Operations Automation Senior Engineer

Career Area:

Manufacturing

Job Description:

Your Work Shapes the World at Caterpillar Inc.

When you join Caterpillar, you're joining a global team who cares not just about the work we do – but also about each other. We are the makers, problem solvers, and future world builders who are creating stronger, more sustainable communities. We don't just talk about progress and innovation here – we make it happen, with our customers, where we work and live. Together, we are building a better world, so we can all enjoy living in it.

Role Definition

Lead the Automation, Controls and Robotics team to ensure the reliability, availability, safety, and performance of manufacturing equipment. Responsible for developing and executing maintenance strategies, managing technical resources, driving continuous improvement initiatives, and implementing proven problem-solving methodologies to eliminate chronic failures and maximize equipment uptime.

This position provides technical leadership for PLC-based control systems, industrial robotics, automated manufacturing equipment, and associated infrastructure while ensuring compliance with safety, quality, maintenance, and operational excellence standards.

Educational Requirements:

• Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, Robotics, Automation Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field.

• Advanced English

• Expert in industrial automation, controls, robotics, and manufacturing maintenance environments.

• Expert leading technical maintenance or automation teams.

Skills:

Maintenance & Reliability Leadership

• Lead the automation, controls, and robotics maintenance team across manufacturing operations.

• Develop and implement preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance strategies to maximize equipment availability and reliability.

• Drive maintenance excellence through TPM, WCM, Reliability Engineering, and Best Practice methodologies.

• Establish and monitor KPIs including uptime, MTBF, MTTR, PM compliance, and maintenance cost performance.

• Ensure effective planning, scheduling, and resource utilization for maintenance activities.

Automation, Controls & Robotics

• Provide technical leadership for PLC-based control systems, HMI, SCADA, industrial networks, variable frequency drives, motion control systems, and safety systems.

• Support troubleshooting, optimization, upgrades, and lifecycle management of manufacturing control systems.

• Lead robotics maintenance and continuous improvement initiatives involving FANUC, KUKA, and other industrial robotic platforms.

• Ensure equipment programming standards, backup strategies, and cybersecurity requirements are maintained.

Problem Solving & Continuous Improvement

• Lead structured root cause investigations using methodologies such as: RCA (Root Cause Analysis), WCM Problem Solving, TPM methodologies, 5 Why Analysis, Fishbone Analysis, A3 Problem Solving and FMEA.

• Eliminate chronic equipment failures through implementation of sustainable corrective actions.

• Facilitate cross-functional teams to resolve complex technical and operational issues.

Resource & Project Management

• Manage technical personnel, contractors, suppliers, and service providers supporting automation and maintenance activities.

• Develop annual maintenance budgets and capital improvement plans.

• Prioritize maintenance resources based on business risk, production needs, and reliability objectives.

• Lead automation modernization projects, equipment upgrades, obsolescence management, and technology deployments.

• Ensure projects meet safety, quality, cost, and schedule objectives.

Operational Support:

• Support production teams in achieving safety, quality, delivery, and cost objectives.

• Provide technical coaching, mentoring, and skills development for automation technicians and engineers.

• Drive standardization of troubleshooting procedures, maintenance documentation, spare parts strategies, and knowledge management systems.

Technical Skills:

• Controls Systems Expertise, PLC Programming and Troubleshooting such as Allen-Bradley / Rockwell Automation and Siemens, HMI, SCADA, Industrial Networks, Motion Control, Servo Systems, VFDs, and Machine Safety and Electrical troubleshooting and interpretation of control drawings.

Robotics:

• FANUC Robotics, KUKA Robotics, Robot troubleshooting, preventive maintenance, programming support, and recovery procedures and Integration of robots with automated manufacturing systems.

Leadership & Resource Management:

• Team Leadership, Contractor Management, Budget Management, Cross-functional Collaboration, Strategic Planning, Performance Management and Technical Coaching and Development.

Top Candidates also have:

• Master's Degree in Automation, Reliability Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Systems, or related field.

• Certification in TPM, Reliability Engineering, Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing, or WCM methodologies.

• Demonstrated success in improving uptime, reducing downtime, and improving maintenance performance indicators.

• Experience leading automation and reliability programs in highly automated manufacturing environments.

Additional Information:

• Location: Cienega de Flores, Nuevo Leon.

• This position is five-day a week in-office model, from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm

• Sponsorship for foreign candidates is not available.

• Relocation assistance is not available for this position.

• Do not forget to include a resume in English in your profile in Workday​.

Final details

Please frequently check the email associated with your application, including the junk/spam folder, as this is the primary correspondence method. If you wish to know the status of your application – please use the candidate log-in on our career website as it will reflect any updates to your status.

The Caterpillar Code of Conduct states that we will select, and place employees based on their qualifications for the job to be performed, without regard to race, religion, national origin, color, gender, identity, sexual orientation, age or disability. In this company we do not request pregnancy tests, nor HIV tests as requirements for employment entry, permanence or promotion.

This position requires working onsite five days a week.

Visa Sponsorship is not available for this position.

Posting Dates:

julio 23, 2026 - julio 30, 2026

Caterpillar is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants of any age are encouraged to apply

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