Principal Automation Engineer (SMT)

The Principal Automation Engineer (SMT) is responsible for supporting production/manufacturing automation, with an emphasis on vision and inspection systems . The individual will be responsible for identifying, planning, and overseeing vision system and inspection automation projects within Jabil's manufacturing operations, acting as the liaison between the sites and automation vendors to ensure projects are successfully scoped, deployed, and implemented.

The ideal candidate will come from a contract manufacturing environment (EMS or similar) and have demonstrated success leading automation initiatives supporting high-volume manufacturing operations. This individual should possess a strong blend of technical expertise, project leadership, and cross-functional collaboration, with the ability to partner effectively with manufacturing sites, automation vendors, and internal stakeholders to successfully deploy automation solutions.

• Expert knowledge of manufacturing automation systems and industrial automation technologies.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes and automation project lifecycles.
• Ability to lead cross-functional automation initiatives while coordinating with internal teams and third-party suppliers.
• Excellent project planning, execution, vendor management, and stakeholder communication skills.
• Strong technical aptitude with the ability to evaluate automation opportunities and develop practical, scalable solutions.

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering or a related technical discipline.
• 8+ years of experience in manufacturing automation, capital equipment deployment, or advanced manufacturing.
• Experience with PCBA and Higher Level assemblies involving PCBAs is highly desired
• Experience leading large-scale automation projects within a contract manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated success developing business cases, defining technical and financial requirements, managing vendors, and overseeing automation project execution.
• Experience supporting maintenance automation or manufacturing process automation is preferred.
• Experience with vision and/or inspection manufacturing or automation involving large products/assemblies is a plus.
• Previous leadership or mentoring experience