Lead Automation Engineer Visa Sponsorship Jobs in Florida
Lead automation engineer jobs in Florida span aerospace manufacturers in Brevard County, defense contractors around Jacksonville, and semiconductor firms in the Tampa Bay corridor. Companies like Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Jabil regularly sponsor qualified international engineers. Florida's concentration of advanced manufacturing and test automation projects makes it a consistent source of visa sponsorship opportunities for this role.
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Get Access To All JobsLead Automation Engineer
About the Position
Power Design Inc. is a $1.4B national design-build multi-trade contractor operating across 28 states with 3,000+ employees. We self-perform everything — design, prefabrication, installation, and delivery. Our manufacturing operations produce panels, assemblies, unit kits, switchgear, and processed wire at scale. We are building the automation platform that lets us grow output without growing headcount proportionally.
Our manufacturing division is young, profitable, and growing. For the right operator, that means the ability to build something with real visibility — and real stakes.
About the Opportunity
The Senior Director of Robotics & Automation is building the function from the ground up. As Lead Automation Engineer, you are the technical anchor for the manufacturing domains: prefab, LFG and switchgear manufacturing, and the wire division (supported by CI). You own vendor evaluations, FAT/SAT execution, controls architecture, and deployment credibility across the manufacturing floor. When a cobot vendor says their system can do something, you are the person in the room who knows if that's true. This is not a role for someone who needs time to ramp up — you will be evaluating vendors and leading deployments in the first 90 days.
Position Responsibilities
- Lead technical evaluation and selection of automation systems across prefab and LFG/switchgear manufacturing — cobots, machine vision, bending automation, heavy material handling robotics.
- Own FAT (Factory Acceptance Testing) and SAT (Site Acceptance Testing) for all manufacturing robotics deployments. Define acceptance criteria, run the tests, sign off or escalate.
- Develop and maintain controls architecture standards across manufacturing domains — PLC/SCADA, safety systems, and integration points with the Operational Technology (OT) data layer.
- Serve as the primary technical interface with automation vendors. Evaluate claims, negotiate scope, and protect PDI from being oversold on capability or timeline.
- Partner with the Integration Engineer to ensure every deployed system feeds real-time operational data into Oracle Fusion. No shadow systems.
- Support capital investment cases with technical content — scope definition, system specs, risk flags, and realistic implementation timelines.
- Work closely with the CI team on wire division automation deployments as needed.
Here's What We're Looking For
- 7+ years in industrial automation or robotics engineering, with direct deployment experience in manufacturing environments.
- Hands-on experience with two or more: cobot platforms (Universal Robots, FANUC, KUKA), machine vision (Cognex, Keyence), industrial robotics for bending automation or heavy material handling.
- Strong PLC/SCADA background. You can read ladder logic, troubleshoot controls issues on the floor, and define integration requirements for the OT layer.
- Experience running FAT/SAT processes — you have written acceptance criteria, not just participated in testing.
- Ability to evaluate vendors critically. You know the gap between a demo and a production deployment.
- Electrical, mechanical, or industrial engineering background preferred.
- Experience in prefab, manufacturing, or electrical construction is a significant plus.
- Demonstrate and uphold Power Design's core values, which include integrity, accountability, teamwork, innovation, and growth.
At Power Design, we are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, military and veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Power Design believes that diversity and inclusion among our teammates is paramount to our success as a national company, and we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool nationwide.
Lead Automation Engineer
About the Position
Power Design Inc. is a $1.4B national design-build multi-trade contractor operating across 28 states with 3,000+ employees. We self-perform everything — design, prefabrication, installation, and delivery. Our manufacturing operations produce panels, assemblies, unit kits, switchgear, and processed wire at scale. We are building the automation platform that lets us grow output without growing headcount proportionally.
Our manufacturing division is young, profitable, and growing. For the right operator, that means the ability to build something with real visibility — and real stakes.
About the Opportunity
The Senior Director of Robotics & Automation is building the function from the ground up. As Lead Automation Engineer, you are the technical anchor for the manufacturing domains: prefab, LFG and switchgear manufacturing, and the wire division (supported by CI). You own vendor evaluations, FAT/SAT execution, controls architecture, and deployment credibility across the manufacturing floor. When a cobot vendor says their system can do something, you are the person in the room who knows if that's true. This is not a role for someone who needs time to ramp up — you will be evaluating vendors and leading deployments in the first 90 days.
Position Responsibilities
- Lead technical evaluation and selection of automation systems across prefab and LFG/switchgear manufacturing — cobots, machine vision, bending automation, heavy material handling robotics.
- Own FAT (Factory Acceptance Testing) and SAT (Site Acceptance Testing) for all manufacturing robotics deployments. Define acceptance criteria, run the tests, sign off or escalate.
- Develop and maintain controls architecture standards across manufacturing domains — PLC/SCADA, safety systems, and integration points with the Operational Technology (OT) data layer.
- Serve as the primary technical interface with automation vendors. Evaluate claims, negotiate scope, and protect PDI from being oversold on capability or timeline.
- Partner with the Integration Engineer to ensure every deployed system feeds real-time operational data into Oracle Fusion. No shadow systems.
- Support capital investment cases with technical content — scope definition, system specs, risk flags, and realistic implementation timelines.
- Work closely with the CI team on wire division automation deployments as needed.
Here's What We're Looking For
- 7+ years in industrial automation or robotics engineering, with direct deployment experience in manufacturing environments.
- Hands-on experience with two or more: cobot platforms (Universal Robots, FANUC, KUKA), machine vision (Cognex, Keyence), industrial robotics for bending automation or heavy material handling.
- Strong PLC/SCADA background. You can read ladder logic, troubleshoot controls issues on the floor, and define integration requirements for the OT layer.
- Experience running FAT/SAT processes — you have written acceptance criteria, not just participated in testing.
- Ability to evaluate vendors critically. You know the gap between a demo and a production deployment.
- Electrical, mechanical, or industrial engineering background preferred.
- Experience in prefab, manufacturing, or electrical construction is a significant plus.
- Demonstrate and uphold Power Design's core values, which include integrity, accountability, teamwork, innovation, and growth.
At Power Design, we are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, military and veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Power Design believes that diversity and inclusion among our teammates is paramount to our success as a national company, and we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool nationwide.
Lead Automation Engineer Job Roles in Florida
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Search Lead Automation Engineer Jobs in FloridaLead Automation Engineer Jobs in Florida: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies in Florida sponsor visas for lead automation engineers?
Florida's aerospace and defense sector produces the most active sponsors. Lockheed Martin and Raytheon file regularly for engineering roles at their Brevard County and Jacksonville facilities. Jabil and TE Connectivity sponsor automation engineers at their Tampa Bay and Pinellas Park sites. Siemens and Honeywell maintain Florida engineering offices and have documented H-1B visa LCA filing histories for senior engineering positions.
What visa types realistically apply to lead automation engineer roles in Florida?
The H-1B is the most common path, covering lead automation engineering as a specialty occupation requiring a bachelor's degree in electrical, mechanical, or systems engineering. Canadian and Mexican citizens can pursue TN visa status under the USMCA Engineer category, provided they hold the required engineering degree. EB-2 and EB-3 employment-based green cards are available for longer-term sponsorship. F-1 students with STEM-designated degrees may use OPT or the 24-month STEM OPT extension while seeking H-1B sponsorship.
Which Florida cities have the most lead automation engineer sponsorship jobs?
Orlando and the Space Coast corridor, anchored by Kennedy Space Center and its contractor network, generate the highest concentration of automation engineering roles. Tampa and St. Petersburg follow closely, driven by defense electronics and advanced manufacturing. Jacksonville supports a steady volume through defense logistics and industrial automation. Miami sees growing demand from pharmaceutical manufacturing and logistics automation operations in Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
How to find lead automation engineer visa sponsorship jobs in Florida?
Migrate Mate lists Florida employers with verified visa sponsorship histories for lead automation engineer roles, letting you search specifically by location and role type rather than sifting through listings that may not lead to sponsorship. Florida's aerospace and defense concentration means many active sponsors are contractors clustered around Orlando, the Space Coast, and Tampa Bay, so filtering by those metro areas on Migrate Mate narrows your search to the highest-activity regions.
Are there Florida-specific factors that affect visa sponsorship for lead automation engineers?
Florida's heavy reliance on federal defense and aerospace contracts means many lead automation engineering roles require security clearance eligibility, which can complicate sponsorship for some visa categories since clearance processes favor U.S. persons. Florida also benefits from several research university pipelines, including the University of Florida and University of Central Florida, which feed engineering talent into the state's manufacturing sector and whose OPT graduates are actively recruited by local sponsors.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored lead automation engineer jobs in Florida?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.