Okay, I've searched for Senior Automation Engineer roles in Alsip, IL, within the manufacturing industry, full-time schedule, requiring at least 5 years of experience, and with PLC programming skills. I have found 47 positions matching your criteria.

Sure. Here's the analysis:

Job Analysis:

The Senior Engineer - Automation & MES role at Crown Cork & Seal USA is fundamentally about leading the global deployment and stewardship of the company's proprietary Manufacturing Execution System (MES) across diverse manufacturing sites worldwide. This requires a unique blend of deep technical expertise in industrial automation, PLC programming, and system integration with strong project management and interpersonal skills to navigate a complex, multinational operational landscape. The role’s core responsibility is to ensure seamless and reliable data flow from machines to MES, enabling real-time production control, traceability, and process optimization. This entails conducting rigorous factory assessments, designing and implementing communication protocols and hardware solutions, as well as ongoing system validation and troubleshooting to uphold data integrity and operational efficiency. Given the global scope, the candidate must excel in cross-cultural collaboration, managing varied factory capabilities and infrastructure, and iterating solutions amidst evolving digital transformation priorities. Success in this role hinges on technical mastery of MES, PLCs, networking protocols, and analytics platforms combined with an adaptive leadership style that drives innovation and continuous improvement under tight timelines. The job demands strategic vision to leverage MES data for predictive maintenance and operational gains, while balancing hands-on involvement in commissioning and troubleshooting. Performance metrics such as on-time project delivery, solution effectiveness, stakeholder feedback, and communication clarity reflect the expectations for sustaining system reliability and fostering adoption across global teams. Extensive experience in automated, high-speed manufacturing environments and certification like CMSE are key to ensuring a safety-focused, standard-compliant approach that aligns digital efforts with manufacturing excellence.

Company Analysis:

Although the role is operationally embedded within Crown Cork & Seal, the job posting comes through iHire, a specialized recruitment platform with a strong industry-focused and data-driven approach to talent acquisition. iHire’s reputation for connecting candidates with high-quality, targeted roles suggests an emphasis on specialized, niche hires like this one. Crown Cork & Seal itself is a global manufacturing player within the packaging industry, likely requiring agile adaptations of MES across a diverse factory footprint in multiple regions. The company culture implied here values innovation, digital transformation, and continuous improvement within a fast-paced manufacturing environment. This is an organization that prioritizes technical excellence but also cross-functional collaboration between factory teams, IT, and digital departments, emphasizing robust communication and stakeholder engagement. The international dimension of the role, combined with frequent travel, signals a company environment that operates globally but requires local adaptability and hands-on support. Given the complexity of MES deployment and integration, this role will be highly visible, requiring interfacing with leadership on digital transformation progress while empowering local teams. The strategic alignment is clear: this is not just a maintenance role but a growth and innovation driver central to the company’s smart factory initiatives and Industry 4.0 ambitions. Candidates should therefore evaluate fit not only in terms of technical qualifications but also comfort with cultural diversity, continuous learning, and a proactive, problem-solving mindset that embraces evolving technology landscapes.

Absolutely. Here are some mock interview questions that could come up:

• Behavioral: Tell me about a time when you had to troubleshoot a complex automation issue that involved multiple stakeholders and technologies. How did you approach it and what was the outcome?
• Behavioral: Describe a situation where you led a cross-functional team through a challenging project with tight deadlines. How did you manage priorities and communication?
• Behavioral: Can you share an experience where you identified an opportunity to improve manufacturing efficiency through data analysis? What steps did you take to implement the solution?
• Behavioral: Give an example of how you’ve managed adapting a technical solution to a diverse factory environment with varying infrastructure and team capabilities.
• Technical: How would you design the data flow architecture to ensure reliable and secure communication between PLCs, MES, and SCADA systems in a complex factory?
• Technical: What experience do you have programming PLCs such as Siemens TIA Portal or Allen Bradley to facilitate MES data capture? Can you describe a challenging modification you made?
• Technical: Explain how you would approach integrating emerging technologies like AI-driven analytics or predictive maintenance into an existing MES platform.
• Technical: How do you validate and troubleshoot data integrity issues originating from sensors, network problems, or PLC configurations on the shopfloor?
• Situational: Imagine you’re on a 12-week international site visit and discover significant gaps in the factory’s hardware and network infrastructure that jeopardize MES rollout. How would you handle this?
• Situational: You receive conflicting feedback from factory engineers and corporate IT about MES implementation priorities. How do you reconcile these differences and drive consensus?
• Situational: A critical MES system issue arises during production, impacting real-time data capture and causing operational delays. What immediate steps do you take to resolve this?
• Company Fit/Motivation: Why are you interested in leading MES deployment at Crown Cork & Seal specifically, and how do you see your experience supporting their Industry 4.0 journey?
• Company Fit/Motivation: How do your personal and professional values align with the company's emphasis on safety, innovation, and continuous improvement?
• Company Fit/Motivation: Given the global scope and travel demands of this role, how do you prepare yourself to succeed working cross-culturally and remotely?
• Questions for Interviewer: How does Crown prioritize and support continuous professional development for engineers leading digital transformation initiatives?
• Questions for Interviewer: What are the biggest technical and organizational challenges currently facing the MES rollout globally, and how can this role contribute to overcoming them?
• Questions for Interviewer: How does this role collaborate with other digital transformation teams and factory leadership to ensure alignment and maximize impact?