Automation Engineer - Relocation is Available at Whirlpool Corporation in Racine, WI

Job description

Requisition ID: 72113 About Whirlpool Corporation Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) is a leading home appliance company, in constant pursuit of improving life at home. As the only major U.S.-based manufacturer of kitchen and laundry appliances, the company is driving meaningful innovation to meet the evolving needs of consumers through its iconic brand portfolio, including Whirlpool , KitchenAid , JennAir, Maytag , Amana, Brastemp , Consul , and InSinkErator . In 2025, the company reported approximately $16 billion in annual net sales - close to 90% of which were in the Americas - 41,000 employees, and 35 manufacturing and technology research centers. Additional information about the company can be found at WhirlpoolCorp.com . This role in summary Whirlpool is currently seeking qualified candidates for an Automation Engineer. This is an onsite role at our Racine, WI location. Serves as the lead technical analyst for optimizing plant automation and control systems. This position focuses on developing engineering standards, managing version control governance, and leading continuous improvement projects to improve overall equipment efficiency and eliminate process waste. Additionally, this role maintains core cross-functional technical capabilities to serve as an immediate technical backup across the facility's automation layers. We are currently not providing any visa sponsorship to candidates at this time. Relocation is available for eligible candidates. Your responsibilities will include Standards Development & Governance: Create, update, and enforce plant-wide automation and control standards across all existing production lines and new capital projects. Continuous Improvement & Data Analysis: Lead root-cause problem-solving and continuous improvement initiatives. Extract and analyze machine performance data from plant historians to identify bottlenecks and reduce downtime. Version Control Management: Oversee master code repositories and software configuration management platforms for all PLCs, HMIs, drives, and robotics across the facility. Asset Lifecycle & Obsolescence: Track technology lifecycles, maintain the automation risk register, and assist in developing the 3-to-5-year equipment replacement roadmap. Performance Reporting: Develop SQL queries, reports, and real-time OEE dashboards to translate operational data into actionable engineering improvements. Vendor & Integration Oversight: Partner with internal teams and external system integrators to establish technical benchmarks, review project specifications, and ensure alignment with plant standards. System Documentation & Network Support: Maintain clear technical documentation, code libraries, circuit diagrams, and system architecture drawings for all automated production equipment, including basic network diagnostics. Minimum requirements Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, or STEM field 3+ years of experience in an industrial manufacturing environment, specifically focusing on PLC logic (Rockwell Automation Studio 5000), HMI (FactoryTalk View), robotics, SQL databases, and SCADA architectures 2+ years of experience with industrial communication protocols (EtherNet/IP, Profinet, Modbus TCP), data mapping frameworks, and enterprise data hierarchy 1+ years of people leadership experience, including mentoring technical staff and coordinating resources for shop floor support Preferred skills and experiences Lean Six Sigma Certification: Active Green Belt or Black Belt certification with a demonstrated history of utilizing DMAIC methodologies for data-driven process optimization Software & Version Control: Advanced proficiency in Rockwell Automation software (Studio 5000, FactoryTalk View) and experience managing master code libraries via version control platforms Data Pipeline Engineering: Expert-level SQL query development and experience configuring time-series historians and real-time OEE dashboards for UNS data mapping Robotics & Motion Contro