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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Lead Automation Robotics Technician

💰 $ - $

EngineeringRoboticsAutomationManufacturing

🎯 Role Definition

The Lead Automation Robotics Technician is a senior hands-on technical role responsible for designing, programming, commissioning, and maintaining automated equipment and robotic cells across manufacturing facilities. This role combines deep expertise in industrial robotics (ABB, Fanuc, KUKA, Yaskawa, etc.), PLC/HMI systems, motion control, electrical troubleshooting and safety systems with leadership duties including mentorship, project coordination, vendor interactions and continuous improvement. The Lead Automation Robotics Technician ensures reliable uptime, safe operation, and scalable automation solutions that meet production KPIs.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Senior Automation Technician / Robotics Technician
  • Controls Technician or PLC Programmer
  • Mechatronics Technician or Maintenance Technician with automation focus

Advancement To:

  • Automation Engineering Lead / Controls Engineering Manager
  • Robotics Integration Manager / Manufacturing Automation Manager
  • Plant Engineering Manager / Director of Automation

Lateral Moves:

  • Process Automation Engineer
  • Systems Integration Specialist
  • Controls Design Engineer

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Lead end-to-end design, programming and deployment of robotic cells and automated production lines, including robot path programming, tool and end-of-arm (EOAT) design, PLC logic, HMI screens and safety interlocks to meet production throughput and quality targets.
  • Develop, modify and optimize PLC programs (Allen-Bradley/Studio 5000, Siemens/Step 7 & TIA Portal, Omron, Mitsubishi) and HMI applications to support new equipment installations and process improvements.
  • Program and optimize industrial robot controllers (Fanuc, ABB, KUKA, Yaskawa, Universal Robots) for pick-and-place, welding, palletizing, machine tending and material handling applications, ensuring cycle time, accuracy and repeatability meet specifications.
  • Lead on-site commissioning and start-up of complex automation systems, performing system-level debugging, I/O checks, communication validation (EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, Modbus TCP, OPC UA) and coordinate with mechanical, electrical and controls teams to achieve successful production acceptance.
  • Troubleshoot and resolve advanced electrical, control and robot issues using diagnostic tools, oscilloscope readings, ladder logic trace, and manufacturer-specific diagnostics to minimize downtime and restore production quickly.
  • Design, implement and maintain safety systems and machine guarding in compliance with ISO 13849, NFPA 79, OSHA and local regulations; perform risk assessments, safety PLC programming and safety relay integrations.
  • Generate and maintain detailed electrical and control documentation including schematics, Bill of Materials (BOM), control narratives, IO lists, ladder diagrams, and commissioning reports for as-built systems.
  • Mentor, train and lead a team of automation and maintenance technicians, delegating tasks, establishing technical standards, conducting hands-on training and accelerating team competency in robot programming and PLC troubleshooting.
  • Manage vendor relationships and third-party integrators during equipment selection, procurement, warranty support and specialized repairs; evaluate vendor proposals for technical completeness and cost-effectiveness.
  • Plan and execute preventive maintenance programs for robots, drives, servos, conveyors and ancillary equipment; track MTTR and MTBF to drive continuous reliability improvements.
  • Implement motion control strategies and tuning for servo drives and VFDs to improve accuracy, reduce cycle time and minimize mechanical stress on equipment.
  • Configure and maintain industrial networks, switch configurations, VLANs and cyber-secure practices to ensure robust, deterministic communication between robots, PLCs, HMIs and MES/SCADA systems.
  • Lead root cause analysis (RCA) for chronic failures and recurring quality issues using FMEA, 8D or Kaizen methodologies and drive corrective actions that eliminate defects at the source.
  • Integrate automation systems with higher-level controls including MES, ERP and SCADA via OPC, web services or custom APIs to support traceability, OEE reporting and production analytics.
  • Oversee electrical installations and field wiring work, ensuring compliance with schematic diagrams, correct wire routing, labeling, termination quality and continuity testing.
  • Develop and execute FAT (Factory Acceptance Test) and SAT (Site Acceptance Test) protocols, including test plans, performance acceptance criteria, and customer sign-offs for turnkey automation projects.
  • Support design reviews and collaborate with mechanical engineers on fixture, EOAT and conveyor layout to ensure robotic reach, part presentation and cycle time targets are achievable.
  • Lead continuous improvement initiatives to optimize automation sequences, reduce changeover time, and improve first-pass yield; quantify improvement via metrics and present to stakeholders.
  • Maintain spare parts strategies and manage critical spares inventory for robots, PLC modules, servo drives and sensors to reduce mean time to repair and improve maintainability.
  • Provide technical leadership during emergency breakdowns, off-shift escalations and major changeovers, coordinating cross-functional crews to restore production while documenting lessons learned.
  • Drive standardization of automation practices across sites, developing reusable code libraries, standard I/O naming conventions, and modular robot cell designs to accelerate future deployments.
  • Lead safety and operational training for production and maintenance staff on new robotic systems, lockout/tagout procedures, and daily checks to ensure safe handoffs between shifts.

Secondary Functions

  • Produce and maintain system-level documentation, SOPs, preventive maintenance checklists and training materials to enable consistent operation and knowledge transfer across shifts and sites.
  • Support production planning by estimating integration timelines, commissioning windows, and resource needs for automation upgrades and new installations.
  • Participate in cross-functional project meetings (manufacturing, quality, engineering, procurement) to scope automation projects, define acceptance criteria and manage change requests.
  • Contribute to the organization’s automation roadmap by recommending opportunities for robotic automation, ROI calculations, and pilot-to-scale deployment strategies.
  • Coordinate with IT and OT teams for secure access, patching, and backups of robot controllers and PLCs; support incident response for automation-related cyber events.
  • Lead pilot projects evaluating new automation technologies, end-of-arm tooling, vision systems, or collaborative robots (cobots) and present feasibility results to leadership.
  • Create and deliver KPI dashboards for OEE, downtime analysis and preventive maintenance compliance to drive data-informed decisions.
  • Implement component obsolescence management strategies and guide hardware/electrical upgrades to maintain long-term supportability.
  • Act as escalation point for supplier warranty claims, field service coordination and negotiation of service level agreements (SLAs).
  • Support continuous learning by organizing knowledge-share sessions, hands-on labs and certifications for the automation team.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Advanced robot programming and integration experience with major industrial robot brands (Fanuc, ABB, KUKA, Yaskawa, Universal Robots) including teach pendant programming, St/pK/RobScript, RAPID, KRL and equivalent languages.
  • PLC programming and troubleshooting (Rockwell/Studio 5000, RSLogix 500/5000, Siemens Step 7 / TIA Portal, Omron) including ladder logic, function block and structured text.
  • Strong understanding of industrial networking and protocols: Ethernet/IP, PROFINET, Modbus TCP, OPC UA, DeviceNet and TCP/IP fundamentals.
  • HMI/SCADA development and troubleshooting (PanelView, Wonderware, Ignition, Siemens WinCC), creating operator screens, alarms and production recipes.
  • Motion control and servo tuning experience, including VFDs, servo drives, indexing systems and closed-loop control strategies.
  • Electrical controls expertise: reading and creating electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, power distribution, grounding, and motor control circuits.
  • Safety systems design and programming: safety PLCs, safety relays, light curtains, interlocks and compliance with ISO 13849, IEC 62061 and OSHA standards.
  • Machine vision integration and troubleshooting experience with cameras, lighting, vision software (Cognex, Keyence, Matrox, Halcon) for part detection and quality inspection.
  • Experience with PLC-to-MES/ERP integration, data logging, and automation data exchange methods (OPC, SQL, REST APIs) to support traceability and reporting.
  • Hands-on commissioning and FAT/SAT experience including test plan generation, performance acceptance criteria and on-site debugging.
  • Proficiency with diagnostic tools: multimeter, oscilloscope, network analyzers, tone tracers, and robot/PLC diagnostic utilities.
  • Familiarity with CAD reading for mechanical fixtures and EOAT design; ability to collaborate on mechanical/electrical integration details.
  • Programming/scripting for automation support (Python, VBA, or similar) to automate testing, data collection or report generation.
  • Experience with collaborative robots (cobots) deployment and risk assessment for human-robot interaction scenarios.
  • Knowledge of continuous improvement methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen) applied to automation projects.

Soft Skills

  • Strong leadership and mentorship skills with experience guiding small technical teams and developing junior technicians.
  • Excellent analytical and structured problem-solving ability to diagnose complex electro-mechanical and control system failures.
  • Clear verbal and written communication skills for technical documentation, cross-functional collaboration and vendor negotiations.
  • Project management aptitude: planning, scheduling, resourcing and delivering automation projects on schedule and within budget.
  • Customer-focused mindset with the ability to translate production needs into actionable technical requirements.
  • Time management and prioritization skills to balance reactive maintenance, scheduled upgrades and continuous improvement tasks.
  • Adaptability and resilience to operate in fast-paced manufacturing environments and manage off-shift escalations.
  • Attention to detail and quality orientation when testing, commissioning and documenting control systems.
  • Collaborative team player able to work across engineering, production, quality and IT/OT groups.
  • Proactive safety advocate who enforces safe work practices, LOTO procedures and continuous safety improvement.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Associate degree in Mechatronics, Electrical Engineering Technology, Robotics Technology, or equivalent technical diploma plus substantial hands-on experience.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, Controls Engineering or related STEM field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Mechatronics
  • Electrical / Controls Engineering
  • Robotics and Automation
  • Industrial Maintenance / Electronics

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 5–12+ years in industrial automation, controls, and robotics with progressive responsibilities.

Preferred:

  • 7+ years of direct robotics and PLC experience with at least 2–3 years in a lead or senior technician role; proven commissioning, programming and team leadership experience.
  • Demonstrated track record integrating robot cells into production environments, optimizing cycle time and improving reliability.
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