Sr. Technical Specialist

Who We Are

Challenge Manufacturing’s mission is to manufacture with operational excellence by empowering our employee‑owners. As a leading tier 1 supplier of complex metal assemblies for the global automotive industry, we drive innovative solutions for future mobility. We believe the best ideas come from individual unique perspectives. These ideas combined with the teamwork of industry leaders allow us to accomplish any challenge. Our team members take pride in the work we do and embody our core values of safety, ownership, and teamwork every day;

they are the true driving force in our operations.

Challenge is proud to be one of the largest employee‑owned automotive companies in North America. One of the many benefits of joining the Challenge team is the ESOP program, which gives shares of the Company to all employee‑owners annually. These shares are an additional retirement benefit that will continue to grow during your time at Challenge, and we share in the company’s success!

Challenge is #Quality Driven and #People Powered!

The Senior Technical Trainer – Robotics & PLC Automation is responsible for delivering and scaling hands‑on technical training programs that build plant capability in the following areas:

• Fanuc, ABB, and Kawasaki robotic systems
• PLC programming and industrial controls
• Automated manufacturing equipment troubleshooting
• Electrical, safety, and robotics cell operation

This role is a key driver of technical workforce development across all plants, ensuring operators, technicians, and maintenance teams have the skills to safely program, support, and improve automated production systems. It serves as the organization’s lead technical trainer for robotics and controls, building standardized training pathways, supporting new automation launches, and reducing downtime through capability building.

• Deliver instructor‑led and hands‑on training for industrial robotics platforms for Fanuc, ABB, and Kawasaki systems
• Teach robot fundamentals such as teach pendant navigation, program creation and editing, tool and frame setup, motion instruction and cycle optimization, cell start‑up and recovery procedures
• Train teams in robotic safety standards, interlocks, and safe work practices inside automated cells
• Develop and deliver training in PLC‑controlled manufacturing environments, including PLC fundamentals and architecture, ladder logic interpretation, input/output troubleshooting, sensor and actuator diagnostics, and fault recovery and downtime response
• Partner with engineering and maintenance to align training with plant controls standards
• Build structured technical learning pathways for maintenance technicians, controls technicians, and manufacturing engineers
• Create certification‑style training programs that validate hands‑on competency, not just completion
• Develop practical learning tools such as programming exercises, troubleshooting simulations, equipment start‑up checklists, job aids and quick‑reference guides
• Support new equipment launches by training teams before production ramp‑up
• Use training outcomes to drive measurable plant impact, including reduced automation downtime, faster troubleshooting response, improved safety in robotic environments, and increased internal technical capability
• Evaluate skills using practical assessments, demonstrations, and performance‑based validation
• Maintain training documentation and competency records through the LMS
• Partner with plant leadership to identify automation skill gaps and deploy targeted development plans

This will be a 1st Shift / 8 AM‑5 PM M‑F position located at our Plant in Walker, MI. Occasionally, this may require you to arrive early, stay late, or work on weekends, outside of our regular hours, to ensure we successfully meet customer needs, deadlines, or urgent requests.

• Minimum 8 years of manufacturing experience, with significant exposure to automation and controls environments
• Minimum 5 years of hands‑on technical training experience in robotics, PLCs, or industrial automation
• Demonstrated ability to train and support Fanuc robotic programming and operation, ABB robotic systems and…