From our home in Janesville, Wisconsin, Impact Confections has been delighting candy lovers with bold flavors and timeless favorites for generations. We’re proud to be the makers of WARHEADS®, the iconic sour candy that dares taste buds everywhere, and the classic Melster® Candies, known for nostalgic treats like Circus Peanuts and seasonal delights that families have cherished for decades.

SUMMARY

The Automation Engineer is responsible for designing, programming, maintaining, and improving automated systems within a high-speed confections manufacturing environment. This role ensures optimal equipment performance, minimizes downtime, improves production efficiency, and supports continuous improvement initiatives. The Automation Engineer will collaborate cross-functionally with Maintenance, Production, Quality, and Safety teams to support operational excellence.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Design, develop, and implement automation solutions for candy processing and packaging equipment.
• Support and optimize high-speed production lines including cooking, forming, enrobing, wrapping, and packaging systems.
• Analyze equipment performance data and recommend system improvements to increase up time.
• Lead automation projects from concept through implementation, including budgeting and vendor coordination.
• Diagnose electrical and controls issues to minimize downtime.
• Ensure compliance with food safety standards (GMP, SQF, HACCP) and safety regulations.
• Support integration of robotics, vision systems, and smart manufacturing technologies.
• Develop and maintain technical documentation, wiring diagrams, and control system schematics.
• Train maintenance and production teams on automated systems.
• Participate in continuous improvement initiatives and capital projects.
• All other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience in confections, snack food, or food manufacturing.
• Knowledge of FDA, SQF, and HACCP requirements.
• Project management experience.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, Automation Engineering, Mechatronics, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• At least 3–5+ years of experience in automation within a manufacturing environment (food or CPG preferred).
• Experience in high-speed packaging or processing lines is strongly preferred.

LANGUAGE and COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Ability to read analyze, and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and Ability to read, analyze and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals.Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers and the general public.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference, and fundamentals of plane and solid geometry and trigonometry. Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios and proportional to practical situations

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables

COMPUTER SKILLS, CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

Working knowledge of Microsoft Office with proficiency in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Ability to learn other application software is essential to performing job tasks. Requires Boiler / HAVC Certification.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to hear and talk. The employee frequently is required to sit and use hands to finger, handle, or feel. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and taste or smell.

Employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision and depth perception.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.