Job Title: Warehouse Design & Automation Engineer – AS/RS, Robotics & Intralogistics

Location: Saint Paul, MN
Experience: 7–25 Years
Employment Type: Full-Time

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced Warehouse Design & Automation Engineer to lead warehouse layout design, capacity planning, material handling system design, and automation solution deployment. The ideal candidate will have hands-on experience designing and implementing automated warehouse systems, including Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (AS/RS), Very Narrow Aisle (VNA) storage, automated put-away and picking, conveyor systems, and robotic material handling solutions.

The role requires expertise in warehouse operations, jumbo roll and jumbo bag storage and handling, packaging, warehouse automation technologies, and integration with Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), Warehouse Execution Systems (WES), and Warehouse Control Systems (WCS).

The successful candidate will own engineering activities from initial concept and technology selection through equipment procurement, system integration, installation, commissioning, and customer handover.

Must-Have Technical Skills

1. Warehouse Design & Capacity Planning

• Experience designing and redesigning warehouses, distribution centers, and industrial storage facilities.

• Warehouse layout planning, storage capacity calculations, space utilization, throughput analysis, and material flow optimization.

• Experience with AS/RS solutions, including Very Narrow Aisle (VNA) storage and retrieval systems.

• Knowledge of automated put-away, order picking, pallet handling, and material replenishment processes.

• Experience selecting appropriate warehouse technologies based on capacity, throughput, operational requirements, and cost.

• Understanding of jumbo roll storage and retrieval, jumbo bag handling, and primary, secondary, and tertiary packaging operations.

2. Warehouse Automation & Material Handling

• Hands-on experience in warehouse automation application engineering, solution design, development, integration, and deployment.

• Knowledge of automated storage and retrieval systems, conveyors, sortation, material handling equipment, and automated picking solutions.

• Experience with industrial robots, collaborative robots (cobots), Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs), and Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs).

• Familiarity with machine vision systems, industrial sensors, alarm systems, and automated material handling interfaces.

• Ability to evaluate manual versus automated processes and develop cost-effective warehouse automation solutions.

3. Robotics & Advanced Automation Technologies

• Understanding of robot integration, robotic operating systems (ROS), AMR/AGV fleet management, and human-robot collaboration.

• Familiarity with teleoperation, haptics, voice-commanded robotics, and exoskeleton technologies.

• Experience integrating robotics, conveyors, sensors, PLCs, and HMIs into warehouse operations.

• Ability to coordinate technology selection and system interfaces with automation OEMs and integrators.

4. Warehouse Systems & Controls Integration

• Understanding of Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), Warehouse Execution Systems (WES), and Warehouse Control Systems (WCS).

• Experience defining integration requirements between warehouse automation equipment, controls engineering, and plant IT systems.

• Familiarity with PLCs, HMIs, sensors, conveyors, equipment sequencing, and automated material flow.

• Understanding of enterprise system integration, inventory tracking, and warehouse operational data requirements.

5. Modeling, Simulation & Optimization

• Experience providing engineering inputs to modeling and simulation specialists.

• Ability to define what-if scenarios and evaluate warehouse capacity, throughput, storage density, equipment utilization, and material flow.

• Ability to interpret simulation results and recommend layout, technology, or process changes.

• Knowledge of warehouse modeling, material flow simulation, and discrete-event simulation concepts.

6. Lean Manufacturing & Continuous Improvement

• Knowledge of lean manufacturing, Value Stream Mapping (VSM), and continuous improvement.

• Ability to identify process inefficiencies, improve space utilization, reduce material handling time, and increase warehouse throughput.

• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and engineering decision-making skills.

Roles & Responsibilities

• Design and redesign warehouse layouts based on storage capacity, material flow, throughput, operational requirements, and safety considerations.

• Perform warehouse capacity calculations and evaluate suitable storage and retrieval technologies.

• Develop automation concepts for AS/RS, VNA storage, automated put-away and picking, conveyors, robotics, AMRs, and AGVs.

• Engineer warehouse solutions for jumbo roll storage and retrieval, jumbo bag handling, and packaging operations.

• Evaluate automation alternatives and recommend appropriate equipment and technologies based on customer requirements.

• Define technical specifications for conveyors, robots, cobots, sensors, PLCs, HMIs, alarms, and associated automation systems.

• Provide engineering inputs for WMS, WES, WCS, plant IT, inventory tracking, and controls system integration.

• Work closely with project managers, fabrication teams, plant personnel, simulation specialists, and equipment suppliers.

• Coordinate with OEM suppliers and system integrators across the United States, Europe, and India.

• Define project scope, engineering deliverables, cost estimates, schedules, and equipment procurement requirements.

• Track project status and manage technical risks, scope, cost, schedule, and customer commitments.

• Ensure warehouse designs comply with customer safety requirements and applicable regulatory standards.

• Support equipment installation, system integration, testing, commissioning, and final customer handover.

• Coordinate weekly project reviews with customers, suppliers, and offshore engineering teams.

• Provide post-deployment technical support, troubleshoot system issues, and resolve commissioning or operational defects.

• Identify additional warehouse optimization and automation opportunities across customer facilities.

Required Qualifications

• 7–25 years of relevant experience in warehouse engineering, warehouse design, intralogistics, material handling, or industrial automation.

• Proven experience designing or deploying warehouse automation solutions.

• Strong understanding of AS/RS, VNA storage, automated put-away and picking, conveyor systems, and warehouse capacity planning.

• Experience with robotics, cobots, AMRs/AGVs, or automated material handling systems.

• Understanding of WMS/WES/WCS integration and industrial controls systems.

• Experience coordinating with OEMs, equipment suppliers, system integrators, and installation/commissioning contractors.

• Ability to manage engineering scope, equipment specifications, project schedules, cost estimates, and customer requirements.

• Strong technical communication, problem-solving, collaboration, and project coordination skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in industrial warehouses handling jumbo rolls, jumbo bags, or other large-format materials.

• Exposure to advanced robotics, ROS, AMR/AGV fleet management, teleoperation, or human-robot collaboration.

• Experience with warehouse simulation, discrete-event simulation, and what-if scenario analysis.

• Knowledge of lean manufacturing, Value Stream Mapping, and continuous improvement.

• Experience with capital equipment procurement, installation, commissioning, and system certification.

• Exposure to AI/GenAI applications in warehouse operations or intelligent material handling.

Core Dice Search Keywords

Warehouse Design Engineer, Warehouse Automation Engineer, Warehouse Systems Engineer, Intralogistics Engineer, Material Handling Engineer, Warehouse Solutions Engineer, Warehouse Layout Design, Warehouse Capacity Planning, Warehouse Automation, AS/RS, Automated Storage and Retrieval System, VNA, Very Narrow Aisle, Automated Put-Away, Automated Picking, Conveyor Systems, Sortation Systems, Robotics Integration, Industrial Robots, Cobots, AMR, Autonomous Mobile Robot, AGV, Automated Guided Vehicle, Machine Vision, Warehouse Management System, WMS, Warehouse Execution System, WES, Warehouse Control System, WCS, PLC, HMI, Material Flow, Storage and Retrieval, Jumbo Roll Handling, Jumbo Bag Handling, Packaging Automation, ROS, AMR Fleet Management, Discrete Event Simulation, Warehouse Simulation, Lean Manufacturing, Value Stream Mapping, Capital Equipment Procurement, OEM Management, System Integration, Installation and Commissioning.