Automation Engineer
Oak Ridge, TNOnsite2+ YOE
Summary
Develops and maintains software tools, data systems, dashboards, and automated workflows supporting manufacturing operations, inventory tracking, and reporting in a regulated nuclear environment. Requires 2-6 years of experience with Python, SQL, data pipelines, and dashboard tools.
About the role
Responsibilities
Manufacturing Systems & Automation
- Develop, maintain, and improve software tools and automated workflows that support manufacturing operations
- Build scripts, integrations, and system automations to reduce manual work, improve data accuracy, and increase operational visibility
- Support manufacturing systems used for production tracking, inventory management, material movement, reporting, and process monitoring
- Troubleshoot system issues, workflow failures, user access problems, data discrepancies, and reporting gaps
- Support deployment, maintenance, and continuous improvement of internal tools used by operations and technical teams
Inventory & Material Tracking Systems
- Maintain and improve systems used to track inventory, materials, equipment status, and operational workflows
- Support systems used for nuclear material tracking, ensuring data integrity, traceability, access control, and reliable reporting
- Develop automation tools that improve inventory visibility, reduce manual data entry, and support compliant material management
- Partner with operations, NMCA, quality, engineering, and IT teams to ensure system changes are controlled, documented, and aligned with operational requirements
- Help identify and resolve data quality issues related to material tracking, system records, and operational reporting
Dashboards, Reporting & Data Tools
- Build and maintain dashboards, reports, and visualization tools for manufacturing, engineering, quality, and leadership teams
- Translate manufacturing and operational data into clear, actionable views of production status, inventory, yield, throughput, and process performance
- Automate recurring reports and reduce spreadsheet-based or manual reporting workflows
- Work with users to understand reporting needs and develop practical tools that support decision-making
- Support development of metrics that improve visibility into manufacturing performance and operational constraints
Data Systems & Integration
- Integrate data from manufacturing systems, equipment, databases, spreadsheets, ERP/MRP systems, and other operational sources
- Develop and maintain data pipelines, queries, and structured datasets for analysis, reporting, and automation
- Improve data reliability, accessibility, and usability across manufacturing and engineering teams
- Support data architecture, naming conventions, and documentation practices for manufacturing data
- Work with incomplete or evolving data sources and develop practical solutions that improve over time
Compliance, Security & Documentation
- Support data integrity, role-based access, change control, and documentation practices for manufacturing systems
- Coordinate with IT to ensure tools and systems align with cybersecurity, access control, and company technology requirements
- Develop and maintain technical documentation for scripts, workflows, dashboards, integrations, and user-facing tools
- Support software quality assurance practices for internal tools and automation workflows
- Ensure systems and data practices support audit readiness, traceability, and regulated manufacturing expectations
Cross-Functional Support
- Work closely with intelligent manufacturing, operations, engineering, quality, NMCA, EH&S, supply chain, and IT teams
- Gather requirements from technical and operational users and translate them into practical software and data solutions
- Communicate technical issues, data limitations, system needs, and improvement opportunities clearly to non-software stakeholders
- Support troubleshooting and continuous improvement of systems used in day-to-day manufacturing operations
- Help build a culture of disciplined, data-driven manufacturing decision-making
Preferred Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Data Science, Cybersecurity, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related technical field
- 2–6 years of experience in software development, systems automation, data engineering, manufacturing systems, IT systems support, or a related technical role
- Strong programming or scripting skills, preferably in Python, SQL, or similar tools
- Experience working with SQL databases, data pipelines, APIs, dashboards, and structured data
- Experience building reports or dashboards using Power BI, Tableau, Grafana, Plotly, or similar platforms
- Experience supporting regulated inventory, material tracking, access-controlled systems, or compliance-sensitive operational software preferred
- Familiarity with data integrity, role-based access control, change control, or software quality assurance practices preferred
- Ability to troubleshoot software, data, workflow, reporting, and user access issues
- Comfort working with incomplete, messy, or evolving data sources in a manufacturing or operational environment
- Familiarity with ERP/MRP systems, manufacturing systems, equipment data, sensor data, or industrial systems is a plus
- Familiarity with machine learning, statistical modeling, or advanced analytics is a plus
- Experience in manufacturing, nuclear, DOE, energy, aerospace, defense, semiconductor, chemical processing, or other technical industries is a plus
Benefits
- Health, Dental & Vision Insurance
- Health Savings Account
- Disability and Life Insurance
- 401(k) Plan
- Paid Time Off and Holidays
Skills
PythonSQLPower BITableauGrafanaPlotlyAPIsData PipelinesERP/MRP SystemsData Integrity