Full-Time

Automation Technician 1

Kenco Management Services

Kenco Management Services

1,001-5,000 employees

Compensation Overview

$21.58 - $32.37/hr

Tehachapi, CA, USA

In Person

Category
General Maintenance & Repair (2)
,
Required Skills
Inventory Management
Requirements
  • High school diploma, G.E.D. or technical school graduate required.
  • 0 – 2 years of mechanic experience; preferably prior experience with repair and maintenance, automated systems, and conveyors, or similar equipment.
  • Ability to troubleshoot mechanical and electrical problems on multiple types of equipment and systems.
  • Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to work under pressure to quickly diagnose and resolve issues.
  • Effective communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to convey technical information to non-technical team members.
  • Commitment to safety and quality standards.
  • Self-motivated, self-directed, highly responsible, and able to work both independently and as part of a team.
  • Must be able to frequently lift/carry/push/pull up to 50 lbs.
  • Must be able to safely operate lift trucks, scissor lifts and boom lifts.
  • This position is expected to travel approximately 25% or less.
  • A passport is not required, but recommended.
Responsibilities
  • Perform regular maintenance, diagnostics, and repairs on ASRS and related automation equipment, ensuring minimal downtime with OSHA and operational standards.
  • Collaborate with the operations team to optimize ASRS system performance, including adjustments to improve efficiency, reliability, and throughput.
  • Maintain parts inventory and repair records for all equipment by completing accurate paperwork.
  • Assist with the development of, and maintain preventative maintenance documentation on, system configurations, maintenance procedures, and troubleshooting guides; monitor maintenance checklists to ensure efficient equipment operation.
  • Ensure compliance with safety standards and protocols while performing maintenance or repair tasks.
  • Use repair manuals, parts manuals, parts diagrams to troubleshoot all automated systems to include all conveyor systems.
  • Communicate any abuse damages to onsite personnel with a detailed description of problem.
  • Responsible for general cleanliness of service area always.
Kenco Management Services

Kenco Management Services

View

Company Size

1,001-5,000

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

Chattanooga, Tennessee

Founded

1950

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • MHE Solutions division quadruples since 2022 under Sean Wallingford's leadership.
  • Pal Narayanan advances AI-driven tech ecosystem as new CDIO from Geodis.
  • Kristi Montgomery drives $3M value via Lean, Design Thinking, Agile frameworks.

What critics are saying

  • Swisslog sues ex-executives Arnold, Williams, Wallingford, halting MHE growth in 12 months.
  • GreyOrange MPOP bugs cause $10M customer churn in 12-18 months.
  • Swisslog launches predatory pricing, poaching clients and collapsing MHE in 24 months.

What makes Kenco Management Services unique

  • Kenco's Innovation Lab tests technologies, generating $5M savings in first year.
  • Technology-agnostic automation consulting scales via Craig Arnold's 30-year expertise.
  • GreyOrange partnership deploys AI orchestration across fulfillment centers over five years.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Basic Life and Supplemental Life

Short Term and Long Term Disability

Paid Parental Leave

401(k)

Paid Time Off

Employer Paid Holidays

Company News

Business Wire
Mar 17th, 2026
Kenco appoints Ainsley Williams as VP of automation & innovation

Kenco, a third-party logistics provider, has appointed Ainsley Williams as Vice President, Automation & Innovation. Williams will lead Kenco's Innovation Lab, a 30,000-square-foot facility for testing supply chain technologies that generated over $5 million in savings during its first year. Williams brings nearly two decades of supply chain engineering experience from Fortune 100 companies including Walmart, Knapp and Vanderlande. Most recently, she served as Swisslog's Senior Director, Systems Engineering. At Walmart, she architected automation strategies that secured over $3 billion in project approvals and delivered the retailer's most advanced automated grocery distribution centre. She succeeds Kristi Montgomery, who was recently promoted to Vice President of Strategic Transformation. Williams holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology.

Business Wire
Feb 26th, 2026
Kenco Appoints Kristi Montgomery to Vice President of Strategic Transformation Role

Kenco appoints Kristi Montgomery to Vice President of Strategic Transformation role. Montgomery to advance enterprise-wide strategic initiatives CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.-(BUSINESS WIRE)-Kenco, a leading third-party logistics (3PL) provider, announced Kristi Montgomery, formerly Vice President of Innovation, Research & Development, will now serve as Vice President of Strategic Transformation. Montgomery has more than 35 years at Kenco, playing a key role in launching and building the 3PL's dedicated innovation initiative. Most recently, Montgomery led Kenco's Innovation Lab, a space dedicated to researching, testing and vetting new supply chain technologies and ideas in a realistic warehouse setting. She also negotiated the company's first strategic co-innovation partnership with robotics manufacturer GreyOrange. In her new role, Montgomery will continue to help grow Kenco as a true strategic partner. She will further her work with a best-practice program around the intersection of Lean Principles, Design Thinking & Agile Execution to help transform both the 3PL and its customers - work that has already generated more than $3 million in value over the last 18 months. "Innovation for innovation's sake isn't viable," said Denis Reilly, President & CEO at Kenco, "Future-forward leaders must fully understand the supply chain complexity they are seeking to optimize before proposing solutions and the combination of lean, human-centric design, and agile strategies have shown how valuable this approach can be. With Kristi leading the way, we will establish a best-practices program positioning our three-dimensional approach as a transformational journey for both our customers and for Kenco." Additionally, Montgomery will lead several key strategic initiatives, including customer lifecycle management, while partnering closely with Kenco's supply chain solutions and operations teams. Leveraging her expertise in supply chain, innovation methodologies, and strategic thinking frameworks, she will also help internal teams think differently as they execute against their strategic goals and visions. About Kenco Kenco is a leading North American 3PL delivering custom, integrated logistics solutions that maximize supply chain efficiency. For more than 75 years, they have partnered with customers to provide distribution, transportation, material handling and automation solutions. Kenco's people set the organization apart - experienced, committed associates who bring agility and expertise to even the most complex supply chain challenges. Guided by its mission and vision, Kenco innovates relentlessly to deliver solutions on a national scale with the care of a local provider, building trusted partnerships that keep goods moving and businesses growing. More News From Kenco CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.-( BUSINESS WIRE )-Kenco today released the findings of its proprietary survey in their 2026 Innovation Report... CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.-( BUSINESS WIRE )-Kenco announced Pal Narayanan as its new Chief Digital & Information Officer (CDIO)... CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.-( BUSINESS WIRE )-Kenco, a leading third-party logistics provider, announced the appointment of Sean Wallingford to President, Kenco MHE Solutions...

readmagazine.com
Feb 6th, 2026
Kenco Names Pal Narayanan Chief Digital & Information Officer

Kenco names Pal Narayanan Chief Digital & Information Officer. Kenco, a leading third-party logistics provider, announced Pal Narayanan as its new Chief Digital & Information Officer (CDIO). Narayanan will continue the work of retiring Steve Hitchings, scaling and strengthening the company's technology ecosystem. Narayanan's duties will also include overseeing the 3PL's Data Science & Business Intelligence team. Narayanan most recently served as EVP & CIO Americas at Geodis. He brings nearly 15 years of supply chain experience to his new role, making him the right IT leader to guide Kenco through the industry's AI-driven transformation. "AI breakthroughs allow shippers to grow and move faster than ever, and they expect their 3PLs to keep pace," said Denis Reilly, CEO at Kenco. "I'm confident Pal's expertise will continue to position Kenco on supply chain IT's leading edge, building on the infrastructure laid by Steve Hitchings and our dedicated IT team." Over his 30-year career, Narayanan has demonstrated a track record of implementing technology to help companies cost-save and achieve significant growth. His work helped Direct General Insurance expand the company from $400 million and 550 employees to $780 million and 1,200 employees. "It's an exciting time to work in supply chain IT. Our industry's core task is improving efficiency, and every day we're uncovering new technologies that help us shave a minute or two off a process or further optimize inventory," Narayanan said. "I'm impressed with the systems Kenco already has in place, and I look forward to expanding our technology to meet rapidly evolving needs."

Business Wire
Feb 5th, 2026
Kenco appoints Pal Narayanan as chief digital & information officer

Kenco, a third-party logistics provider, has appointed Pal Narayanan as Chief Digital & Information Officer. Narayanan will succeed retiring Steve Hitchings, overseeing the company's technology ecosystem and Data Science & Business Intelligence team. Narayanan joins from Geodis, where he served as EVP & CIO Americas, bringing nearly 15 years of supply chain experience. His 30-year career includes helping Direct General Insurance grow from $400 million to $780 million in revenue whilst doubling its workforce. In his new role, Narayanan will focus on advancing Kenco's technology infrastructure to meet the industry's AI-driven transformation and rapidly evolving customer needs. He holds graduate degrees in Accounting and Information Systems from Middle Tennessee State University and an MBA from PSG College of Technology.

DC Velocity
Dec 12th, 2025
Kenco names Wallingford to lead its material handling equipment division

Kenco names Wallingford to lead its material handling equipment division. Third party logistics provider (3PL) Kenco has named industry veteran Sean Wallingford as president of its material handling equipment (MHE) division, saying he will help customers to better leverage, maintain, service and automate their assets. Before leading Kenco MHE Solutions, Wallingford had most recently served as President & CEO for supply chain automation and implementation firm Swisslog Americas. Prior to that, he worked for Vanderlande and Honeywell Intelligrated. According to Kenco President & CEO Denis Reilly, the Kenco MHE Solutions is a fast-growing portfolio for the company, more than quadrupling in size since 2022. It most recently introduced an Automation Guidance offering, designed to help operations managers envision, execute and maintain automation upgrades to their existing infrastructure. "MHE Solutions has proven to be a great fit for our customers because it allows them to access asset support for their day-to-day needs, avoiding costly downtimes for their critical equipment, and plan for their future," Reilly said. "Warehouse automation is no longer a luxury. It's a necessity for logistics-focused companies wanting to keep up with rapidly evolving customer demand."