Robotics Engineer — CNC Machining
Ruger · Prescott
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Job Description:
Position Summary: The Robotics Engineer will primarily maintain, troubleshoot, and continuously improve robotic machine-tending systems supporting CNC machining operations. The role is responsible for restoring equipment quickly, eliminating recurring faults, improving preventive maintenance, and helping production and maintenance teams safely recover automated cells. The engineer will also support a smaller portfolio of development work, including robot programming changes, tooling improvements, new-part introductions, equipment upgrades, and selected new automation projects. Success requires strong hands-on troubleshooting across robots, CNC machines, PLC interfaces, safety systems, sensors, end-of-arm tooling, and cell peripherals.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide hands-on daily support for robotic CNC machine-tending cells, responding to downtime events and restoring safe production as quickly as practical.
- Troubleshoot robot programs, CNC handshakes, PLC logic interfaces, HMIs, industrial networks, safety circuits, sensors, grippers, pneumatic devices, conveyors, vision systems, gaging equipment, and other cell peripherals.
- Diagnose intermittent and recurring failures using alarms, logs, trends, I/O states, sequence logic, and structured root-cause analysis; implement sustainable corrective actions.
- Create, improve, and execute preventive and predictive maintenance plans for robots, end-of-arm tooling, safety equipment, dress packs, cables, sensors, and automation peripherals.
- Maintain robot programs, mastering data, backups, recovery procedures, spare-parts lists, electrical and pneumatic documentation, and change records.
- Develop clear standard work for startup, shutdown, fault recovery, changeover, calibration, and safe manual operation.
- Train maintenance technicians, operators, and engineers to recognize common failure modes, recover equipment safely, and escalate issues effectively.
- Track downtime and failure data, identify chronic losses, and prioritize improvements that increase uptime, mean time between failures, cycle-time stability, quality, and overall equipment effectiveness.
- Support production changeovers, new-part introductions, fixture and gripper changes, robot path adjustments, and process validation.
- Modify and optimize existing robotic cells to improve reliability, maintainability, safety, part presentation, gripping, error recovery, and mixed-model performance.
- Support selected development projects by assisting with concepts, reach and payload studies, robot programming, supplier reviews, runoffs, installation, commissioning, and production launch.
- Ensure all work complies with company requirements and applicable machinery, electrical, lockout/tagout, and robotic safety standards.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in robotics, electrical engineering, mechatronics, manufacturing engineering, mechanical engineering, or a related field preferred; an associate degree or equivalent technical experience will be considered for candidates with strong hands-on automation experience.
- Hands-on experience maintaining, troubleshooting, programming, and recovering industrial robots in a production environment.
- Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot robot-to-CNC and robot-to-PLC interfaces, discrete and networked I/O, safety systems, sensors, pneumatics, and end-of-arm tooling.
- Working knowledge of CNC machining, machine-tool operation, workholding, part presentation, cutting-tool considerations, and automated loading and unloading.
- Ability to read and interpret robot programs, sequence-of-operations documents, electrical schematics, pneumatic diagrams, mechanical drawings, and equipment manuals.
- Experience using structured root-cause analysis and downtime data to eliminate recurring equipment failures.
- Ability to work effectively on the manufacturing floor, manage urgent downtime priorities, and communicate clearly with operators, technicians, engineers, suppliers, and leadership.
- Ability to support off-shift troubleshooting, planned shutdown work, installations, runoffs, and occasional travel as business needs require.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience supporting FANUC, ABB, Yaskawa Motoman, KUKA, Universal Robots, or other industrial robot platforms.
- Experience with CNC controls and machine tools from manufacturers such as FANUC, Siemens, Okuma, Mazak, DMG MORI, or similar.
- Experience troubleshooting PLCs, HMIs, safety PLCs, industrial Ethernet networks, servo systems, vision systems, and automated gaging.
- Knowledge of robot preventive maintenance, calibration, mastering, backup and restore procedures, battery replacement, grease service, dress-pack inspection, and spare-parts planning.
- Experience with machine tending, bin picking, automatic tool changing, force sensing, part cleaning, marking, inspection, and error-proofing.
- Experience with offline simulation, CAD, basic PLC programming, and developing or commissioning new robotic applications.
- Knowledge of robotic and machinery safety standards, risk assessment, lockout/tagout, and safety validation.
Core Competencies
- Hands-on troubleshooting under production pressure
- Systematic root-cause analysis and corrective action
- Reliability, maintainability, and preventive-maintenance discipline
- Safe equipment recovery and sound technical judgment
- Clear documentation and technician training
- Practical continuous improvement with the ability to support new development
Additional Requirements:
Must be able to successfully pass a drug and background screen
Must be eligible to handle firearms per the Federal Firearms Act
Benefits:
- Competitive compensation package including competitive salary, profit sharing and bonus
- Heath benefits including medical, dental, and vision
- Life and Retirement benefits including 401k match, company 401k contribution, basic and supplemental life options, as well as short- and long-term disability plans
- Paid Time Off (PTO)
- Relocation Assistance is available for the right candidate
- Casual work environment
About the company:
Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. is one of the nation's leading manufacturers of rugged, reliable firearms for the commercial sporting market, all made in America. For over 75 years, Ruger has been a model of corporate and community responsibility. Our motto, "Arms Makers for Responsible Citizens®," echoes our commitment to these principles as we work hard to deliver quality and innovative firearms. Ruger has remained a global leader in offering unparalleled service, innovative technology, and providing peace of mind to our users at every step.