At Pieper Automation, safety is our moral obligation and number one priority. We are a premier provider of turnkey industrial automation and machine safety solutions for manufacturers across North America. We believe in servant leadership, working tirelessly to keep our people—and our clients' people—safe.
We are seeking a Project Manager (PM) – Machine Safety to sit at the critical intersection of engineering, project management, and client development. In this client-facing role, you will lead the end-to-end execution of machine safety projects for a diverse customer base, ranging from mid-size facilities to Fortune 100 companies. You will guide clients through the entire machine safety lifecycle: from unbiased Risk Assessments and technical scoping to the design, integration, and 3rd-party validation of critical safety mitigations.
At PPC Partners we believe in the Power to Serve along with the Pursuit of Excellence. As such the following values guide our behaviors: A Servant's Heart -- Focus on the Needs of Others, Wisdom -- Insightful, Integrity -- Honesty and Trustworthy, Courage -- Decisive and Confident in Others, Humility -- Modest and Respectful, Passion -- Unfailing Dedication
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Project & Financial Management:
Work with the business lines to coordinate, execute and deliver all projects on time, on budget and within scope in accordance with the stated business requirements
Drive sound Project Management methodology including requirements & business case analysis, development of project charters, project plans, resource plans and related project management artifacts
Manage billing and collections to ensure positive cash flow
Facilitate continuous process improvement to increase field productivity
Drive efficient resource management
Coordinate manpower, resources, and tools across branches and departments
Client & Program Leadership
Act as the primary liaison between Pieper Automation and our clients. Coordinate cross-functional teams (Safety Engineers, Controls Engineers, and Field Staff) to deliver turnkey safety solutions on schedule, within scope, and on budget.
Scoping & Proposals:
Collaborate with Business Development to assess customer safety needs, conduct site visits, and lead technical scoping. Drive the proposal process, including cost estimation, quoting, and aligning solutions with internal capabilities.
Mitigation Design & Integration:
Manage the deployment of risk reduction strategies. Ensure active and passive safety systems (physical guarding, safety PLCs, light curtains, area scanners) and control systems are designed, built and validated to meet regulatory and customer requirements.
Verification & Validation:
Direct the critical 3rd-party safety validation and verification phases. Ensure all installed safety systems function exactly as intended and comply with OSHA, ANSI, NFPA, and RIA A3 standards before final client handover.
Qualifications And Requirements
Experience: 5+ years of experience in technical program/project management within industrial automation, systems integration, or functional safety (ISO 13849).
Agile Proficiency: Proven experience applying Agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban) to hardware, systems integration, or regulatory compliance projects.
Technical Acumen: Ability to scope complex mechanical and electrical safety projects, estimate costs, and translate regulatory requirements into actionable, sprint-sized engineering tasks.
Standards Knowledge: Deep working knowledge of machine safety standards, including OSHA regulations, ANSI B11, ISO 12100, and ISO 13849-1.
Client Engagement: Exceptional customer-facing communication skills. Ability to build trust, present risk assessment findings, and explain iterative safety mitigation strategies to EHS Managers, Plant Managers, and engineering staff.
Mobility: Willingness to travel to various client manufacturing sites to oversee assessments, installations, and validation testing.
Experience, Skill And Abilities
Positive safety attitude and personal integrity -- both are non-negotiable
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (i Excel, Word, Outlook, and Teams)
Proficiency in Atlassian products (Jira and Confluence)
Strong communication skills, both verbal and written
Ability to apply innovative and effective leadership techniques to maximize project performance
Exceptional organizational and documentation skills.
Strong interpersonal skills; ability to interact with all levels of the company and customers
Physical Requirements
Office environment requiring sitting and standing.
Occasional travel to various work sites including overnight travel, exposing employee to outdoor elements, noise and the need to stand and walk.
Travel is expected to be between 25% and 50%
Pieper Automation is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Skills Required
- 5+ years technical program/project management in industrial automation, systems integration, or functional safety (ISO 13849)
- Proven experience applying Agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban) to hardware or systems integration projects
- Ability to scope complex mechanical and electrical safety projects and estimate costs
- Deep working knowledge of machine safety standards (OSHA, ANSI B11, ISO 12100, ISO 13849-1)
- Exceptional customer-facing communication skills and ability to present risk assessments
- Willingness to travel to client manufacturing sites (25%–50%)
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook, Teams)
- Proficiency with Atlassian products (Jira and Confluence)
- Positive safety attitude and personal integrity
- Strong organizational, documentation, and interpersonal skills
What We Do
PPC Partners is an employee-owned specialty contracting holding company that operates several leading electrical, mechanical, automation, and construction businesses. The company focuses on driving success through a strong safety culture and innovative solutions, primarily serving clients across the Midwest and Southeast regions of North America through its various subsidiary branches.









