
Mechanical Automation Specialist
Wilmington, ILJob$98–154K/yrSeen todaySeen in employer's feed today
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At a glance
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Requirements
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Job overview
DuPont seeks a Mechanical Automation Specialist to support Shelter manufacturing sites by improving the reliability, safety, and productivity of automated packaging and finishing equipment. The role works with Operations, Maintenance, Technology Implementation Leads, and Packaging Specialists to troubleshoot equipment, lead improvements, and advance automation projects. It also manages maintenance programs and vendor relationships, applies Lean methods, and coaches others across the organization.
Skills & qualifications
Skills
Qualifications
Full job description
At DuPont, our purpose is to empower the world with essential innovations to thrive. We work on things that matter. Whether it’s providing clean water to more than a billion people on the planet, producing materials that are essential in everyday technology devices from smartphones to electric vehicles, or protecting workers around the world. Discover the many reasons the world’s most talented people are choosing to work at DuPont. Why Join Us | DuPont Careers (https://careers.dupont.com/us/en/whyjoinus)
Mechanical Automation Specialist
Build smarter, safer, and more reliable manufacturing operations
Are you an automation or mechanical engineering professional who enjoys solving complex equipment challenges and turning technical ideas into real manufacturing improvements?
We’re looking for a Mechanical Automation Specialist to support our Shelter manufacturing sites. In this role, you’ll work closely with Operations, Reliability Maintenance, Technology Implementation Leads, and Packaging Specialists to improve the reliability, safety, and productivity of automated packaging and finishing equipment.
This is an opportunity for someone who enjoys being close to the operation, troubleshooting tough problems, leading improvements, and helping teams get the most from their automation technology.
What You’ll Do
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Own the sustaining operations of finishing and packaging equipment, including hooders, wrappers, and robotic systems, ensuring sustained uptime and throughput.
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Apply deep mechatronics and system-level expertise to perform root cause analysis on robotic subsystems and automation failures and drive continuous improvement.
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Document root cause analyses, corrective actions, and mitigations for critical issues, and develop the reliability playbooks used across the network.
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Integrate, qualify, calibrate, and document replacement solutions for end-of-life (EOL) hardware and software components.
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Establish and manage preventive and predictive maintenance programs to reduce unplanned downtime and extend equipment life.
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Oversee facility inspections, repairs, and upgrades, maintaining order and operational readiness.
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Manage automation vendors and service partners supporting spare parts, warranties, service-level performance, and retrofit or upgrade work on existing equipment.
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Help ensure packaging and finishing equipment across Shelter manufacturing sites operates with a high level of reliability and machine safety compliance.
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Partner with Operations and Reliability Maintenance to troubleshoot automated equipment, solve problems, and lead root cause investigations.
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Identify and drive automation improvement projects aligned with site safety and productivity goals.
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Collaborate across site functions to turn technical opportunities into practical improvements.
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Work with Technology Implementation Leads (TILs) to scope capital projects and enter opportunities into the BTIP tool for prioritization and execution.
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Partner with Corporate Packaging Specialists to incorporate equipment and process improvements into manufacturing operations.
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Bring a continuous improvement mindset to day-to-day challenges, using Lean approaches such as A3 and Kaizen.
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Coach and mentor others while helping strengthen automation capabilities across the organization.
What You’ll Bring
We’re looking for someone who combines technical automation expertise with strong problem-solving and leadership skills.
Required Qualifications
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Bachelor’s degree in Robotics, Mechatronics, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline.
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At least 5 years of experience in a Manufacturing or Engineering function within a similar industry.
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Experience sustaining and maintaining finishing and packaging equipment, including hooders, wrappers, robotic systems, and PLC systems, within a live operating environment.
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Hands-on experience troubleshooting, debugging, integrating, calibrating, and validating electromechanical systems involving actuators and sensors.
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Experience working with mechanical actuators, motors, and electrical sensor integration.
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Experience working with packaging equipment and/or equipment design.
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Knowledge of robotics, such as FANUC, and PLC control software and hardware.
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Knowledge and experience with applicable machine safety standards.
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Experience applying Lean problem-solving methods, including A3 and Kaizen.
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Experience managing people and leading work teams.
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Willingness and ability to work on-site and travel across the plant network up to 50%.
What Will Help You Succeed
You’ll thrive in this role if you:
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Have a bias for action and are comfortable using data and technical judgment to make decisions.
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Enjoy getting to the root of challenging technical and operational problems, including situations where the answer isn’t immediately clear.
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Look at existing processes and equipment with an eye toward “How can we make this better?”
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Can bring different functions together to move improvement initiatives forward.
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Enjoy coaching, mentoring, and sharing technical knowledge with others.
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Balance hands-on problem-solving with the ability to scope and advance larger automation and capital improvement opportunities.
Why This Role?
This role offers the opportunity to make a visible impact across manufacturing operations. You’ll help improve the safety, reliability, and productivity of critical equipment while partnering with teams across Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, and Packaging.
If you’re energized by automation, manufacturing technology, continuous improvement, and solving problems where your work can make a tangible difference, this could be a great next step.
#LI-JS1
Join our Talent Community (http://careers.dupont.com/us/en/jointalentcommunity) to stay connected with us!
DuPont is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability or any other protected class. If you need a reasonable accommodation to search or apply for a position, please visit our Accessibility Page for Contact Information (http://www.dupont.com/global-links/accessibility.html) .
DuPont offers a comprehensive pay and benefits package. To learn more visit the Compensation and Benefits page (http://careers.dupont.com/us/en/compensation-and-benefits) .
The Pay range for this role is $98,280.00 - $154,440.00 Annual
How Base Pay is Determined: DuPont has job leveling frameworks that help organize roles based on progressive levels of responsibility, proficiency and qualifications. Each role has an associated pay range (or an established pay rate for some roles) based on the competitive market in each country where we operate. Each individual’s pay is based on a variety of factors, including their role and the associated pay range for that role, their geographic location (i.e., country, state, metropolitan area), as well as their skills, experience, education and certifications, and performance.
How this job compares
Set against the 7,598 open Mechanical Engineer jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 3, 2026.
- Pay
- This posting$98–154K/yr
- Illinois median$99–154K/yr171 salary ranges
- US median$106–160K/yr4,543 salary ranges
This range's midpoint, $126K, is close to the Illinois median midpoint ($126K) — in the middle half of Mechanical Engineer salary ranges in Illinois.
- Openings
- Olive Jobs lists 204 open Mechanical Engineer jobs in Illinois and 7,598 across the US. 2% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
- Hiring the most in Illinois
- Sargent & Lundy33 open
- Constellation27 open
- Burns & McDonnell13 open
- Experience
- This posting asks for at least 5 years of experience; Mechanical Engineer postings that state a minimum ask for 5 years at the median (6,305 postings).
- Education
- This posting asks for a bachelor's degree; 5,232 of the 7,598 open Mechanical Engineer jobs (69%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.
Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 3, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.
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