Automation Technical Specialist

About the role

Position Overview

SunSource operates a network of more than 270 locations with over 4,000 employees across North America. This structure forms one of the continent's leading value-add industrial distribution entities. The organization delivers products and value-added solutions within specific segments. These segments include Fluid Power, Fluid Process, Fluid Conveyance, General Industrial Components, and Industrial Repair. Further information regarding the company and its capabilities is available on the official website at www.sun-source.com.

The company is currently seeking an Automation Technical Specialist to join the Industrial Business Unit. This role is responsible for penetrating target markets and achieving established objectives related to sales performance, gross margin generation, and specific company initiatives. The focus centers on the Automation product lines. The specialist will also provide technical support to field Account Managers. The position is based in Sterling Heights, MI 48313. The compensation range for this role is eighty-five thousand to one hundred ten thousand USD annually.

Core Responsibilities

The successful candidate will own the complete lifecycle for automation items. This involves guiding concepts from initial customer contact through final project acceptance. The work requires fluid movement between field visits and desk-based analysis. Daily activities involve balancing customer demands against internal constraints. This analysis directly influences how automation solutions serve accounts throughout North America.

Key duties include designing intake workflows. These workflows must capture automation project context prior to formal review initiation. The specialist will build initial configurations for automation families. This process utilizes catalog data combined with specific customer constraints. Conducting technical reviews is essential to align specifications with regional distribution capabilities. Shipping automation assemblies necessitates close coordination with logistics and warehouse operations teams.

Collaboration with field teams is critical for refining automation pitches. This partnership is based on real-world feedback loops. The specialist will evaluate quotation requests to ensure proposed solutions meet established margin targets. Maintaining comprehensive solution documentation is mandatory. This documentation must reflect automation configuration decisions and track all change history. Providing support to account managers during strategic planning sessions for industrial automation portfolios is also required.

Professional Requirements

Applicants must hold three to five years of experience in technical roles related to industrial automation. Demonstrated comfort in interpreting mechanical drawings and specification sheets for equipment is mandatory. Effective communication skills are required. The specialist must communicate effectively using virtual tools and in-person interactions with varied organizational stakeholders. The ability to manage multiple assignments simultaneously while maintaining accuracy under tight schedule pressures is essential.

Preferred Qualifications

Possessing knowledge of SunSource automation product lines is preferred. Familiarity with related industry standards is also considered an asset.

Tools and Environment

The role does not list additional skill entries beyond the core role expectations. Proficiency in standard industry tools is assumed but not detailed.

Important Notes

Interested candidates should Specific application procedures and additional instructions are located there. All factual information within this description is derived from the provided source materials. No content has been invented or altered beyond the restructuring of the original draft.

What you'll do

• Execute the core responsibilities designated for the
• Adhere strictly to the scope and instructions detailed
• Own the end-to-end process for automation solutions from initial stakeholder engagement to final acceptance.
• Navigate fluidly between on-site field visits and analytical workstations to address operational demands.
• Balance intricate customer requirements against the practical limitations of internal resources and capabilities.
• Architect intake procedures that effectively capture the necessary context for automation initiatives before formal evaluation.
• Construct preliminary configurations for automation families using catalog information and client-specific restrictions.
• Perform rigorous technical assessments to verify that proposed specifications align with distribution capacities.
• Coordinate closely with logistics and warehouse departments to ensure the accurate shipping of automation assemblies.
• Work in tandem with field-based teams to iteratively improve automation sales presentations and pitches.
• Analyze quotation submissions to confirm that proposed automation solutions achieve targeted financial margins.
• Maintain exhaustive records of automation configurations and meticulously document every modification made.
• Extend technical support to account managers during high-level strategic discussions concerning automation portfolios.
• Leverage both virtual communication platforms and in-person interactions to engage with a diverse range of stakeholders.
• Operate effectively within a dynamic environment that requires the concurrent management of several high-priority tasks.
• Ensure meticulous attention to detail is maintained even when facing stringent deadline pressures.

Requirements

• Hold three to five years of professional experience in roles focused on industrial automation technical support or related fields.
• Demonstrate the ability to read and interpret mechanical drawings and equipment specification sheets with confidence and accuracy.
• Exhibit strong written and verbal communication skills applicable to virtual and face-to-face interactions.
• Collaborate effectively with a wide array of stakeholders across various organizational levels.
• Manage multiple concurrent assignments while preserving precision and quality under strict time constraints.
• Thrive in a setting that demands rapid adaptation and efficient time management.
• Maintain a high level of accuracy and reliability when handling detailed technical information.
• Show commitment to following through on complex procedural requirements in a professional manner.

Nice to have

• Bring prior knowledge of SunSource automation product lines to the role if available.
• Apply familiarity with relevant industry standards and best practices to daily tasks.