Automation R&D Engineer (62926)

Position Title:

Automation R&D Engineer - Smart Machines

Classification:

Full-Time, Exempt, Competitive, Depending on Experience

Reports To:

Senior Director of Product and Process Innovation

Supervises:

N/A

Travel:

Up to 25-30% for startup of new technologies and customer troubleshooting support

The Automation R&D Engineer - Smart Machines leads the research, development, testing, and implementation of intelligent automation and smart machine capabilities across the Reading Bakery Systems equipment portfolio. This role is focused on advancing machine-level controls, diagnostics, data collection, automation architecture, and AI-enabled technologies for pretzel, cookie, cracker, and baking systems.

This position is grounded in strong electrical controls knowledge, hands-on machine troubleshooting, and practical problem solving. The ideal candidate understands how industrial equipment operates in real-world production environments and can translate machine behavior, field issues, customer needs, and process requirements into smarter, more reliable equipment solutions.

A key focus of this position is the development and integration of smart machine technologies, including machine diagnostics, condition monitoring, predictive maintenance concepts, operator guidance, machine vision, data analytics, and AI-enabled tools that enhance equipment performance, uptime, product quality, serviceability, and customer value.

Working closely with Sales, Engineering, Technical Services, Customer Care, Applications, and the Science & Innovation Center, this role helps bridge innovation with practical, customer-focused machine solutions. The position supports concept development, prototyping, testing, commissioning, troubleshooting, and aftermarket learning to ensure smart machine capabilities are useful, reliable, scalable, and grounded in actual customer needs.

• Design, prototype, test, and validate new equipment, automation systems, smart machine features, and process enhancements to support product innovation and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Develop and evaluate intelligent machine capabilities, including diagnostics, condition monitoring, predictive maintenance concepts, operator guidance, machine vision, data analytics, and AI-enabled automation tools.
• Collaborate with Sales, Engineering, Applications, Technical Services, and customers during concept development to ensure technical feasibility, operational performance, and alignment with customer objectives.
• Serve as a technical liaison between customers and internal teams, including potential on-site support for commissioning, optimization, troubleshooting, and implementation of smart machine and automation solutions.
• Develop and communicate equipment standards, automation requirements, sensor strategies, controls specifications, machine data requirements, and design intent to the Production Engineering team to support successful execution of customer projects.
• Work with Engineering to create bills of materials, technical documentation, test plans, validation records, and complete design packages for release to manufacturing and purchasing.
• Support Technical Services and Customer Care by troubleshooting equipment performance issues, identifying root causes, and implementing corrective actions to minimize customer downtime and operational impact.
• Partner with Technical Services, Customer Care, and Engineering to identify recurring machine issues and convert those learnings into improved designs, smart diagnostics, troubleshooting tools, or future product enhancements.
• Conduct research, product testing, process validation, and smart machine trials at the Science & Innovation Center in collaboration with Engineering, R&D, Applications, and cross-functional teams.
• Identify opportunities to improve machine performance, reliability, maintainability, operator experience, and customer value through advanced controls, automation, instrumentation, data analytics, and AI-enabled technologies.
• Work with Electrical Engineering to support controls architecture, sensor selection, instrumentation, data collection, and machine connectivity standards for intelligent equipment platforms.
• Evaluate emerging automation, AI, machine vision, and smart manufacturing technologies for practical use within RBS equipment and customer applications.
• Meet regularly with Engineering and Product Innovation leadership to communicate project status, identify technical risks, prioritize smart machine opportunities, and develop strategic solutions.
• Support development of customer-facing smart machine concepts that may enable future digital service offerings, including remote diagnostics, performance optimization, predictive maintenance, and lifecycle support.

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Automation Engineering, Mechatronics, or related technical field.
• Strong background in industrial electrical controls, automation systems, and machine troubleshooting.
• Hands-on experience with PLC-based control systems, preferably Rockwell and/or Siemens.
• Experience commissioning, testing, troubleshooting, or improving industrial equipment in manufacturing environments.
• Strong structured problem-solving skills with the ability to evaluate issues across controls, mechanical systems, process conditions, sensors, and equipment operation.
• Ability to translate customer needs, field issues, and machine behavior into practical technical solutions.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to work across Engineering, Sales, Service, Applications, customers, and leadership.

• OEM experience in food, baking, snack, packaging, or process equipment.
• Experience with machine vision, industrial data systems, OPC UA, MQTT, historians, edge devices, or machine connectivity.
• Exposure to AI, machine learning, predictive maintenance, condition monitoring, or data analytics in industrial applications.
• Experience developing prototypes, test plans, validation methods, and scalable machine solutions.
• Familiarity with industrial cybersecurity and customer data considerations.

• Smart machine features are developed that improve machine reliability, serviceability, uptime, operator experience, and customer value.
• Recurring field issues are translated into better diagnostics, better designs, and improved equipment standards.
• Controls, sensors, data collection, and automation strategies become more standardized across intelligent machine platforms.
• AI and digital technologies are applied practically, not theoretically.
• RBS develops smart machine capabilities that are useful to customers, support future service offerings, and strengthen long-term equipment differentiation.