource for automation and assembly, leading capital equipment initiatives, equipment and process validation, new machine and process introductions, and continuous improvement.

You will provide technical direction across engineering, operations, quality, maintenance, and external equipment suppliers while developing earlier-career engineers and strengthening long-term automation capability. Job Description MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide technical leadership to multidisciplinary teams responsible for automation, assembly equipment, manufacturing processes, and new product or equipment introductions of advanced complexity.
• Lead automated equipment projects from concept and machine design through supplier selection, build, factory acceptance testing, installation, commissioning, start-up, validation, production release, and performance optimization.
• Develop project scope, technical requirements, equipment specifications, budgets, schedules, risk assessments, and implementation plans for capital equipment projects. Manage multiple priorities and ensure timelines, cost targets, and business goals are met.
• Author, review, and execute equipment and process validation documentation, including protocols, test methods, acceptance criteria, deviations, reports, and traceable technical records supporting regulatory and quality requirements.
• Lead equipment qualification and process validation activities, including IQ, OQ, and PQ, for automated assembly systems, manufacturing equipment, fixtures, tooling, software, controls, and supporting processes.
• Apply hands-on automation and manufacturing engineering expertise to troubleshoot complex equipment, process, controls, quality, safety, and performance issues. Lead structured root cause analysis and implement sustainable corrective actions.
• Partner with Quality, Operations, Maintenance, R&D, and suppliers to ensure equipment and processes meet user needs, product requirements, design inputs, safety expectations, applicable standards, and production goals.
• Lead process improvement, CAPA support, equipment reliability, cycle-time reduction, scrap reduction, capacity expansion, and data-trending initiatives within automation and assembly operations.
• Evaluate existing equipment and assembly processes and recommend upgrades, redesigns, controls improvements, new technology, or replacement based on quality trends, downtime, capacity, ergonomics, safety, cost, and business needs.
• Provide technical guidance related to PLCs, controls systems, sensors, robotics, motion control, machine vision, HMIs, data acquisition, and equipment integration. Direct programming and controls work as appropriate to the project.
• Coordinate internal teams, system integrators, machine builders, component suppliers, and other external partners to deliver robust, maintainable, and production-ready solutions.
• Mentor and technically develop engineers and technical team members. Lead small project teams, share automation best practices, and provide coaching on equipment design, commissioning, validation, troubleshooting, and project execution. MINIMUM JOB REQUIREMENTS: Education:
• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Automation Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechatronics, Biomedical Engineering, or another engineering-related field, or equivalent knowledge and experience. Work Experience:
• At least 7 years of engineering experience supporting automation, automated manufacturing equipment, assembly systems, machine design, equipment implementation, or manufacturing/process engineering.
• Demonstrated experience commissioning, proving out, validating, and bringing complex automated equipment or manufacturing processes into production.
• Experience providing technical leadership, mentoring engineers, or leading cross-functional engineering projects. Knowledge / Skills / Abilities:
• Strong hands-on knowledge of automated equipment, machine systems, manufacturing processes, and structured technical problem solving.
• Ability to manage capital projects, equipment suppliers, technical requirements, schedules, risks, and multiple priorities.
• Working knowledge of equipment and process validation, technical documentation, change control, root cause analysis, and process improvement methods.
• Excellent organizational, analytical, communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to influence cross-functional teams while maintaining a humble, collaborative, and practical leadership style. Additional:
• Willing to travel up to 10% of the time for business purposes, including supplier visits, equipment acceptance activities, and domestic or international project support. PREFERRED JOB REQUIREMENTS:
• 10+ years of direct automation-related experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Experience with medical devices, healthcare products, pharmaceuticals, or another regulated manufacturing environment.
• Experience with Class I or Class II medical devices, design controls, risk management, CAPA, change control, and regulatory or quality-system requirements.
• Hands-on knowledge of PLC programming and industrial controls, including Allen-Bradley platforms.
• Experience with robotics, machine vision, servo or motion control, sensors, HMIs, safety systems, data acquisition, and manufacturing equipment integration.
• Extensive experience taking automated equipment from design and commissioning through validation, production launch, and sustained operation.
• Experience leading Cap. Ex projects and working with machine builders, systems integrators, and equipment suppliers.
• Experience developing or validating new machines, assembly processes, manufacturing methods, and products.
• Experience using Lean, Six Sigma, Design of Experiments, process characterization, statistical analysis, or software such as Minitab to improve manufacturing performance.
• Previous formal leadership experience or demonstrated success mentoring, teaching, and developing less-experienced engineers and technical personnel. Medline Industries, LP, and its subsidiaries, offer a competitive total rewards package, continuing education & training, and tremendous potential with a growing worldwide organization. The anticipated salary range for this position: $116,000.00 - $174,000.00 Annual The actual salary will vary based on applicant’s location, education, experience, skills, and abilities. This role is bonus and/or incentive eligible. Medline will not pay less than the applicable minimum wage or salary threshold. Our benefit package includes health insurance, life and disability, 401(k) contributions, paid time off, etc., for employees working 30 or more hours per week on average. For roles where employees work less than 30 hours per week, benefits include 401(k) contributions, paid time off, as well as access to the Employee Assistance Program, Employee Resource Groups and the Employee Service Corp. For a more comprehensive list of our benefits please click here . We’re dedicated to creating a Medline where everyone feels they belong and can grow their career. We strive to do this by seeking diversity in all forms, acting inclusively, and ensuring that people have tools and resources to perform at their best. Explore our Belonging page here . Medline Industries, LP is an equal opportunity employer. Medline evaluates qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, neurodivergence, protected veteran status, marital or family status, caregiver responsibilities, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.