AUTOMATION MAINTENANCE ENGINEER Full Time

Role Overview

The Automation Maintenance Engineer is a mission-critical role within the Engineering & Operations function of our large-format automated Distribution Center at Palwal, Haryana. This individual is the first line of defence for all automation hardware — accountable for ensuring 100% uptime, operational reliability, and systematic maintenance of the entire automation ecosystem, including PTL (Put-to-Light) systems, conveyor networks, automated sorters, scanners, and electrical/control infrastructure. As the distribution center scales from servicing 550+ stores to over 1,200 outlets with growing SKU complexity and seasonal volume surges, the Engineer’s ability to proactively prevent failures, rapidly resolve breakdowns, and drive continuous improvement will be instrumental in ensuring uninterrupted throughput, shipment accuracy, and store replenishment cycles. This is a hands-on, execution-oriented role requiring deep technical expertise, vendor coordination skills, safety discipline, and an improvement mindset — operating within a 24×7 high-velocity warehouse environment.

About the Role

The Automation Maintenance Engineer is responsible for ensuring the operational reliability and systematic maintenance of the automation ecosystem.

Responsibilities

1 Automation Uptime & Reliability

• Ensure 99%+ uptime of all automation systems including PTL stations, conveyors, sorters, scanners, and associated electrical panels across all operational shifts.
• Monitor real-time automation system health via control panels, SCADA dashboards (where applicable), and floor-level inspection routines; flag anomalies proactively.
• Maintain a live equipment availability register — track uptime, downtime events, and functional status of each asset within the automation ecosystem.
• Define and implement criticality-based maintenance protocols; ensure that Tier-1 critical systems (sorters, main conveyors) receive priority response and resource allocation.
• Establish shift-wise handover mechanisms to ensure continuity of equipment health information, pending actions, and escalations across 24×7 operations.
• Support capacity planning for automation infrastructure expansion in alignment with store scale-up from 550 to 1,200+ outlets.

2 Preventive & Predictive Maintenance

• Design, schedule, and rigorously execute Preventive Maintenance (PM) plans for all automation assets — including mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, and electronic components.
• Maintain 100% PM schedule adherence; document all PM activities in the CMMS/maintenance log with timestamps, part usage, and engineer sign-off.
• Develop and implement predictive maintenance protocols — monitor vibration, temperature, and operational load parameters to anticipate component fatigue or failure.
• Conduct regular calibration checks on scanners, sensors, photocells, encoders, and PTL controllers to maintain system accuracy and WMS data integrity.
• Manage spare parts inventory — ensure critical spares are always stocked, track consumption trends, and initiate replenishment ahead of depletion to prevent maintenance delays.
• Prepare and present monthly PM compliance reports and asset health dashboards to the Engineering Head and Operations leadership.

3 Breakdown Management & Root Cause Analysis

• Serve as the primary responder for all automation breakdowns — ensure first response within 15 minutes for critical system failures and restoration within targeted MTTR thresholds.
• Conduct structured Root Cause Analysis (RCA) for all significant breakdown events using 5-Why methodology, Fishbone (Ishikawa) diagrams, and FMEA frameworks.
• Document all breakdown incidents — failure mode, impact duration, corrective action taken, and preventive measures implemented — in a centralised incident register.
• Identify patterns in recurring failures; design and execute corrective action plans to achieve ≥20% year-on-year reduction in repeat breakdowns.
• Coordinate with Operations, WMS/IT, and vendor teams during breakdown scenarios to minimise throughput impact and enable parallel recovery efforts.
• Conduct post-incident reviews for high-impact failures and present RCA findings with actionable recommendations to the Engineering Head within 48 hours.

4 Vendor Management & AMC Coordination

• Manage day-to-day coordination with OEM vendors, AMC (Annual Maintenance Contract) partners, and third-party service providers for equipment support, spare parts, and technical assistance.
• Monitor and enforce vendor SLAs; track resolution timelines, escalate deviations, and maintain formal performance records for quarterly vendor review meetings.
• Lead AMC contract reviews — evaluate service quality, identify gaps, and provide input to procurement/management for contract renewals, renegotiations, or vendor changes.
• Maintain an updated vendor contact matrix and escalation matrix for each automation system category to ensure rapid access during critical breakdowns.
• Coordinate with OEM technical teams for complex fault diagnostics, software updates, firmware patches, and hardware replacements requiring specialist intervention.
• Maintain procurement records for spare parts, tools, and consumables — ensure alignment with budget allocations and timely processing of purchase orders.

5 Continuous Improvement & Automation Enhancement

• Identify and drive automation improvement initiatives — process re-engineering, equipment upgrades, layout modifications — to enhance throughput, accuracy, and reliability.
• Collaborate with Operations, WMS/IT, and Planning teams to assess the automation impact of new processes, SKU additions, seasonal campaigns, or layout changes.
• Evaluate new automation technologies, tools, and methodologies; prepare feasibility assessments and business cases for leadership consideration.
• Develop and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all maintenance activities; drive adherence across the maintenance team and 3PL technicians.
• Implement energy efficiency measures across automation assets — monitor power consumption, identify waste, and recommend optimisations.
• Build the technical capability of junior technicians through structured on-the-job coaching, SOP walkthroughs, and incident-based learning.

6 Safety, Compliance & Documentation

• Enforce compliance with all industrial safety standards — electrical safety, lockout/tagout (LOTO) procedures, working at height, and confined space protocols — across all maintenance activities.
• Conduct regular safety audits of automation zones; identify and escalate hazards, unsafe conditions, and non-compliant practices with corrective action timelines.