Factory Automation Engineer

John Deere John Deere · Industrial · Waterloo, IA +1 · Factory Engineering (CA)

This role provides factory automation support for assembly operations, focusing on maintaining and troubleshooting equipment, systems (SCADA, MES), and electrical components. Responsibilities include updating documentation, supporting integration activities, and assisting with automation projects for safety, quality, efficiency, and cost reduction. The role requires experience with PLC programming (Allen Bradley), electrical control circuits, and knowledge of safety codes.

What you'd actually do

  1. Provide factory automation support for assembly operations.
  2. Work as a team with maintenance and skilled trades to support down equipment to minimize lost production time.
  3. Update electrical prints, programming and other documentation for shop floor equipment including human-machine interfaces (HMI) and programmable logic controllers (PLC).
  4. Maintain and troubleshoot SCADA, and MES systems in a production environment.
  5. Support JDAAT and JAAS (SCADA) convergence activities for factory automation integration items.

Skills

Required

  • Education or experience in an Electrical Engineering discipline.
  • Fundamental understanding of automation and electrical control circuits.
  • Experience programming Ladder Logic in Allen Bradley PLC Controllers (1-3 years of experience).
  • Good communication and troubleshooting skills.
  • Ability to take direction from other team members and work autonomously with limited direction.
  • Knowledge of electrical design and applicable safety codes (NFPA 70E, NEC), common practices, and engineering tools required.

Nice to have

  • Knowledge of software/tools (Kepware, Visual Basic, Power BI, etc.).
  • Understanding network connectivity requirements for equipment, and VLAN Network Topology.
  • Experience with Cognex, Fanuc or Keyence Vison Applications.
  • Experience with Fanuc Robotics Applications.
  • Experience maintaining or troubleshooting VFD Drive or Servo applications.
  • Experience in electrical design and the use of electrical drafting software.
  • 1 or more years of experience with MES/SCADA solutions (SAP-MES, AMES, Ignition).
  • 1 or more years of experience in Structured Query Language (SQL) and Databases.
  • 1 or more years of experience in a programing language ( Python, C++).
  • 3 or more years of experience in PLC and HMI programming.