Automation Engineer

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 I