Lead Automation Engineer - Air Manufacturing Innovation

WHO YOU'LL WORK WITH

Nike Air Manufacturing & Innovation (Air MI) is transforming manufacturing through automation, robotics, connected systems, and Industry 4.0 capabilities. This role reports directly to the Director, Manufacturing Engineering Automation Global and partners closely with Product Development, Innovation, Operations, Process Engineering, Maintenance, Quality, EHS, IT, and external technology partners to develop and scale next-generation manufacturing solutions.

Based in Beaverton, this role operates at the intersection of innovation and manufacturing, helping bridge breakthrough concepts and emerging technologies into scalable production-ready capabilities that can be leveraged across the broader Air MI network.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We are seeking a Lead Automation Engineer to drive the front-end development of Air MI's automation strategy for our innovation and product development hub.  This Hub operates in a low-volume, high-SKU environment where flexibility, rapid experimentation, and speed to learning are critical.

This role is responsible for identifying automation opportunities, evaluating emerging technologies, developing technology roadmaps, leading proof-of-concept activities, and creating scalable solutions that enable product innovation while improving safety, quality, productivity, and manufacturing agility.

This is a highly strategic technical leadership role. The ideal candidate combines strong automation expertise with creativity, business acumen, and systems thinking. They are comfortable operating in ambiguity, rapidly testing and iterating new concepts, influencing across functions, and translating future manufacturing visions into executable technology roadmaps.

The successful candidate will play a key role in advancing Nike's innovation capabilities by developing automation solutions that support new products, new methods of make, and emerging manufacturing technologies before they are scaled across the broader Air MI network.

Key attributes for this role include:

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Chemical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field. Will accept any suitable combination of education, experience, and training.
• Minimum 6 years of experience in automation, robotics, controls, manufacturing systems, or related engineering disciplines.
• Proven experience leading automation initiatives from concept through pilot validation.
• Experience working within innovation, R&D, prototyping, pilot manufacturing, or highly flexible production environments.
• Experience developing business cases, capital justifications, and technology investment strategies.
• Strong technical understanding of robotics, material handling automation, machine vision, industrial controls, digital manufacturing, and connected systems.
• Demonstrated ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders and communicate effectively with both technical and business audiences.
• Comfortable operating in ambiguous environments where requirements and processes continue to evolve.

WHAT YOU'LL WORK ON

As the Lead Automation Engineer, you will define and shape the future automation roadmap for BVT while developing the technologies and manufacturing capabilities needed to support Nike's innovation pipeline. You will lead the early phases of the automation lifecycle, from concept development through production-intent design, helping evaluate and mature new technologies before they are scaled across the Air MI network.

You will:

• Develop and maintain the automation strategy and technology roadmap aligned to Nike's innovation and smart manufacturing objectives.
• Identify, prioritize, and evaluate automation opportunities that accelerate product development, experimentation, and manufacturing flexibility.
• Lead technology scouting activities and engage external partners to identify emerging manufacturing and automation technologies.
• Develop and execute proof-of-concept initiatives to validate technical feasibility, scalability, and business value.
• Build business cases and investment recommendations, including ROI, implementation strategy, and network scalability assessments.
• Partner with Innovation and Product Development teams to explore new methods of make and advanced manufacturing technologies.
• Own production-intent design development, system architecture, and deployment standards for future automation initiatives.
• Evaluate how emerging technologies can be standardized and scaled into higher-volume manufacturing environments across Air MI.
• Partner with Operations, Process Engineering, Maintenance, IT, Quality, and Product Development to ensure solutions align with both innovation objectives and long-term manufacturing strategies.

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys building what comes next, working on emerging technologies, and helping transform innovative concepts into scalable manufacturing capabilities.

We offer a number of accommodations to complete our interview process including screen readers, sign language interpreters, accessible and single location for in-person interviews, closed captioning, and other reasonable modifications as needed. If you discover, as you navigate our application process, that you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please complete the Candidate Accommodation Request Form.