Controls & Automation Engineer

Who we are: Formic is on a mission to reshape American manufacturing by making automation accessible to every factory. As labor constraints rise, costs increase, and global competition intensifies, automation is no longer optional for manufacturers that want to stay competitive. We deliver automation through a Robotics-as-a-Service model that combines industrial robotics, proprietary software, and full-service support into a single, integrated solution. By removing the traditional barriers of cost, complexity, and risk, we enable manufacturers to deploy automation quickly and realize measurable gains in throughput, safety, and operational efficiency without large upfront capital investment. Backed by leading investors including Lux Capital, Initialized Capital, Blackhorn Ventures, and Mitsubishi HC Capital North America, Formic is scaling rapidly and building the foundation for a new era of high-performance, Made in America production. About the team: The Project Engineering team is a multidisciplinary engineering group within Automation Engineering Group, bringing mechanical, electrical, and controls engineering together under a single organization. The team serves as the engineering escalation path for the deployed fleet, taking on problems that exceed field-level troubleshooting and converting them into scoped, engineered, and standardized solutions. The team's work spans three connected areas. The first is the troubleshooting of complex problems: diagnosing multi-discipline failures across deployed robotic systems and engineering permanent, root-cause fixes rather than repeat repairs. The second is continuous improvement: converting recurring issues and field data into reliability upgrades and fleet-wide standardization. The third is support for existing and new product development and enhancements, in partnership with teams across the organization, to improve equipment currently in the field and to bring new capability online. Positioned at the intersection of design, commissioning, and field support, the team operates as a cross-functional unit, with engineers at the Bolingbrook hub working alongside field implementation resources across North America. The work is a deliberate blend of reactive support and proactive engineering, and each role on the team contributes to uptime, performance consistency, and long-term customer outcomes across the fleet. About the role: As a Controls and Automation Engineer, you will apply advanced engineering principles to the design, analysis, optimization, reliability, and continuous improvement of deployed robotic systems. You will independently evaluate complex, multidisciplinary technical problems, develop engineered solutions, and exercise technical judgment in determining how those solutions are designed, validated, and implemented across Formic's fleet in demanding production environments. This role blends reactive support with proactive engineering. You will diagnose complex issues, implement structured improvements, and partner cross-functionally to strengthen system stability across the fleet. Your work directly impacts uptime, performance consistency, and long-term customer outcomes. In this role you will: As a Robotics and Automation Project Engineer,  Provide advanced engineering support for escalated technical issues, analyzing system behavior and developing troubleshooting and remediation strategies for execution by onsite teams. Diagnose and resolve complex automation failures to minimize production downtime Design and implement preventative and predictive strategies that improve system reliability Lead system-level continuous improvement initiatives, including hardware and software upgrades Analyze production data and diagnostic trends to identify systemic performance gaps Provide remote support by responding to service tickets, guiding troubleshooting efforts, and triaging to onsite teams when needed Partner with Product, Deployment, and Engineering teams to standardize equipment configurations and improve repeatability Own and maintain system documentation, including procedures, maintenance logs, and change-control records Serve as the escalation point for complex technical issues across the fleet Mentor field technicians and engineers on troubleshooting and system health best practices Ensure compliance with safety standards, internal quality requirements, and industry regulations Collaborate with vendors to improve parts availability, diagnostics capability, and technical support What makes you a great fit: Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, controls engineering, mechatronics, robotics engineering, or another directly related engineering discipline 10+ years of experience in manufacturing automation or industrial robotics environments Strong proficiency in programming PLCs, robots, and industrial control systems Solid understanding of robotic systems, motion systems, and autom