Freelance Industrial Automation Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

About Machina Labs:

At Machina Labs, we’re reshaping manufacturing through advanced robotics and machine learning. Our platform uses the largest 7-axis robots on the market to form 2D sheets of metal into complex 3D parts, layer-by-layer. Traditional sheet metal production was designed for scale, not flexibility. It relies on costly dies and tooling that make lower volume projects prohibitively slow and expensive. We’re changing that. Whether you’re a defense prime building a few thousand airframes or an automaker building next-generation panels, Machina Labs gives you the ability to iterate and manufacture at the speed of software. With support from the venture arms of Toyota, NVIDIA, and Lockheed Martin, we’re accelerating the future of manufacturing, one where factories are flexible, production is on-demand, and innovation is unconstrained.

Machina Labs is seeking a Senior Industrial Automation Engineer to help design, develop, and deploy the automation systems that power our next-generation robotic manufacturing platform.

In this role, you will work at the intersection of industrial automation, robotics, and software, developing control systems and automation infrastructure that enable our robotic forming cells and advanced manufacturing operations. You will collaborate closely with robotics, mechanical, and software engineers to integrate automation systems, industrial hardware, and software platforms that drive our factory of the future.

This role is ideal for an engineer who enjoys working on both the controls and software side of automation, building reliable industrial systems while contributing to modern software-driven manufacturing platforms.

• Design and implement industrial automation systems on top of Beckhoff TwinCAT using Structured Text.
• Develop and maintain automation software that connects industrial control systems with higher-level software platforms.
• Integrate industrial robots, sensors, motion systems, and manufacturing equipment into robotic production cells.
• Develop and support real-time and embedded software components used in industrial automation systems.
• Help define and maintain scalable automation architecture, including industrial networking, device integration, and system monitoring.
• Collaborate closely with robotics, mechanical, and software engineering teams to deploy and improve automation systems.
• Support development of tooling and algorithms related to motion planning, geometry processing, and manufacturing automation.

• 5+ years of experience in industrial automation, controls engineering, or robotics systems.
• Experience with Beckhoff TwinCAT or similar.
• Strong experience programming PLCs using Structured Text.
• Familiarity with embedded software development.
• Programming experience with C, C++, or Python.
• Understanding of industrial robotics systems and automated manufacturing equipment.
• Ability to work across both industrial controls and modern software development environments.
• Strong problem-solving skills and comfort working in fast-paced engineering environments.
• Willingness to learn new technologies and adapt quickly in a rapidly evolving technical environment.

• Experience working with robotic manufacturing systems or high-tech industrial robotics.
• Exposure to computational geometry, toolpath generation, or geometric processing.
• Experience with motion control systems and servo drives.
• Experience integrating industrial sensors, machine vision, or inspection systems.
• Experience supporting automation systems from prototype through production deployment.

$140,000 - $165,000 a year

Actual compensation will be determined based on experience, skills, qualifications, and geographic location. In addition to the provided base salary range, comprehensive benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision), PTO, and Stock Options.

Machina Labs is an Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity employer and considers all applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or status as a protected veteran in accordance with state and federal law.

We endeavor to make the job application process accessible to any and all users. If you have a disability that impacts your ability to complete the job application process and would like to request assistance or a reasonable accommodation, please contact us at (888)444-9777. This contact information is for accommodation requests only, not to inquire about the status of applications.