{"id":176660,"url":"https://alion.io/job/formic-robotics-automation-project-engineer","title":"Robotics & Automation Project Engineer","company":{"id":63603,"name":"Formic","domain":"formic.co","url":"https://alion.io/company/formic","size_band":"201-500","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Greenhouse","truth_index":null},"role":"Robotics","role_family":"Robotics","seniority":"staff","employment_type":null,"work_mode":"remote","remote_scope":"stated_countries","remote_scope_basis":"board_field","remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Chicago, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":["US"],"hiring_countries_total":1,"salary":{"min":120000,"max":145000,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":145000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":10,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":true,"technologies":[],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-04-03T20:19:34Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-02","last_verified_at":"2026-10-17T16:18:52Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":196,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":0,"flags":[],"days_open":196},"description":"Who we are:\nFormic is on a mission to reshape American manufacturing by making automation accessible to every factory. As labor constraints rise, costs increase, and global competition intensifies, automation is no longer optional for manufacturers that want to stay competitive.\nWe deliver automation through a Robotics-as-a-Service model that combines industrial robotics, proprietary software, and full-service support into a single, integrated solution. By removing the traditional barriers of cost, complexity, and risk, we enable manufacturers to deploy automation quickly and realize measurable gains in throughput, safety, and operational efficiency without large upfront capital investment.\nBacked by leading investors including Lux Capital, Initialized Capital, Blackhorn Ventures, and Mitsubishi HC Capital North America, Formic is scaling rapidly and building the foundation for a new era of high-performance, Made in America production.\nAbout the team:\nThe Project Engineering team is a multidisciplinary engineering group within Automation Engineering Group, bringing mechanical, electrical, and controls engineering together under a single organization. The team serves as the engineering escalation path for the deployed fleet, taking on problems that exceed field-level troubleshooting and converting them into scoped, engineered, and standardized solutions.\nThe team's work spans three connected areas. The first is the troubleshooting of complex problems: diagnosing multi-discipline failures across deployed robotic systems and engineering permanent, root-cause fixes rather than repeat repairs. The second is continuous improvement: converting recurring issues and field data into reliability upgrades and fleet-wide standardization. The third is support for existing and new product development and enhancements, in partnership with teams across the organization, to improve equipment currently in the field and to bring new capability online.\nPositioned at the intersection of design, commissioning, and field support, the team operates as a cross-functional unit, with engineers at the Bolingbrook hub working alongside field implementation resources across North America. The work is a deliberate blend of reactive support and proactive engineering, and each role on the team contributes to uptime, performance consistency, and long-term customer outcomes across the fleet.\nAbout the role:\nAs a Robotics & Automation Project Engineer, you will apply advanced engineering principles to the design, analysis, optimization, reliability, and continuous improvement of deployed robotic systems. You will independently evaluate complex, multidisciplinary technical problems, develop engineered solutions, and exercise technical judgment in determining how those solutions are designed, validated, and implemented across Formic's fleet in demanding production environments.\nThis role blends reactive support with proactive engineering. You will diagnose complex issues, implement structured improvements, and partner cross-functionally to strengthen system stability across the fleet. Your work directly impacts uptime, performance consistency, and long-term customer outcomes.\nIn this role you will:\nDiagnose and resolve complex automation failures to minimize production downtime\nDesign and implement preventative and predictive strategies that improve system reliability\nLead system-level continuous improvement initiatives, including hardware and software upgrades\nAnalyze production data and diagnostic trends to identify systemic performance gaps\nProvide remote support by responding to service tickets, guiding troubleshooting efforts, and triaging to onsite teams when needed\nPartner with Product, Deployment, and Engineering teams to standardize equipment configurations and improve repeatability\nOwn and maintain system documentation, including procedures, maintenance logs, and change-control records\nServe as the escalation point for complex technical issues across the fleet\nMentor field technicians and engineers on troubleshooting and system health best practices\nEnsure compliance with safety standards, internal quality requirements, and industry regulations\nCollaborate with vendors to improve parts availability, diagnostics capability, and technical support\nWhat makes you a great fit:\nBachelor's degree in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, controls engineering, mechatronics, robotics engineering, or another directly related engineering discipline\n10+ years of experience in manufacturing automation or industrial robotics environments\nStrong proficiency in programming PLCs, robots, and industrial control systems\nSolid understanding of robotic systems, motion systems, and automated manufacturing equipment\nHands-on experience diagnosing mechanical, electrical, and control system failures\nAbility to read electrical schematics and technical drawings\nExperience working in uptime-critical manufacturing environments\nStrong problem-solving skills and structured troubleshooting approach\nClear written and verbal communication skills\nAbility to work independently while collaborating cross-functionally\nWillingness to travel up to 50% based on business needs\nValid driver’s license and ability to support local travel\nBonus points if you have:\nExperience in high-volume manufacturing environments\nExperience standardizing equipment across multiple deployed sites\nExposure to data-driven maintenance or predictive monitoring tools\nOur Total Rewards:\nAt Formic, we believe people do their best work when they feel supported both professionally and personally. That’s why we offer a comprehensive benefits and perks package for full-time, U.S.-based team members, including:\nEquity in Formic: Participate in our stock option program and share in the success of a fast-growing start-up backed by leading global investors\nCompetitive & Uncapped Commission Structure: Designed to reward performance and impact in commission-eligible roles\nComprehensive Healthcare Coverage: Medical, dental, and vision insurance through Blue Cross Blue Shield and Unum, with 99% of employee premiums covered and 75% coverage for dependents, with optional buy-up plans available\nAdditional Insurance Benefits: FSA and DCFSA, life insurance, short-term disability, and long-term disability through Unum, all 100% employer-paid\nEmployee Assistance Program (EAP): Fully funded by Formic, offering support when you need it most\nPaid Parental Leave Program: Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave\nCompany-sponsored 401(k): Invest in your future with our company-facilitated retirement savings plan\nHome Office Stipend: A one-time allowance for fully remote and hybrid employees to support an at-home or on-the-road work setup\nMonthly Cell Phone Reimbursement: Monthly stipend toward personal phone and internet expenses\nFlexible Time Off: Take the time you need, when you need it, supported by our flexible PTO policy\nCompensation Philosophy\nFormic’s pay and equity packages are thoughtfully benchmarked against peer companies at a similar growth stage. Equity represents a meaningful part of our mutual investment: when Formic succeeds, so do you.\nFinal offers are customized based on experience, geographic location, market considerations, and a candidate’s preferred balance of cash and equity. Our goal is to attract and reward top talent who will have significant impact, and we are open to thoughtful discussions to align on the right structure.\nCompensation Range:\n$120,000—$145,000 USD\nWhat we look for: \nWe’re building this company from the ground up, and every person we hire has an outsized impact on our culture, performance, and trajectory. While each team member brings unique strengths and perspectives, we look for people who align with our Operating Principles and embody them in action. If this sounds like you, Formic may be the right place for you!\nFearless Optimism: You make bold bets and default optimistic. You believe in the mission, aren’t paralyzed by risk, and fear inaction more than failure. You see ambiguity as opportunity and bring energy to building what doesn’t yet exist.\nCreate the Magic: You absorb complexity so customers don’t have to. Whether your customer is external or internal, you focus on delivering experiences that are clear, fast, value-added, and outcome-driven. You don’t say “not my job.” You make things work. \nToday, Not Tomorrow: You have a bias to action. You close the loop. You take extreme ownership. You understand that speed compounds, and you don’t confuse activity with results.\nSeek Truth: You think from first principles. You value data over ego and strong opinions loosely held. You’re willing to challenge assumptions, including your own, in pursuit of the best answer.\nMade of Rubber: You are resolute and adaptable. When things break or priorities shift, you rebound stronger. You treat setbacks as learning moments and move forward with grit.\nOne Formic: You operate without silos. You practice radical helpfulness, document clearly, and make clean handoffs. You assume positive intent and prioritize team success over individual credit.\nEqual Opportunity Employment:\nFormic is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion or religious creed, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, marital status, family or parental status, disability, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. All employment decisions are based on a person’s merit, business needs, and role requirements. If you require further accommodations or have questions regarding accessibility of our roles, please reach out to .\nAI Use:\nAt Formic, fairness and transparency are at the heart of our hiring process. We use AI-powered tools in some interviews to help our teams evaluate candidate responses, but all final hiring decisions are made by humans. You can learn more about how AI is used in our recruitment process by reviewing our AI Hiring Disclosure linked here.","description_format":"text","description_chars":10022,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":10,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":["Equity","Flexible time off","Home office","Life insurance","Parental leave","Retirement plans","Vision insurance"],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Industrial Automation","Industrial Robotics"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-08-30T16:19:41Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":37,"band":"fade","label":"Fading","p_open":1,"p_active":0.833,"p_room":0.44,"age_days":196,"expected_fill_days":134,"reasons":["conf:2","win:tail","crowd:"],"computed_at":"2026-10-17T05:46:00Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":145000,"is_top_pay":false},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/formic-robotics-automation-project-engineer","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/formic-robotics-automation-project-engineer.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-17T18:51:48Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":1898,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-10-18T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":63603},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=63603"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fformic-robotics-automation-project-engineer"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fformic-robotics-automation-project-engineer"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fformic-robotics-automation-project-engineer"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/formic-robotics-automation-project-engineer\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fformic-robotics-automation-project-engineer"}]}