Automation Engineer

Location: Ashville, OH, US

Employment Type: FULL_TIME

Position Overview

Novelis is one of the world leaders in aluminum recycling and rolling and a leading sustainable aluminum solutions provider. Driven by our purpose of shaping a sustainable world together, we work alongside our customers to provide innovative solutions to the aerospace, automotive, beverage packaging and specialty markets. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Novelis has approximately 13,000 employees in 32 operating facilities on 4 continents.

Responsibilities & Qualifications

Engineer the Systems That Drive World-Class Manufacturing

At Novelis, automation isn't a support function. It's a critical driver of safety, reliability, quality, and performance.

 

We're looking for an Automation Engineer who wants to own complex manufacturing systems, solve challenging controls problems, and make a measurable impact on a high-volume aluminum manufacturing facility. This is an opportunity to work across sophisticated coating lines, slitting operations, utility systems, and plant-wide digital transformation initiatives while partnering directly with operations, maintenance, and engineering leaders.

If you're energized by troubleshooting real-world process challenges, improving machine performance, implementing new technologies, and seeing your solutions deliver results on the production floor, you'll find significant opportunity here.

 

This role offers broad technical ownership spanning automation architecture, PLC programming, industrial networks, SCADA systems, manufacturing data platforms, reliability improvements, and capital project execution. You'll be empowered to identify opportunities, lead improvements, and help shape the future of manufacturing automation at Novelis Ashville.

What You'll Do

Own and Improve Critical Manufacturing Systems

• Design, develop, and implement automation solutions for coating lines, slitters, and plant utility systems.
• Optimize process controls to improve equipment uptime, throughput, product quality, and operational efficiency.
• Lead troubleshooting efforts for complex automation and controls issues impacting production performance.
• Perform root cause analysis of recurring failures and implement sustainable corrective actions.
• Maintain and improve reliability of PLC, HMI, SCADA, historian, and control network infrastructure.

Drive Automation and Digital Transformation

• Develop and enhance PLC, HMI, SCADA, and MES applications across the facility.
• Integrate production equipment, process controls, manufacturing databases, and reporting platforms.
• Support Industry 4.0 initiatives through expanded data collection, visualization, and analytics.
• Develop dashboards, reporting tools, and predictive maintenance solutions that enable data-driven operational decisions.
• Support manufacturing data historians and process monitoring systems.

Lead Capital and Improvement Projects

• Manage automation projects from concept, design, and programming through commissioning and startup.
• Lead equipment modernization, controls upgrades, and digital technology implementations.
• Coordinate vendors, contractors, and cross-functional teams to ensure successful project execution.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and recommend solutions that improve safety, productivity, and reliability.

Partner Across the Plant

• Collaborate closely with production, maintenance, engineering, and leadership teams to identify improvement opportunities.
• Provide technical leadership and mentoring on automation and controls best practices.
• Support operator and maintenance training initiatives.
• Maintain accurate documentation and promote knowledge transfer to improve long-term system maintainability.

Maintain a Safe and Reliable Operation

• Ensure automation systems comply with safety, environmental, quality, and regulatory requirements.
• Support machine safety systems, risk reduction initiatives, and continuous improvement programs.
• Maintain network architecture drawings, software backups, standards, and control system documentation.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Automation Engineering, Mechatronics, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Minimum three (3) years of industrial automation experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong experience programming and troubleshooting Allen-Bradley / Rockwell Automation PLC systems.
• Experience developing and supporting HMI and SCADA applications.
• Knowledge of industrial communication protocols including Ethernet/IP, Modbus, OPC, and TCP/IP.
• Demonstrated experience troubleshooting complex control systems in a production environment.
• Knowledge of machine safety systems, safety circuits, SIL concepts, and machine guarding standards.
• Strong project management, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and collaboration abilities.

Required Technical Skills

• VMware administration, including installation, configuration, and support of vSphere, ESXi, and vCenter environments.
• Microsoft SQL Server experience, including installation, configuration, database design, indexing, query development, and performance optimization using SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS).
• AVEVA Wonderware Galaxy and InTouch experience, including historian administration, tag management, and SQL-based historian data queries.
• Experience developing applications using Visual Studio 2022, including Windows Services and interfaces utilizing OPC, SQL databases, and TCP/IP communications.
• Windows PowerShell scripting including automation, troubleshooting, error handling, and systems administration tasks.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in aluminum, steel, metals, or continuous process manufacturing environments.
• Experience supporting coating lines, web handling systems, tension control systems, or thermal process equipment.
• Knowledge of slitting operations and associated control strategies.
• Experience automating utility systems such as compressed air, chillers, boilers, and water treatment systems.
• Familiarity with Industry 4.0 technologies, digital manufacturing, and advanced analytics platforms.
• Understanding of servo systems, motion control, hydraulics, pneumatics, and machine design.
• Experience leading capital projects and commissioning manufacturing equipment.
• Experience with Ignition, FactoryTalk, manufacturing historians, and industrial network infrastructure.

Why Automation Engineers Choose Novelis

At Ashville, you'll have the opportunity to work on manufacturing systems that directly impact production, quality, safety, energy utilization, and profitability. Your work will not be limited to maintenance support. You'll have the autonomy to identify opportunities, propose solutions, and lead improvements from concept through implementation.

 

As the world's leading producer of aluminum rolled products and the largest recycler of aluminum globally, Novelis continues to invest in advanced manufacturing technologies, automation, and sustainable operations. You'll join a team that values technical expertise, continuous improvement, innovation, and engineering ownership.

Military MOS Crosswalk can include but is not limited to:

Army

• 94F – Computer/Detection Systems Repairer

• 94A – Land Combat Electronic Missile System Repairer

• 25B – Information Technology Specialist

• 17C – Cyber Operations Specialist

• 51R – Systems Automation Acquisition and Engineering Officer

• 12P – Prime Power Production Specialist

 

Navy

• ET – Electronics Technician
• EM – Electrician’s Mate
• IT – Information Systems Technician

 

Air Force

• 1D7X1P – Cyber Defense

• 3E0X1 – Electrical Systems Specialist

• 9S100 – Scientific Applications Specialist

• 62E – Developmental Engineer Officer

 

Marine Corps

• 2841 – Ground Electronics Maintenance Technician

• 0631 – Network Administrator

• 0627 – Satellite Communications Operator/Maintainer

• 0602 – Communications Officer

• 8057 / 8061 – Marine Acquisition / Systems Officers

What We Offer

• Competitive Compensation and Annual Incentive Opportunities
• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Company-Funded Health Savings Account (HSA) and Health Reimbursement Account (HRA)
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Company-Paid Life Insurance and Supplemental Coverage Options
• Generous Vacation and Personal Time Off
• 401(k) with Company Match
• Retirement Savings Programs
• Educational Assistance and Career Development Opportunities
• Employee Assistance Program Available 24/7
• Wellness and Work-Life Balance Programs
• Opportunities to work on advanced manufacturing and digital transformation initiatives

Join Novelis and help build the next generation of intelligent manufacturing systems while advancing your automation engineering career in a challenging, high-impact environment.

#LI-MH1

Location Profile

Founded in 1971 Ashville is a finishing facility with coating capabilities. Employing around 190 people the facility primarily serves the Building & Construction and Commercial Transportation markets.

 

Novelis recognizes its talented and diverse workforce as a key competitive advantage. Novelis provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants. All terms and conditions of employment at Novelis including recruiting hiring placement promotion termination layoffs recalls transfers leaves of absence compensation and training are without regard to race color religion age sex national origin disability status genetics protected veteran status sexual orientation gender identity or expression or any other characteristic protected by federal provincial or local laws.

Disclaimer

We encourage all potential candidates to follow the protocols below and to be diligent when sharing any personal information:1. Check the job posting is live and valid via our careers page: Careers - Novelis2. Verify any communication with us by contacting our talent team at Careers - Novelis