Staff Engineer, Manufacturing Automation

Location: Onsite, four days per week - Kohler, WI Opportunity As Staff Manufacturing Engineer - Automation, you will lead the design and deployment of advanced automation solutions that strengthen safety, quality, delivery, and cost performance across Kohler’s global manufacturing network. This role turns emerging technology into scalable, standardized equipment and processes-partnering with plant teams, engineering leaders, and suppliers to build smarter, more capable manufacturing systems. You will provide technical leadership from concept through implementation, helping ensure automation solutions are ready for launch, sustainable for plant teams, and aligned to Kohler’s long-term manufacturing strategy.

Specific Responsibilities As the Staff Manufacturing Engineer - Automation, provide the technical leadership and coordination in the following: Support the global strategy for automated solutions that provides the best balance of safety, quality, delivery and cost. Implement the strategy of achieving standardized automation processes and ensure availability of process information. Participate in design engineering reviews with plant teams to ensure the solutions will meet the requirements proposed in the ACT.

Ensure equipment and process readiness prior to kick off of projects. Ensure automation processes are capable, ready, and proven prior to new product launches. Provide capacity planning, capital equipment recommendations and implementation partnership with the plant operations engineering teams.

Develop business cases with supporting financial justification that illustrate the proof of value of the investment. Remain up-to-date on all methods of automation and related tools while recommending new approaches and tools. Deploy leading technological advancements to achieve SQDC improvements for both internal and supplier processes as they relate to automation.

Mastery understanding of robotics, automation products, and vision systems Collaboration with automation engineering staff and equipment suppliers to provide process control requirements and offer design critiques and mitigation when required. Ability to create and/or understand value stream maps, time studies, and production schedules. Mechanical design mastery with firm knowledge of GD T including the use of AutoCAD and Creo (3D modeling) Intermediate Fanuc Roboguide Simulation Software knowledge Intermediate hydraulic, pneumatic, machining knowledge Other Skillsets (not required, highly desirable) Intermediate knowledge of PLC programming (Rockwell Automation, Siemens) Functional safety engineering (SAF TUV) control reviews to ensure supplier design commitments meet specification with mastery of regulatory safety standards.

Basic knowledge of ASRS systems. Intermediate knowledge of AGV systems.