Automation Engineer Visa Sponsorship Jobs in Virginia

About the Role

Picture the start of a 12-hour shift: you meet with your Operations Team Lead, walk the line, and bring a bank of automated and robotic equipment up to spec. You’re the steady hand that keeps production on pace and on standard—balancing safety, quality, cost, and timing to satisfy customer requirements and regulatory expectations.

What Your Day Looks Like

• Open your area safely: complete vehicle checks, 5S housekeeping, and participate in the plant Safety Program—reporting all incidents and near-misses.
• Run multiple production machines at once, tuning settings to sustain OEE, avoid stoppages, and reduce waste.
• Inspect product, use measuring/inspection devices, and act fast when defects appear—adjust equipment, record results, summarize rework and scrap, and enter data into the quality database.
• Champion the Positive Release program and follow quality procedures rigorously.
• Document production through accurate charting and required logs.
• Collaborate with teammates to recommend and trial process improvements; support continuous improvement teams to drive out waste and lower operating costs.
• Work within formal standards and policies: BRC Food Safety Policy, GMPs, HACCP Principle, ISO14001, and OSHA rules.
• Help create clear SOPs and work instructions.
• Operate within highly automated environments, including robotic systems.
• Perform and document daily/weekly/monthly maintenance activities to keep equipment reliable.
• Assist with trial runs (SMA’s), installations, overhauls, and upgrades.
• Provide forklift support and offer break relief to teammates as needed.
• Tackle other duties as assigned to keep production moving.

What You Bring

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Mechanical aptitude with problem-solving and troubleshooting strengths.
• 2+ years in high-volume manufacturing preferred.
• Clear written and verbal communication; strong teamwork and organizational skills; keen attention to detail.
• Basic computer and math skills to interpret drawings, review specifications and work instructions, and report line performance.
• Working knowledge of measuring tools and inspection devices.
• Flexibility to work 8- or 12-hour shifts, days or off-shifts, plus weekends, holidays, and overtime as needed.
• Comfort with changing priorities and initiatives.

Schedule & Physical Aspects

• Typical schedule: 12-hour shifts with average weekly hours alternating 36/48.
• Role involves prolonged standing and walking; frequent reaching, stooping, kneeling, crouching, or crawling; and occasional work in non-permit-required confined spaces (with proper training).
• Regular lifting/moving up to 50 lbs; strong hand/eye coordination; near/far vision and color recognition.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Work Environment & Hazards

• Loud production environment—hearing protection and assigned PPE required.
• Temperatures can vary from very cold to around 95 degrees; air may contain fumes, dust, and odors.
• Exposure to mechanical and electrical hazards, pinch points, cuts, burns, metal dust/slivers.
• Routine work near hazardous and explosive chemicals.