Senior Automation Sustaining Engineer

Job Description

Job Description

Who We Are :

At Formic, we're on a mission to revolutionize American manufacturing and create more abundance in the world. We believe in continuing the American legacy of innovation by making automation accessible to all manufacturers and increasing their factory productivity by 10x.

Built upon deep expertise in robotics and manufacturing, our unique full service automation solutions combine the best automation technology, software, and analysis tools for manufacturers with best in class uptime, support, and maintenance services. We are creating a new era of supercharged efficiency and competitiveness for US manufacturers.

As the world faces growing pressure from tariffs, rising costs, and labor shortages, Formic is uniquely positioned as the industry leading solution to overcome these challenges. Fueled by our vision for a re-industrialized domestic supply chain, everything we do is aimed at growing "Made in America" products. And we're growing fast - achieving 7x growth in production hours YoY.

Supporting us in our mission, with investments thus far totaling over $60 million, are backers including Lux Capital, Initialized Capital, Blackhorn Ventures, Mitsubishi HC Capital NA, and CEOs and founders of multiple Fortune 50 companies.

The Production Optimization Team is dedicated to ensuring both customer satisfaction and the seamless operation of our robots. Composed of Customer Success and Monitoring & Maintenance teams, this department works to maximize robot performance and provide ongoing support to guarantee a smooth and efficient user experience for our customers.

Sustaining Engineers work on the forefront of robotic automation using Formic's suite of monitoring and diagnostic capabilities to guide preventative, corrective, and predictive maintenance activities across our growing fleet of deployed robotic cells. They work with a variety of robotic equipment and OEM's, delivering innovative and value-add automation to our manufacturing sector customers.

As a Senior Automation Sustaining Engineer you will be responsible for maintaining, improving, and ensuring the continuous operation of manufacturing automation systems and equipment. This role involves working closely with production teams, quality assurance, and engineering personnel to troubleshoot issues, implement improvements, and ensure that equipment meets performance standards.

In this role you will :

• Diagnose and remedy automation failures to minimize downtime
• Design and deploy preventative strategies that boost system uptime and reliability
• Drive continuous-improvement projects : scope, plan, and deliver hardware / software upgrades
• Analyze production data and field diagnostics to uncover performance-optimization opportunities
• Provide remote support for customer needs in the field : responding to calls and support tickets; diagnosing issues; guiding customers through solutions remotely; and triaging to onsite team members when needed
• Partner with Product, Deployment, and Engineering teams to standardize and streamline equipment setups
• Own equipment documentation : operating procedures, maintenance logs, and change-control records
• Mentor and train other technicians and engineers on best practices for system health and troubleshooting
• Enforce compliance with safety standards, industry regulations, and internal quality guidelines
• Serve as the go-to technical authority for complex escalations and cross-functional initiatives
• Cultivate vendor relationships to ensure robust support, parts availability, and advanced diagnostics
• Stay ahead of automation trends; recommend and pilot cutting-edge solutions that align with Formic's roadmap

What makes you a great fit :

Bonus points if you have :

Our Total Rewards

At Formic, we believe you perform your best when you're supported in caring for yourself and your loved ones. That's why we've thoughtfully designed a comprehensive benefits and perks package for our full-time, U.S.-based team members, including :

Equity in Formic : Own a meaningful stake in a fast-growing Series A startup, backed by leading global investors

Comprehensive Healthcare Coverage : 99% covered Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans, with 75% coverage for dependents, provided by Blue Cross Blue Shield and Guardian

Additional Fully Covered Insurance Benefits : FSA & DCFSA, Life Insurance, Short-Term Disability, and Long-Term Disability through Guardian, all 100% employer-paid

Employee Assistance Program (EAP) : Fully funded by Formic and provided via Guardian, offering support when you need it most

Paid Parental Leave : Generous parental leave to support our employees and their growing families

Company-sponsored 401(k) : Invest in your future with our company-backed retirement savings plan

Home Office Stipend : A one-time allowance for fully remote employees to set up your ideal at-home or on the road work environment

Monthly Cell-Phone Reimbursement : Monthly stipend toward phone and internet expenses

Flexible Time-Off : Take the time you need, when you need it, supported by our flexible PTO policy

Paid Company Holidays : Celebrate important dates with paid time off

Compensation Philosophy

Formic's compensation packages - including salaries and equity - are thoughtfully benchmarked against peer companies at a similar growth stage. Equity represents a critical part of our mutual investment : when Formic succeeds, so do you.

Final compensation packages are carefully customized based on candidate preference for cash and equity balance, experience, geographic location, and market considerations. Our goal is to attract and reward top talent who will significantly impact our organization. We're open to meaningful discussions about compensation structure to secure exceptional team members.

The anticipated base pay range for this position is detailed below.

Base Salary Range :

$115,000—$135,000 USD

What we look for :

We're building a company from the ground up, so every single person we hire has a massive impact on our team, culture, and ability to accomplish our mission. While each individual brings their own unique skills and perspectives to Formic, we look for people who share our vision and act in alignment with our Operating Principles. If this sounds like you, Formic could be the place for you!

Equal Opportunity

Formic is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion or religious creed, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, marital status, family or parental status, disability, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. All employment decisions are based on a person's merit, business needs, and role requirements. If you require further accommodations or have questions regarding accessibility of our roles, please reach out to careers@formic.co.

AI Use

At Formic, fairness and transparency are at the heart of our hiring process. We use AI-powered tools in some interviews to help our teams evaluate candidate responses, but all final hiring decisions are made by humans. You can learn more about how AI is used in our recruitment process by reviewing our AI Hiring Disclosure linked here.