Manufacturing and Automation Engineer

The posting, as Nordic Naturals wrote it

Manufacturing and Automation Engineer

Location: Vista, CA

Salary: 124K - 136K

About Nordic Naturals

At Nordic Naturals, we take pride in crafting foundational nutrients to help people all over the world live healthy lives. Our mission is to give people, pets, and families the highest-quality nutrients possible to be well and support optimal health. This seemingly simple mission of global health relies on a dedicated team of motivated employees who share our passion for nutrition and wellness. Join us and discover how rewarding it can be to make a living while contributing to a truly great cause.

Position Summary

Nordic Naturals, a leading manufacturer of premium Omega-3 nutritional supplements, is seeking a Manufacturing and Automation Engineer to drive innovation, operational excellence, and manufacturing efficiency across its production and packaging operations. This position is responsible for evaluating, designing, implementing, and optimizing automated manufacturing systems supporting softgel compounding, encapsulation, liquid compounding & filling, gummy manufacturing & packaging, and finished goods bottling operations.

The Manufacturing and Automation Engineer will lead continuous improvement efforts focused on increasing throughput, improving Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), reducing waste, minimizing downtime, and enhancing product quality. In addition this role will lead capital projects, equipment installations, process automation initiatives. The role partners closely with Production, Maintenance, Engineering, Quality, Validation, and Supply Chain teams to ensure manufacturing systems operate safely, reliably, and efficiently while supporting future capacity expansion and technological advancement. This individual will also provide technical leadership by developing equipment standards, troubleshooting complex manufacturing issues, implementing data-driven process improvements, and coaching production personnel on automation technologies and best manufacturing practices.

Essential Functions & Core Responsibilities

• Lead automation, controls, and systems engineering initiatives across manufacturing and packaging operations, including compounding, encapsulation, capsule drying, sorting, capsule bottling, liquid filling, labeling, cartoning, case packing, palletizing, and future manufacturing and packaging technologies.
• Lead equipment selection, specification, procurement, FAT, installation, commissioning, optimization, and lifecycle management of manufacturing, packaging, automation, and robotics systems while coordinating with OEMs, contractors, and system integrators.
• Collaborate with Operations, Quality, Maintenance, Product Development and Engineering teams to improve equipment reliability, product quality, throughput, and operator effectiveness.
• Analyze manufacturing and packaging system performance to identify bottlenecks and implement automation, controls, and process improvements that increase throu

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integration with SAP, Oracle, or specialized MES platforms)

• Programming/Scripting Skills (optional)
• CMMS and Maintenance Software (for asset management and predictive maintenance) (e.g., Fiix, UpKeep, IBM Maximo)
• CIP System Automation Software (controlled through PLC/SCADA — familiarity with setting up/optimizing automated CIP recipes and sequences)

Benefits

Eligible employees may be offered a comprehensive benefits package, which may include medical, dental, vision, retirement benefits, paid time off, paid holidays, and other company-sponsored programs. Eligibility and offerings are subject to applicable plan documents and employment status.

Physical Demands – Manufacturing

This position operates on an active plant floor, requiring candidates to remain stationary or move throughout the facility for shifts up to 8–10 hours. Essential duties involve positioning self to operate tools, using fine motor dexterity to adjust components, and lifting or transferring materials weighing 10-50 pounds depending on the position. Work is performed in a manufacturing environment requiring strict compliance with mandatory safety protocols and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

California Applicants

The compensation range above applies to work performed in California and represents the employer’s good-faith estimate of the expected salary or hourly wage range for the position.

Equal Employment Opportunity

We are an equal opportunity employer committed to providing a workplace free from discrimination and harassment. We consider qualified applicants without regard to legally protected characteristics under applicable federal, state, or local law.

Reasonable Accommodations Statement

To accomplish this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation, each essential function satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to help enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.