Flora Food Group · 2 days ago
Senior Automation Engineering Manager
Hugoton, KS, US
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level
5+ years expFlora Food Group is a global branded food champion offering the next generation of delicious, natural, nutritious food. The Senior Automation Engineer will be responsible for overseeing the entire automation and controls landscape at a new dairy manufacturing facility, including programming, troubleshooting, and maintaining systems, as well as providing technical leadership.
Food and BeverageFood ProcessingNutritionWholesale
Responsibilities
Program, configure, troubleshoot, and maintain PLC, HMI, and SCADA systems on the Rockwell Automation platform (ControlLogix, CompactLogix, FactoryTalk View)
Own the full Rockwell Automation portfolio at the site: firmware management, licensing, patching, and platform health
Develop and optimize control logic for pasteurization, separation, homogenization, batching, filling, CIP/SIP systems, and utility systems
Manage and maintain virtualization infrastructure (Hyper-V, VMware ESXi) and Windows Server environments that host automation applications
Configure, troubleshoot, and maintain industrial network infrastructure including Ethernet/IP, and TCP/IP protocols
Manage system backups, version control (Rockwell AssetCentre), and technical documentation for all automation assets
Take ownership of the preventive maintenance program for all automation and control system assets, including PLCs, HMI terminals, SCADA servers, network switches, and virtualization hosts
Perform corrective maintenance and fault resolution to minimize production downtime
Maintain a spare parts strategy for critical automation components
Track and manage automation asset lifecycle, including firmware versions, hardware revisions, and end-of-life planning
Lead automation-related capital and improvement projects from concept through commissioning and handover
Develop technical specifications, functional descriptions, and system architecture documentation
Coordinate with equipment OEMs, system integrators, and vendors to ensure system compatibility and performance
Manage project timelines, budgets, and deliverables for automation scope
Conduct and oversee Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) and Site Acceptance Testing (SAT)
Provide real-time, hands-on troubleshooting support to operations and maintenance teams during production
Analyze equipment performance data to identify root causes of downtime or process variation
Lead and participate in root cause analyses (RCA) and Management of Change (MOC) processes
Support commissioning, startup, and validation of new equipment and process lines
Ensure all automation changes follow plant change-control procedures
Ensure control systems meet regulatory and industry standards (FDA, PMO, OSHA, NFPA, 3-A Sanitary Standards)
Maintain and improve safety interlocks, alarms, and emergency-stop systems
Support quality and food safety initiatives, including traceability, batch control, and audit readiness
Identify opportunities to automate manual processes and improve plant efficiency
Support digital transformation initiatives including data historians, MES, and predictive maintenance
Train and mentor plant personnel, including the junior automation engineer, on systems, controls, and best practices
Collaborate with global engineering and global IT teams on standards alignment, knowledge sharing, and cross-site initiatives
Qualification
Required
Tertiary qualification in Electrical Engineering, Automation, Mechatronics, Control Systems, or a related technical discipline
Minimum 5 years of hands-on experience in automation or controls engineering within food, beverage, dairy, or process manufacturing
Strong proficiency in PLC and HMI programming on the Rockwell Automation platform
Proven ability to independently manage the full Rockwell ecosystem including firmware, licensing, patching, and AssetCentre
Solid understanding of industrial networking protocols including Ethernet/IP and TCP/IP
Hands-on experience with server virtualization platforms (Hyper-V and/or VMware ESXi) and Windows Server administration
Experience with instrumentation, VFDs, servo systems, and process control loops
Ability to read electrical schematics, P&IDs, and control system documentation
Demonstrated experience leading automation projects and coordinating with external suppliers and integrators
Understanding of dairy processing operations and sanitary manufacturing requirements
Preferred
Experience with Ignition SCADA platform (Inductive Automation)
Experience with Sepasoft MES modules (Track & Trace)
Familiarity with Wonderware/AVEVA Historian or similar process data historians
Knowledge of pasteurization controls, CIP/SIP automation, and PMO requirements
Experience working with global or multi-site engineering teams
Company
Flora Food Group
Flora Food Group produces and sells butter, spread, cream, and cheese.
1001-5000 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageLeadership Team
Jeffrey Jacobsen
Chief Financial Officer -US
Brian Orlando
Chief Marketing Officer, Americas
Recent News
2025-11-07
2025-10-16
2025-10-11
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