Embedded Automation Architect (Factory Automation)

Location: Greater Seattle Area; on-site presence with the assigned business unit and travel between hirify.global facilities required. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or nationals, current U.S. permanent residents, or lawfully admitted refugees or asylees.

Base pay for Washington applicants: $197,529–$276,539.55 annually.

Company

hirify.global develops reusable, safe, and low-cost space vehicles and systems within its spaceflight and manufacturing operations.

What you will do

• Own and continuously maintain a multi-year automation roadmap for an assigned business unit using shared automation standards, templates, and the digital thread.
• Prioritize automation investments by recurring labor savings, capital intensity, schedule, and finished-part economics.
• Lead make-versus-buy and build-versus-integrator decisions and defend financial cases involving payback, NPV, and savings ramps.
• Partner with design and engineering teams on design-for-automation, part-count reduction, and process changes before automation capital is committed.
• Architect AI-enabled machine programming, ML-based inspection, agentic planning, and evidence-based automated part buyoff while preserving human control of safety- and fracture-critical characteristics.
• Translate roadmap items into projects, guide central automation build teams through design reviews and commissioning, and ensure production cells include maintenance, spares, and telemetry planning.

Requirements

• 8+ years of automation, controls, or robotics engineering experience, including hands-on design and integration of custom robotic cells and special machines.
• Experience owning automation strategy or a multi-project roadmap across a product line or facility.
• Deep knowledge of Siemens, Rockwell, or Beckhoff controls; KUKA, FANUC, or ABB robots; motion systems; and machine vision.
• Experience architecting IT/OT connectivity across PLM/MBD, MES, ERP, PLC, SCADA, robots, and historians.
• Practical experience with AI-enabled automation, manufacturing processes, safety and ergonomic standards, and design-for-manufacturing or design-for-automation.
• U.S. citizenship, U.S. national status, current Green Card status, refugee status, or asylum status is required.

Nice to have

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in electrical engineering, mechatronics, automation, or a related field.
• System integrator or custom industrial automation experience, including make-versus-buy exposure.
• OPC UA, MQTT, historian, edge computing, network security, digital-thread, MES, or MBD/PMI experience.
• Experience building internal AI-assisted automation tools, integrating CNC machines, or working in aerospace or other regulated high-mix, low-volume manufacturing.
• SCADA experience with Ignition, WinCC, or FactoryTalk, plus 3D layouts, robot simulations, and mechanical drawing review.

Culture & Benefits

• Safety, collaboration, inclusion, trust, equality, and teamwork are emphasized.
• Medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability coverage, and paid parental leave.
• 401(k) with company matching of up to 5% and an Education Support Program.
• Stock options for regular employees working at least 20 hours per week.
• Up to four weeks of paid time off and up to 14 company-paid holidays.
• Standard background checks are required; a DBIDS check may be required for work on military installations.