--- title: 'Corporate Automation Reliability Engineer at McMaster-Carr' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/corporate-automation-reliability-engineer-mcmaster-carr-chicago-dnf1h3twepde' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-10-18' --- # Corporate Automation Reliability Engineer at McMaster-Carr - **Company:** McMaster-Carr - **Location:** Chicago, IL - **Posted:** 2026-09-28 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-18 - **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/mcmastercarr/jobs/4376372009 ## Job description ## Who We Are McMaster-Carr is an innovative e-commerce company helping customers build and repair anything because we offer everything. We've thrived for more than 120 years through a relentless focus on customer experience, adaptability, and world-class operations. Curious, exceptional people are at the center of our evolution, turning new challenges and disruptive technologies into opportunities to learn, grow, and do work that makes customers' lives better. ## What You'll Do It is an exciting time at McMaster-Carr as we expand the use of automation in our distribution operations. Automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS), right-sized packaging technology, and sortation equipment are just some of the technologies that are in the scope of this role. We are hiring to advance engineering projects that drive improvements in the reliability and performance of the automation system.  Projects span material handling design, controls, software, analytics, process design and AI.  You will help establish standards for new systems, improve systems already in operation, and solve complex technical problems in a high-up-time environment. Make an impact and grow your engineering skills through work such as: - Improving automated packaging technology by creating standards for physical alignment, controls configurations, and software parameters. - Defining software behavior for automation based on control faults, warnings, and information - Enhancing the user experience of picking from totes to cartons in a goods-to-person - Designing or improving the material flow that connects automated storage and retrieval, picking, packing, workstations, sortation, and downstream processes. - Improving automated receiving through vision, identification, routing, induction, or put-away - Applying conveyor, sortation, mobile-robotics, or related material-handling technologies to improve system reliability and throughput. - Building an Al-enabled troubleshooting tool for maintenance technicians responding to automation-equipment - Creating data elements and analytics that identify automation faults, downtime, throughput constraints, and opportunities for improvement. - Evaluating alternatives, explaining technical and operational trade-offs, and recommending practical - Supporting complex system issues that extend beyond established operating and maintenance Cash Compensation Total cash compensation is generally around $185,000 to $230,000 and includes profit sharing based on company performance. ## Qualifications - 2+ years of professional experience in warehouse automation, including experience with AS/RS, automated receiving using vision systems, packaging technologies, shipping sorters, or palletizing - Bachelor’s degree in industrial and systems, mechanical, electrical, computer science engineering or equivalent - Knowledge of hardware, controls, software, process design, analytics, and AI disciplines is preferred - Experience in a fast-paced, high uptime, operational environment - Proven experience managing multiple projects simultaneously - Excellent communication skills and advanced project execution skills - Strong business and financial acumen paired with domain and technical expertise - Demonstrated ability to think strategically and roadmap, plan, and execute - Commitment to personal, professional, and team growth ## Equal Opportunity Employer We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and dedicated to providing employees a workplace with reasonable accommodations and free of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. At McMaster-Carr, we do not make employment decisions based on age, ethnicity, citizenship status, military status, gender identity and expression, race, religion, disability status, marital status, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected group. This position is not eligible for work authorization sponsorship by McMaster-Carr. Data We Collect We may collect professional, education and employment-related data, and any assessments made throughout the recruiting process, to evaluate candidacy for employment. To communicate with job applicants, we may collect applicant names, contact information, and other personal identifiers, including those outlined in the California customer records statute. Through voluntary disclosure, we may also collect protected classifications under federal or California law (e.g., race, gender, etc.). For additional details about the personal information we collect and its uses, please click [here](https://www.mcmaster.com/cpra_job_applicant_notification/). ## About McMaster-Carr ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: McMaster-Carr is a privately held e-commerce and catalog company that supplies over 600,000 industrial products to businesses for maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO). - **Entity Type**: Private (family-owned, bootstrapped) - **Headquarters**: Elmhurst, Illinois, USA - **Founded**: 1901 - **Founders**: Not publicly disclosed (family‑owned business) ## Core Business - **Primary industry**: Industrial supplies & equipment distribution (MRO) - **Target customers**: B2B – engineers, maintenance teams, purchasing agents, and manufacturing/construction firms (small businesses to large enterprises) - **Mission / purpose**: To be the complete, one‑stop source for industrial supplies, delivering high‑quality products with fast, reliable service. (Paraphrased from the company’s stated focus on “handpick[ing] every product” and shipping 98% of orders from stock the same day.) ## Products & Services - **Industrial Supply Catalog**: Over 600,000 SKUs covering fasteners, raw materials, plumbing, electrical, safety equipment, precision tools, and more. Offered as a SaaS‑like web platform with CAD downloads, material certificates, and 3D models. - **Same‑Day / Next‑Day Delivery**: 98% of orders ship from stock at standard rates, with same‑day or next‑day delivery to many U.S. locations. - **In‑House Software & Technology**: Custom‑built e‑commerce engine, inventory management, distribution automation, and mobile applications developed by internal engineering teams. ## Market Standing - **Valuation / Market Cap**: Not disclosed (private company) - **Key Metric**: Annual revenue is not publicly reported; industry estimates often place it in the $3–5 billion range, but the company does not confirm figures. - **Notable Investors**: None (family‑owned; no external funding raised) - **Growth Signals**: - Active hiring across six U.S. facilities (Chicago, Atlanta, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Princeton, Fort Worth) for roles in software engineering, distribution automation, customer solutions, and management. - Expanding its technology team with focus on automation, data centers, and mobile app development. - Recently posted openings for “Automation Engineering Manager” and “CMMS Engineer,” indicating investment in warehouse and process automation. ## Competitive Advantages - **Massive Catalog & Fast Fulfillment**: Unmatched breadth of inventory (600k+ products) combined with near‑universal in‑stock availability and same‑day shipping—a difficult combination for competitors to replicate. - **In‑House Technology**: All software (e‑commerce, distribution, logistics) is built and maintained internally, giving McMaster‑Carr tight integration and the ability to rapidly iterate. - **Strong Supplier Relationships & Quality Control**: Products are hand‑picked and verified; material certificates and traceability are standard. - **Engineering‑First Culture**: Technology teams are highly autonomous and work on challenging projects (warehouse robotics, high‑performance web apps, data center design). ## Strategic Focus - **Automation & Distribution Efficiency**: Investing heavily in automated material handling, robotics, and facility reliability to maintain speed and accuracy as order volumes grow. - **Technology Talent Development**: Growing the software engineering and IT teams to support custom development of internal tools, customer‑facing platforms, and infrastructure. - **Geographic Expansion**: Operations centers in five major U.S. regions (plus the Chicago HQ) to provide fast delivery nationwide; newer facilities in Fort Worth and Princeton signal continued geographic scaling. ## Why Work Here - **Culture & Values**: Emphasizes “capability, not skill”—hiring curious people who can grow across roles. Strong inclusion and diversity programs, prayer/meditation spaces, all‑gender restrooms, mentoring groups. - **Work Model**: Hybrid for many tech roles (typically 3 days on‑site per week); distribution and customer‑facing roles are generally on‑site. Remote flexibility varies by position. - **Compensation & Benefits**: - No‑monthly‑premium medical, dental, pharmacy, and vision plans for employees and dependents. - Generous profit sharing and company‑funded retirement accounts. - 100% tuition reimbursement, adoption/surrogacy assistance, paid parental leave. - First‑time home‑buyer assistance, financial counselors, and college assistance for dependents. - **Engineering Culture**: Engineers work on diverse projects (web, mobile, data centers, automation) with support for learning through reading groups, guilds, and technical leadership tracks. ## Sources 1. [mcmaster.com/careers](https://www.mcmaster.com/careers) 2. [mcmaster.com](https://www.mcmaster.com/) 3. [builtin.com/company/mcmaster-carr](https://builtin.com/company/mcmaster-carr) 4. 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