Industrial Software Engineer (Smart Factory)

General Summary: Industrial Software Engineer blends hands-on manufacturing experience with strong Microsoft-stack development skills. Focuses on building and upgrading factory-floor applications that improve safety, efficiency, traceability, and automation across a production environment. Explores and implements AI-driven solutions, including Large Language Models (LLMs) and Generative AI, to enhance diagnostics, streamline workflows, and unlock new capabilities in smart manufacturing.

U.S. Citizen or U.S. Permanent Resident Status Required.  Relocation assistance is not available.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities: 

• Software Development (Microsoft Stack)
  • Design, develop, and maintain manufacturing applications using C#, .NET, Visual Studio, and SQL (MySQL and/or Oracle).
  • Build APIs, services, and data pipelines that support real‑time production visibility and decision‑making.
  • Integrate software with PLCs, sensors, test equipment, and MES/ERP systems.
• Smart Factory / Manufacturing Systems
  • Develop solutions for traceability, cell/line control, work order dispatch, data acquisition, and production scheduling.
  • Implement digitalization initiatives including dashboards, automated reporting, and machine‑data integration.
  • Support production teams by troubleshooting system issues and improving system reliability.
• Process & Continuous Improvement
  • Analyze manufacturing workflows and identify opportunities for automation or software‑driven optimization.
  • Collaborate with engineering, quality, and operations to define system requirements and deploy solutions.
  • Document system architecture, configurations, and standard work.
• Participate in Production IT Security related activities.
• Participate in on-call schedule of the group to support operations outside of normal office working hours.

Ability:

In-depth understanding of software systems in a manufacturing environment. Proficient use of PC, MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint). Self-directed, self-motivated, strong accountability, enthusiastic learner with attention to details. Strong communication skills with internal and external project stakeholders. Ability to communicate technical details both verbally and in writing. Ability to work across a multi-cultural environment and global distributed projects. Strong analytical skills for root cause analysis. Willingness and ability to work flexible hours occasionally for collaboration with colleagues in different time zones and to support local manufacturing. Commitment and desire to learn manufacturing processes with the goal of becoming a go-to resource for technical solutions. Primarily office-based with regular time spent on the production floor to support and validate systems.  Must be comfortable working around automated equipment and interacting with cross functional teams.

Education:

Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering, Systems Engineering, Computer Engineering or related technical discipline required.

Experience:

0 to 8+ years of professional experience.

Strongly preferred:

2 to 5+ years of experience in a manufacturing environment; Proficiency in C#, .NET, SQL and Visual Studio; Experience with MES, SCADA, or factory-floor data systems; Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, quality systems, and continuous improvement.

A plus:

Experience with automation, PLC communication, or IIoT technologies; Familiarity with REST APIs, message queues, or event driven architectures. Experience deploying software in a high volume production environment; German language skills.

ZF LIFETEC Mesa Operations screening process includes a substance abuse screening test, background check, and verification of eligibility for employment.  **U.S. Citizen or U.S. Permanent Resident Status Required.**

Be part of our ZF Lifetec team as Industrial Software Engineer (Smart Factory) and apply now!

Contact

Kim Perez

+1 480 944 7625

kim.perez@zf-lifetec.com