MES Engineer

Who Is GrayMatter

We’re the Thinkers who make machines speak. We’re the Doers who make their stories matter. At GrayMatter, we uncover the industrial intelligence buried in clipboards, legacy systems, and human memory. We discover it, transform it, and turn it into insight. From the drill press to the boardroom, we help you think smarter and do better—by listening to the machines you already trust.

And that’s where you come in.

GrayMatter is dedicated to creating a team of unmatched talent in industrial technology. Our organizational culture encourages opportunities to learn and collaborate. Six core values make Team GrayMatter stand above the rest: Bias to Action, Batteries Included, Unbounded Curiosity, Everybody Wins, Built to Last, Actionable Insight.

We're looking for an MES (Manufacturing Execution System) Engineer to join our team! This position will focus on managing specialized work efficiently, with confidence and competence. The position requires above average attention to details, concern for the exact correctness of work, and strong commitment to tasks completed on time. The person in this position will take work seriously, has a strong sense of duty, and is disciplined. The position will generally be task oriented, requiring someone with a conservative, careful, and cautious approach to work.

Location:

This role is Hybrid and can be in the following locations: Kalamazoo, MI or Pittsburgh, PA or St. Louis, MO. The expectation is to commute to the office 3 days per week.

General Job Duties:

• Configure and deploy core MES applications to manage work orders, product genealogy, Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), downtime tracking, and electronic batch/history records.
• Design and implement robust RESTful APIs, data-mapping scripts, and SQL-backed data pipelines to connect MES platforms with ERP, LIMS, WMS, and SCADA systems.
• Lead technical discovery sessions, Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), Site Acceptance Testing (SAT), pilot deployments, and go-live cutovers at client manufacturing sites.
• Configure industrial communication parameters over TCP/IP, industrial Ethernet, and OPC servers to ensure reliable, bi-directional data flow between plant equipment and enterprise systems.
• Deliver hands-on training and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for shop-floor operators and supervisors; partner with sales engineering teams to provide technical demonstrations, scoping assistance, and proof-of-concept solutions.
• Perform root-cause analysis on production-impacting data discrepancies, tag communication failures, and database performance bottlenecks.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in an applicable Engineering field (Electrical, Industrial, Mechatronics, Computer Engineering, or comparable technical discipline/practical experience).
• Minimum 4+ years of dedicated, hands-on experience configuring and implementing MES applications (e.g., TrackSYS, Plant Applications, Sepasoft, Production Center, etc.) within industrial manufacturing or regulated production environments.
• Strong proficiency in relational databases, query optimization, indexing, stored procedures, and data modeling (Microsoft SQL Server, PostgreSQL, or Oracle).
• Practical knowledge of IT fundamentals and networking protocols, including TCP/IP configuration, workstation setup, and client-server architecture.
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 25–40% for onsite discovery, pilots, commissioning, and go-live support.

Strongly Preferred

• Practical knowledge and use of AI technologies (Claude, Gemini, Grok, GPT).
• Demonstrated proficiency in programming and scripting languages used in industrial software workflows, including Python, JavaScript, and VBA / Excel automation.
• Proven track record designing and consuming RESTful APIs with structured payloads (JSON/XML), authentication standards (OAuth 2.0), and robust error-handling/retry patterns.
• Velotic (GE Proficy) Ecosystem: Hands-on experience configuring, customizing, and deploying Velotic / GE Proficy Plant Applications and Proficy Historian for production tracking, quality workflows, and efficiency reporting.
• Inductive Automation Ignition / Sepasoft: Direct experience with the Ignition platform (Vision / Perspective) and Sepasoft MES modules (OEE 2.0, Track & Trace, SPC, Batch Procedure).
• Rockwell Automation / Allen-Bradley Integration: Practical familiarity with the Rockwell ecosystem, including:
• FactoryTalk Suite: FactoryTalk ProductionCentre, PharmaSuite, FactoryTalk Metrics, or FactoryTalk View (SE/ME).
• Controller & Tag Browsing: Ability to navigate Studio 5000 Logix Designer / RSLogix 5000 to locate controller tags, User-Defined Data Types (UDTs), and verify PLC-to-MES data handshakes
• Industrial Middleware: Experience configuring FactoryTalk Linx, RSLinx Gateway, or Kepware Allen-Bradley drivers over EtherNet/IP (CIP) and OPC UA/DA architectures.
  

The target annual base compensation range for this position is $80,000 - $120,000, based upon relevant qualifications.

Featured Benefits:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance beginning day one of employment
• Employer paid short term disability and life insurance
• 401(k) with up to 4% company match
• Paid holidays, paid time off, paid sick leave, and paid parental leave
• Additional benefits available such as long term disability, accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity, EAP, telemedicine, HSA and FSA