Automation & Continuous Improvement Engineer

Danville, VA

Full Time

Operations

Experienced

Automation & Continuous Improvement Engineer

Location: Danville, VA

ABOUT AEROFARMS

AeroFarms is transforming agriculture with people and the planet in mind. As a Certified B Corporation and a pioneer in indoor vertical farming, we have built a proprietary agriculture platform to grow products delivering superior flavor, better quality, and improved nutrition and food safety in our industry. Now in over 1,000+ storefronts across the nation, we are scaling our award-winning brand and technology.
Join AeroFarms at our advanced indoor farming and automated packaging facility in Danville, VA as an Automation & Continuous Improvement Engineer. This role will drive automation performance, packaging efficiency, and mechanical innovation across the facility while working closely with operations and engineering teams to continuously improve production systems.

Position Overview

The Automation & Continuous Improvement Engineer is responsible for improving the performance, reliability, and scalability of automated systems across AeroFarms’ production and packaging operations.

This role combines automation engineering, mechanical design, and manufacturing process optimization to drive measurable improvements in throughput, quality, and operational efficiency.

The ideal candidate thrives in a hands-on manufacturing environment, enjoys solving complex production challenges, and is motivated by building and improving real-world systems.

Key Responsibilities – Manufacturing Automation & Process Optimization

• Identify and implement improvements to automated production and packaging systems to increase throughput and reduce downtime.
• Analyze production data to identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies.
• Implement automation improvements that improve equipment uptime, product flow, and labor efficiency.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives using Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen, and root cause analysis.

Packaging Systems Engineering

• Improve the performance of automated packaging lines including weighing systems, conveyors, labeling equipment, and product handling systems.
• Optimize line balance and material flow to reduce operational bottlenecks.
• Reduce product giveaway and improve packaging accuracy through process improvements and automation modifications.
• Support the design and integration of new packaging technologies and equipment.

Mechanical Design & Equipment Innovation

• Design mechanical improvements and custom components to enhance equipment performance.
• Develop fixtures, brackets, guards, and tooling to support automation improvements.
• Work with fabrication teams or vendors to implement equipment modifications.
• Prototype and test equipment upgrades to improve reliability and efficiency.

Automation & Controls Engineering

• Support and modify PLC-controlled automation systems across the facility.
• Troubleshoot and optimize robotics, motion systems, and automated work cells.
• Modify PLC logic to support new processes, equipment upgrades, and production improvements.
• Support commissioning and integration of new automated equipment.

Equipment Reliability & Performance

• Investigate recurring equipment issues and lead root cause analysis.
• Implement engineering improvements that reduce equipment failures and improve system robustness.
• Develop engineering solutions that improve maintainability and reliability of automated systems.

Cross-Functional Engineering Collaboration

• Partner with operations, maintenance, agronomy, and engineering teams to solve production challenges.
• Work with external integrators, vendors, and equipment manufacturers to develop system improvements.
• Support capital improvement projects and equipment upgrades.

Safety, Compliance & Documentation

• Ensure all equipment modifications meet machine safety, electrical safety, and food manufacturing standards.
• Maintain documentation and change management records for automation and equipment improvements.

Technical Scope

• PLC platforms (Allen-Bradley ControlLogix, Siemens, Schneider, Wago)
• Automated packaging systems
• Conveyance and product handling equipment
• Servo and stepper motion control systems
• Robotic work cells
• Industrial sensors and instrumentation
• Weigh scales and labeling systems
• Pumps, valves, motors, and environmental control equipment

Qualifications

Required:
• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Automation Engineering, or Mechatronics
• 3+ years of experience in highly automated manufacturing or packaging environments

OR

• Associate’s degree in Automation, Mechatronics, or related field and 7–10 years of industrial automation experience

Preferred:
• Experience in high-speed packaging or automated manufacturing
• Experience with mechanical design or equipment fabrication
• Experience working in food manufacturing or regulated industries
• Experience with robotics or motion control systems

Skills & Competencies

• Strong mechanical and automation troubleshooting ability
• Ability to design and implement practical engineering solutions
• Hands-on approach to solving manufacturing challenges
• Experience analyzing production systems and identifying improvements
• Strong cross-functional collaboration skills
• Ability to translate operational problems into engineering solutions
• Curiosity and drive to continuously improve systems

Apply for this position

Required*

First Name*

Last Name*

Email Address*

Phone*

Address*

Resume*

We've received your resume. Click here to update it.

Attach resume or Paste resume

Attach resume as .pdf, .doc, .docx, .odt, .txt, or .rtf (limit 5MB) or Paste resume

Paste your resume here or Attach resume file

Do you have a valid driver's license?*

What's your citizenship / employment eligibility?*

Are you 18 years of age or older?*

Desired salary*

Earliest start date?*

Can you work weekends?*

Can you work evenings?*

Can you work overtime?*

In 150 characters or fewer, tell us what makes you unique. Try to be creative and say something that will catch our eye!*

150

Are you currently, or have you ever worked for AeroFarms in the past? This includes as a temporary employee as well.*

What shift are you looking for?*

Do you now, or in the future, require visa sponsorship to be employed by AeroFarms? (eg H-1B.) If so, then answer Yes. If no, then answer No.* YesNo

The following questions are entirely optional.

To comply with government Equal Employment Opportunity and/or Affirmative Action reporting regulations, we are requesting (but NOT requiring) that you enter this personal data. This information will not be used in connection with any employment decisions, and will be used solely as permitted by state and federal law. Your voluntary cooperation would be appreciated. Learn more.

Gender

Race/Ethnicity

Invitation for Job Applicants to Self-Identify as a U.S. Veteran

A “disabled veteran” is one of the following:
- a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or
- a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.
A “recently separated veteran” means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.
An “active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran” means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.
An “Armed forces service medal veteran” means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Veteran status

I IDENTIFY AS ONE OR MORE OF THE CLASSIFICATIONS OF PROTECTED VETERAN LISTED ABOVE
I AM NOT A PROTECTED VETERAN
I DON’T WISH TO ANSWER

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability Form CC-305
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
Blind or low vision
Cancer (past or present)
Cardiovascular or heart disease
Celiac disease
Cerebral palsy
Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
Diabetes
Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
Intellectual or developmental disability
Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
Short stature (dwarfism)
Traumatic brain injury

Please check one of the boxes below:

YES, I HAVE A DISABILITY, OR HAVE HAD ONE IN THE PAST NO, I DO NOT HAVE A DISABILITY AND HAVE NOT HAD ONE IN THE PAST I DO NOT WANT TO ANSWER

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.

You must enter your name and date
Name	Date

Human Check*

Submit Application