Systems Engineer - Warehouse Automation & OT

Job description

Position Overview

Data Micro Technologies is seeking an experienced Systems Engineer – Warehouse Automation & OT to support the Distribution Engineering organization at Johnson & Johnson Vision in Jacksonville, Florida.

This is an opportunity to work at the intersection of industrial automation, warehouse technology, operational technology (OT), controls, infrastructure, and systems engineering .

The engineer will initially support existing distribution operations at the Deerwood campus while playing an important role in the transition to a new, approximately 1,000,000-square-foot automated distribution center near Jacksonville International Airport .

You will help design, integrate, qualify, troubleshoot, and sustain the automation and technology infrastructure supporting a modern distribution operation.

We are especially interested in candidates with hands-on experience in Allen-Bradley/Rockwell controls, PLC troubleshooting, warehouse automation, material-handling systems, OT environments, and industrial systems integration .

This is not a traditional corporate IT Systems Engineer position. The role is closely connected to warehouse-floor automation and operational technology and requires someone comfortable working directly with engineering technicians, operations teams, automation vendors, and industrial equipment.

What You'll Do Warehouse Automation & Operational Support - Provide technical support for integrated and automated warehouse-floor systems. - Troubleshoot issues involving PLCs, controls, applications, warehouse systems, industrial networks, servers, and material-handling equipment . - Perform root cause analysis for automation and controls failures. - Partner directly with Operations and Engineering teams to minimize downtime and improve system reliability. - Support preventive maintenance, diagnostics, system upgrades, and lifecycle activities. - Develop operating procedures, troubleshooting documentation, user manuals, and training materials. - Train engineering technicians, operational users, and support personnel. - Perform impact assessments related to system failures and operational disruptions.

Systems Engineering & Integration - Support the integration of facility-floor technology, warehouse automation, and enterprise systems. - Install, configure, maintain, and troubleshoot applications supporting distribution operations. - Support the design and implementation of OT networks and compute infrastructure for the new distribution center. - Assist with phased equipment deployments, system upgrades, migrations, and retirements. - Support integration of Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), Warehouse Control Systems (WCS), Material Handling Equipment (MHE), conveyors, sortation systems, ASRS, PLCs, and associated infrastructure . - Evaluate third-party technologies, automation equipment, suppliers, and technical solutions. - Support onboarding, integration, and technical qualification of material-handling and automation suppliers.

Controls & Industrial Automation - Support and troubleshoot Allen-Bradley/Rockwell Automation PLC environments . - Diagnose and modify ladder logic as required to support automated operations. - Troubleshoot ControlLogix, FactoryTalk, industrial communications, sensors, control panels, and related automation technologies . - Perform electrical and controls troubleshooting in accordance with applicable safety requirements. - Work with automation vendors and internal engineering teams to resolve complex equipment and integration issues.

Validation, Compliance & Change Control - Partner with Quality, Validation, IT, Cybersecurity, Engineering, and Operations to implement compliant system changes. - Support systems operating within FDA-regulated and cGMP environments . - Develop and execute Installation Qualification (IQ), Operational Qualification (OQ), and Performance Qualification (PQ) activities. - Participate in risk assessments, change controls, system qualification, and validation activities. - Support controls associated with system security, electronic records, audit trails, backup, recovery, and data retention.

Project Leadership - Lead and support automation, infrastructure, and systems engineering projects. - Coordinate technical activities across Engineering, Operations, IT, Cybersecurity, Quality, Validation, and external vendors. - Support project planning, budgeting, capital planning, scheduling, and prioritization. - Participate in vendor selection, technical evaluation, qualification, and performance management. - Transition mature systems and support processes to Operations while maintaining appropriate engineering governance.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in: - Electrical Engineering - Mechanical Engineering - Industrial Engineering - Systems Engineering - Computer Science - Information Technology - Cybersecurity - Supply Chain Management - Logistics - Business Administration with relevant technical experience - Or a related engineering or technical discipline

Experience - 5+ years of experience in industrial automation, systems engineering, warehouse technology, manufacturing systems, material handling, distribution engineering, or operational technology. - 3+ years supporting automated warehouse, manufacturing, logistics, or material-handling environments. - 3+ years working with industrial controls, PLCs, automation systems, or OT infrastructure. - Hands-on experience diagnosing PLC, controls, equipment, system integration, or industrial network issues . - Experience working directly with operations and engineering teams in production or distribution environments. - Experience supporting equipment vendors, system integrators, or automation suppliers. - Experience coordinating technical projects across multiple stakeholders.

Core Technical SkillsIndustrial Automation & Controls

Strong hands-on experience with: - Allen-Bradley / Rockwell Automation - Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) - ControlLogix - Ladder Logic - FactoryTalk environments - Industrial controls and automation - Electrical and controls troubleshooting - Industrial communications - Root cause analysis of equipment and controls failures

Warehouse & Distribution Technology

Experience with several of the following: - Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) - Warehouse Control Systems (WCS) - Material Handling Equipment (MHE) - Conveyor systems - Sortation systems - Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (ASRS) - Warehouse automation - Industrial system integration - Distribution center operations

Operational Technology & Infrastructure

Working knowledge of: - Operational Technology (OT) environments - Industrial networking - Windows Server - Networked industrial devices - Application and infrastructure troubleshooting - System deployment and lifecycle management - Cybersecurity principles within OT environments - SDLC and change management

Preferred Qualifications

Experience in one or more of the following areas would be beneficial but is not required :

Regulated Environments - FDA-regulated operations - Medical device or pharmaceutical environments - cGMP - Computer system validation - IQ/OQ/PQ - Electronic records/electronic signatures

Data & Analytics - Microsoft SQL Server - Oracle Database - IBM Db2 - SQL query development - Advanced Microsoft Excel - Data extraction and analysis - Dashboard/KPI reporting - Data-driven process improvement

Additional Automation Technologies - FactoryTalk AssetCentre - FactoryTalk Historian - Machine vision systems - Robotics

Professional Competencies

The successful candidate will demonstrate: - Strong troubleshooting and root-cause-analysis skills - Ability to solve problems across controls, software, infrastructure, and equipment - Strong written and verbal communication - Ability to collaborate with both technical and operational teams - Project leadership and stakeholder-management skills - Vendor and supplier coordination experience - Strong organization and prioritization skills - A continuous-improvement mindset - Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced distribution environment

Benefits

Compensation & Benefits - Annual Salary: $105,000 - Paid Time Off: 15 days annually - Retirement: 3% employer matching contribution - Health Insurance: Medical benefits offered - Contract-to-Hire: Role will convert to a John & Johnson Vision employed Staff Engineer at end of 1 year contract based on performance.