Senior Automation Engineer | 2nd Shift | Totowa, NJ | $125K + 15% Bonus

Job Description

A well-established food manufacturing company in Totowa, NJ is adding a senior-level Automation Engineer to its second shift team. This isn't a role where you wait to be told what to do. You will own the floor from 3:00 PM to midnight, keep production running independently, and contribute to a major automation buildout that is already underway.

⠀

𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗣𝗔𝗡𝗬

Pave Talent is hiring on behalf of our client, a privately held, family-owned food manufacturing company based in Totowa, NJ with over 100 years of combined management experience. They produce for a portfolio of well-known national food service and retail brands from a single, world-class facility. The company has effectively doubled its production capacity in the last three years and is now expanding aggressively into robotics and next-generation automation -- a robotic palletizer is already installed, with vision inspection systems on the way.

⠀

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗢𝗣𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗬

You will report to the Engineering Manager and serve as the senior automation presence on the second shift (3:00 PM to 12:00 AM). The plant runs up to 24 hours a day, seven days a week. When something goes wrong on your shift, you are the person who resolves it -- not escalates it. Beyond production support, you will contribute to a significant pipeline of capital projects including new equipment controls, a plant-wide transport system rewrite, and an HMI migration from FactoryTalk View SE to Ignition Perspective.

A companion junior role is also being filled for the morning shift.

⠀

𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗬𝗢𝗨'𝗟𝗟 𝗗𝗢

• Own automation troubleshooting and production support on second shift, operating independently with minimal supervision

• Write, modify, and improve PLC code (Rockwell Studio 5000 / ControlLogix) for production systems and capital projects

• Troubleshoot point-level sensors, VFDs, burner controllers, conveyors, operator interfaces, and networking issues as they arise on the floor

• Contribute to the plant's HMI migration from FactoryTalk View SE to Ignition Perspective and ongoing ISA-101 standardization

• Execute controls and automation upgrades for production equipment and the plant-wide automated transport system

• Build and design electrical control panels for capital projects using AutoCAD Electrical or Visio

• Support integration of automation systems with the company's Plex ERP platform

• Collaborate with the morning shift engineering team on cross-shift projects and handoffs

• Support growing robotics and end-of-line automation initiatives including the newly installed robotic palletizer and upcoming vision inspection systems

⠀

𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗟 𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗞

The Engineering Manager is direct about what this shift requires: "We're looking for someone that's more of a self-starter and can do things unguided." You will have support from the broader engineering team, but second shift means real autonomy. If you need someone looking over your shoulder to feel confident, this isn't the right fit. If you thrive with ownership and want your work to be visible, this is exactly the right setup.

Production runs around the clock. On-call coverage is part of the job, and occasionally that means a weekend. When it does, you get that time back. There is no overtime pay -- the flexibility goes both ways.

⠀

𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦

𝗥𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱:

• PLC programming experience -- ability to write and modify code confidently, not just troubleshoot

• Electrical troubleshooting skills: read and interpret schematics and control circuits

• Self-starter who can work independently with minimal supervision on second shift

• Comfortable in a live production environment where uptime is everything

• 3 to 5 years of experience in manufacturing, factory automation, system integration, or machine building

• Ability to speak to past project work with technical specificity -- not just buzzwords

• Authorized to work in the US without sponsorship

𝗕𝗼𝗻𝘂𝘀 𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀:

• Rockwell Studio 5000 / Logix Designer (ControlLogix or CompactLogix)

• Ignition Perspective or SCADA system experience

• FactoryTalk View SE/ME

• Electrical control panel design (AutoCAD Electrical or Visio)

• Bilingual English/Spanish (preferred for second shift, not required)

• ERP integration experience (Plex or similar)

• Background from system integrator, machine builder, or manufacturing company

⠀

𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗣𝗘𝗡𝗦𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗕𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗙𝗜𝗧𝗦

𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘆: $125,000

𝗕𝗼𝗻𝘂𝘀: Performance-based; historically up to 15% end-of-year, plus raises up to 10%

𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲: Second shift, 3:00 PM to 12:00 AM

𝗢𝗻-𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹: Rotating; comp time provided for weekend coverage (no overtime pay)

𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗹: English/Spanish preferred for this shift, not required

𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹: Fully on-site, Totowa, NJ (easily accessible from most of Northern NJ)

𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: Family-owned, tight-knit team -- strong performers have direct visibility to upper management and internal mobility is real

⠀

Interested? Apply via LinkedIn and we'll be in touch. Confidential search; your application is fully private.

⠀

𝗣𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 | 𝗛𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱