Lead Automation Engineer
Eaton
Chicago, IL · Posted October 26, 2026
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Where Chicago, IL placed in our monthly rankings, month by month. Each month stays online at its own address.
November 2026
- #1Best cities for government pay after cost of living$146k · of 18
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- #1Best all-round cities for mid-career professionals in the Midwest80 / 100 · of 20
Rankings about engineering jobs
- Best cities for software and engineering jobs #1 San Francisco (3,412 openings)
- Best cities for engineering pay after cost of living #1 San Mateo ($216k)
- Most requested AI skills in engineering jobs #1 AI tools in daily work (6.1%)
- AI tools named most often in engineering jobs #1 Claude (1.7%)
- Employers with the most engineering jobs #1 Amazon (2,992 roles)
How AI is used in this kind of work
AI use among engineers, all other is little observed so far. Measured exposure for engineers, all other: 7% (little observed).
Share of this job’s tasks that AI is already used for at work, from real usage. It is not a forecast of job loss, and a low number means no use seen yet. Source: Anthropic Economic Index.
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About the job
Eaton’s Mobility division is currently seeking a Lead Automation Engineer. This is a remote high travel role. Role can be supported remotely ; however, candidates must live in any of the following states: MI, OH, IL, IN, SC,NC, GA, TN, or Kentucky . This role will support 5+ Mfg. site US locations . Travel is expected to be 50%-75% . The Lead Automation Engineer is responsible for leading efforts to drive manufacturing efficiency through implementation of automation projects. The expected annual salary range for this role is $97000 - $143000 a year. Please note the salary information shown above is a general guideline only. Salaries are based upon candidate skills, experience, and qualifications, as well as market and business considerations. Eaton announced, on January 26, 2026, the intent to separate its Mobility Group (including both the Vehicle and eMobility segments) into an independent, publicly traded company. We expect to complete the separation by the end of the first quarter of 2027. The compensation and benefits that will initially be offered for this position are based on Eaton's plans, programs and practices. If you are offered and accept this position and are actively employed by the Mobility Group when the spinoff closes, the new company will provide further details to employees concerning compensation and benefits at that time. What you’ll do: Identify automation opportunities within the North American region Develop scopes of work for automation opportunities Establish a reliable automation supply base and work with them to obtain proposals for automation opportunities Prepare financial justification for automation projects Develop Capital Appropriation Requests (CAR) for automation projects Work with Finance and regional leadership to obtain CAR approvalManage capital and expense spending for assigned projects Procure equipment and tooling per project plan and standards Investigate, analyze and recommend new and/or alternate equipment and manufacturing methods Identifies and coordinates best practice implementation between multiple facilities Recommends and implements improvements to existing manufacturing operations, equipment and procedures Troubleshooting support for existing automation with controls and robotic programming expertise Attend Trade shows and seminars to stay current with automation technology Qualifications: Required Basic Qualifications: Minimum Bachelors Degree in Engineering and/or Engineering Technology from an accredited institution. Minimum of three (3) years experience in automating manufacturing processes. Eaton will not consider applicants for employment immigration sponsorship or support for this position. This means that Eaton will not support any "CPT, OPT, or STEM OPT plans, F-1 to H-1B, H-1B cap registration, O-1, E-3, TN status, I-485 job portability, etc." Role can be supported remotely ; however, candidates must live in any of the following states: MI, OH, IL, IN, SC,NC, GA, TN, or Kentucky . Candidate must be willing to travel 50-75% across the USA. Preferred Qualifications: Five (5) years of experience in Manufacturing Engineering Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Familiarity with manufacturing processes such as Forging, Machining, Grinding, Assembly Experience writing and debugging PLC ladder logic Experience Programming HMI’s (human machine interface) and developing/implementing Robot programs Bi-Lingual (Spanish) Skills Ability to define specifications for automation of manufacturing operations Proficient with managing suppliers to ensure on time project execution Project management skills to define, track, and report project statusesTeam oriented, flexible, must be able to work with all levels of management Recognize and define safety improvements for all aspects of manufacturing processes Travel will range between 50-75% to support business All positions may require participation in video and in-person interviews as part of the hiring process. All candidates will be evaluated based on job-related competencies, and all candidates’ privacy rights and data security will be protected in accordance with applicable laws. We are committed to ensuring equal employment opportunities for all job applicants and employees. Employment decisions are based upon job-related reasons regardless of an applicant's race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, marital status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by law. Eaton believes in second chance employment. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction history will be considered regardless of their arrest or conviction history, consistent with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, the California Fair Chance Act and other local laws. You do not need to disclose your conviction history or participate in a background check until a conditional job offer is made to you. After making a conditional offer and running a background check, if Eaton is concerned about conviction that is directly related to the job, you will be given the chance to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide mitigating evidence, or challenge the accuracy of the background report. To request a disability-related reasonable accommodation to assist you in your job search, application, or interview process, please call us at 1-800-836-6345 to discuss your specific need. Only accommodation requests will be accepted by this phone number. We know that good benefit programs are important to employees and their families. Eaton provides various Health and Welfare benefits as well as Retirement benefits, and several programs that provide for paid and unpaid time away from work. Click here for more detail: Eaton Benefits Overview. Please note that specific programs and options available to an employee may depend on eligibility factors such as geographic location, date of hire, and the applicability of collective bargaining agreements.