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Job Description
Senior Automation Engineer / Senior Mechatronics Engineer Cogito Automation — Anaheim, CA Full-time | In person
Pay:
$155,000 - $195,000 per year, depending on experience Exceptional candidates with aerospace, advanced manufacturing, safety, motion, or high-complexity commissioning experience may be considered above range. About the Role Cogito Automation is hiring a Senior Automation Engineer or Senior Mechatronics Engineer for our Anaheim, California office. This role is built for an engineer who has worked in demanding technical environments such as aerospace, advanced manufacturing, robotics, machine automation, defense manufacturing, test systems, or complex electromechanical systems — and wants more ownership, more variety, and a direct impact on real-world automation projects. This is not a narrow corporate engineering role. You will not own one small piece of one large system. You will work across the full automation lifecycle: system architecture, electrical design review, PLC programming, HMI development, VFDs, motion, industrial networks, FAT, commissioning, troubleshooting, and customer support. Our projects are custom, fast-moving, and often one-of-a-kind. We need someone who can take a complex machine, process, or control system and make it work. Who You Are You are a hands-on engineer with strong technical judgment. You can look at a machine, a panel, a set of drawings, a PLC program, or a commissioning issue and start building a path forward. You do not need every answer handed to you. You are comfortable working through ambiguity, identifying risk, and making practical engineering decisions. You may come from aerospace, advanced manufacturing, robotics, industrial automation, machine design, test stands, production equipment, or a high-reliability engineering environment. You are curious, disciplined, and accountable. You communicate clearly. You can work with technicians, engineers, customers, vendors, and leadership. You understand that good engineering is not just writing code — it is making the full system operate safely, reliably, and repeatedly. Required Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Automation Engineering, Robotics Engineering, or a closely related technical field 5+ years of professional experience in automation, controls, mechatronics, machine control, advanced manufacturing, aerospace manufacturing, robotics, test systems, or industrial control systems Strong PLC programming experience Experience with HMI development and operator interface design Experience with VFDs, motor control, sensors, instrumentation, and field devices Ability to read and interpret electrical schematics, control panel drawings, mechanical layouts, and technical documentation Strong troubleshooting skills in both office and field environments Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with shifting priorities Strong verbal and written communication skills Valid driver's license Ability to travel domestically and internationally as project needs require, typically up to 25-30% Preferred Experience Allen-Bradley / Rockwell Automation PLCs, Studio 5000, FactoryTalk View, PowerFlex drives Siemens PLCs, TIA Portal, Win
CC, SINAMICS
drives Safety PLCs, safety-rated sensors, safety relays, STO, functional safety concepts, and machine safety design Motion control, servo systems, robotics, conveyors, automated machinery, or electromechanical systems Aerospace manufacturing equipment, production test systems, factory automation, or high-reliability machine control Industrial Ethernet, EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, managed switches, VLANs, remote access, and controls network troubleshooting Ignition, SCADA systems, SQL databases, reporting, or industrial data systems Control panel design, BOM development, load calculations, heat calculations, SCCR awareness, and UL 508A concepts FAT/SAT execution, field commissioning, startup support, and customer-facing technical troubleshooting What You'll Be Doing Develop control system architectures for custom automation projects Program PLCs, HMIs, VFDs, safety systems, and related automation equipment Review and contribute to electrical designs, panel layouts, schematics, and bills of material Support control panel design, heat load calculations, load calculations, and component selection Develop and review industrial network layouts Troubleshoot PLC logic, field wiring, sensors, drives, networks, and machine behavior Support factory acceptance testing and internal system validation Commission systems remotely and on customer sites Work directly with customers to diagnose issues and deliver practical solutions Improve internal engineering standards, templates, procedures, and commissioning practices Help raise the technical bar for Cogito's engineering team What Makes This Role Different This is an opportunity to apply aerospace-level or advanced manufacturing discipline in a smaller, faster, more hands-on company. At Cogito, senior engineers are close to the work. Your decisions matter. Your designs get built. Your code runs real equipment. Your troubleshooting directly affects whether a project succeeds. This role is ideal for someone who wants more ownership than a large company can typically offer, but still wants technically challenging work involving real machines, real customers, and real consequences. It is not the right fit for someone who wants a slow-moving, narrowly defined, desk-only engineering position. Who We Are Cogito Automation is a systems integration and automation company based in Anaheim, California. We design, build, program, commission, and support industrial control systems for customers across multiple industries. We take our work seriously, but not ourselves. We value curiosity, accountability, practical problem-solving, and technical ownership. Our team moves quickly, solves unusual problems, and supports projects that require sound engineering judgment. Benefits Competitive salary based on experience 401(k) 401(k) matching Health insurance Dental insurance Vision insurance Life insurance Paid time off Opportunity to work on complex, varied automation projects Domestic and international project exposure High ownership and direct impact Schedule Full-time Monday to Friday 8-hour shift, with flexibility required based on project demands In-person role based in Anaheim, CA Location Anaheim, CA 92802 Applicants must be able to reliably commute to Anaheim, CA or relocate before starting work.
Application Process Please submit:
Resume Brief cover letter or introduction Desired salary range Summary of PLC, HMI, VFD, safety, motion, commissioning, aerospace, or advanced manufacturing experience Applicants only. No recruiters.
Pay:
$155,000.00 - $195,000.00 per year
Benefits:
401(k) 401(k) matching Dental insurance Health insurance Health savings account Paid time off Professional development assistance Vision insurance
