Industrial Engineer - Warehouse Design & Automation

About ShipMonk

ShipMonk isn't just a 3PL; we're a growth partner for merchants. We provide cutting-edge technology and a network of owned and operated fulfillment centers that empower high-growth ecommerce and DTC brands to stress less and grow more. With over 2,500 employees across five countries, we're on a mission to revolutionize fulfillment by providing everything from the fastest click-to-delivery and real-time inventory to custom solutions—all with a merchant-first mindset.

Why ShipMonk?

We believe in building for the long term, and our success is powered by five key differentiators that help us become true partners to our merchants.

● Global Fulfillment Network: Our 12+ owned and operated fulfillment centers span the US, Canada, Mexico, the U.K., and Mainland Europe. We never outsource, ensuring quality and consistency.
● Proprietary Technology: We've eliminated the need for tribal knowledge with our AI-powered platform. It provides a real-time, unified view of inventory and orders, giving our merchants the control and visibility they need to succeed.
● Unrivaled Support: We provide hands-on, "mom and pop" support with a global reach. Our dedicated teams are on-site at every fulfillment center, ready to jump into action.
● Transparent Pricing: We believe in honest, long-term partnerships. Our all- inclusive pricing means predictable costs, with no hidden fees or surprises.
● Committed to the Future: We invest over $10 million annually in research and development to ensure our technology and services continually evolve, helping merchants plant roots with a partner who is here to stay.

Overview

As the Industrial Engineer - Warehouse Design & Automation, you will be a technical leader responsible for designing, engineering, and scaling warehouse facilities across a multi-site fulfillment network. Your primary mission is to translate business demand and growth forecasts into data-driven, buildable warehouse designs that optimize throughput, labor efficiency, space utilization, and cost.

This role partners closely with Operations, Real Estate, Facilities, IT, Finance, and external automation vendors to deliver standardized, scalable solutions for greenfield builds, expansions, and retrofits. You will bring a strong systems mindset, deep understanding of material flow, and a bias for simplicity, operability, and long-term sustainability.

What You’ll Do

Warehouse Design & Engineering

• Design end-to-end warehouse layouts for new facilities, expansions, and retrofits, supporting high-throughput fulfillment operations.
• Engineer material flows from inbound receiving through outbound shipping, ensuring efficient, safe, and ergonomic processes.
• Define building-level requirements including dock counts, clear heights, column spacing, power, floor loading, and equipment zoning, in partnership with cross-functional teams.
• Develop and maintain layout drawings, design assumptions, and engineering narratives for leadership, finance, and vendor review.

MHE & Automation Engineering

• Specify, evaluate, and engineer material handling and automation systems including:
• Conveyors, sorters, and divert systems
• Pick modules, pallet flow, case flow, and mezzanines
• AMRs, AGVs, and goods-to-person solutions
• Packaging, labeling, dimensioning, and weighing systems
  
  
• Develop functional specifications, throughput targets, and redundancy strategies for automation systems.
• Partner with integrators and vendors through RFPs, design reviews, FAT/SAT, commissioning, and go-live support.

Capacity Modeling & Data Analysis

• Build capacity, throughput, and labor models using forecasted volumes, SKU profiles, and order characteristics.
• Analyze peak scenarios, seasonality, and failure modes to stress-test designs.
• Quantify trade-offs between labor, automation, space utilization, service levels, and cost.
• Use post-launch operational data to refine assumptions and continuously improve design standards.

Financial Analysis & Business Case Development

• Develop CapEx and OpEx estimates for MHE and automation investments.
• Support ROI, payback period, and total cost of ownership analyses.
• Partner with Finance and Leadership to support capital planning and investment decisions.
• Drive standardization across facilities to reduce engineering variability and lifecycle cost.

Launch Support & Continuous Improvement

• Support warehouse launches and expansions through go-live and stabilization.
• Partner with Operations, Maintenance, and Controls teams to resolve systemic design issues.
• Perform post-launch audits and feed learnings back into network design standards and playbooks.
• Document and maintain reference designs, engineering standards, and best practices.

What You’ll Need

• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related field.
• Alternatively, equivalent hands-on experience designing warehouse automation systems may be considered.
• 5+ years of experience in warehouse design, material handling engineering, or automation.
• Proven experience designing high-volume distribution or fulfillment centers.
• Strong analytical and modeling skills, with advanced proficiency in Excel; SQL, Python, or simulation tools are a plus.
• Proficiency in AutoCAD or similar layout and design tools.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related field.
• Experience in large-scale e-commerce, retail, or 3PL fulfillment networks.
• Familiarity with WMS concepts and system integration dependencies.
• Greenfield warehouse launch experience.
• Experience working directly with automation integrators or MHE vendors.
  
  

Key Attributes

• Strong systems thinker with the ability to design for scale, peak, and failure scenarios.
• Data-driven decision maker who can clearly communicate technical trade-offs to non-technical stakeholders.
• Practical, operations-aware engineer who values simplicity, maintainability, and standardization.
• Builder mindset with a desire to create mechanisms, standards, and repeatable solutions.

ShipMonk is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.