Head - Manufacturing Automation

Raghu Vamsi Aerospace Group · Hyderabad, India

About the Company

Raghuvamsi Group is a Hyderabad-headquartered precision aerospace and defence manufacturing conglomerate with operations across India, the UK, and the USA, spanning entities including Roota, Almet, Matarct (UK), and WMT (USA). AS9100D and NADCAP certified, the Group supplies major global OEMs including GE Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, Honeywell, Safran, and Collins Aerospace. As the Group scales its manufacturing footprint - including a new 50-acre superalloy facility - it is investing heavily in automation, robotics, and digital shop-floor infrastructure.

About the Role

We're looking for a hands-on automation leader who can own CNC machine tending and robotics end to end - from sourcing the right technology partners to commissioning cells on the floor. Reporting to the VP - Digital Transformation & Automation, this is the execution engine of the Group's automation charter: the person will lead a team, own a capex budget, and personally drive projects to completion across our Hyderabad facilities, while the VP owns the broader digital transformation agenda, including ERP/Shop-floor integration.

Responsibilities

• CNC Machine Tending - Deep Technical Ownership
• Bring hands-on expertise in machine tending across turning, milling, and multi-axis CNC platforms (manual, semi-automated, and fully robotic loading/unloading)
• Design and implement tending strategies that reduce cycle time, idle time, and changeover time
• Set standards for tending processes and train shop-floor teams on automated cells

End-to-End Automation Solutioning & Partnerships

• Own the automation roadmap across facilities - evaluate, source, and deploy automated/robotic solutions for CNC cells
• Build and manage direct relationships with machine tool OEMs (e.g., Mazak, DMG Mori, Okuma, Haas) and robotics manufacturers (e.g., FANUC, KUKA, ABB, Universal Robots, Yaskawa)
• Lead RFQ, vendor evaluation, commercial negotiation, and commissioning for turnkey automation cells
• Build ROI/capex justification models for automation investments

Vision Systems, AMRs, RFID & IoT

• Architect and deploy machine vision systems for inline inspection, part ID, and defect detection
• Design and roll out AMR (autonomous mobile robot) fleets for intra-facility material movement
• Implement RFID/barcode-based traceability for parts, tooling, and WIP
• Build IoT sensor networks for machine health monitoring, OEE tracking, and predictive maintenance

Leadership & Execution

• Build and lead a cross-functional automation team
• Own the automation capex budget and execution roadmap, in partnership with the VP - Digital Transformation & Automation
• Translate the Group's broader digital transformation strategy into concrete shop-floor projects and milestones
• Drive change management and shop-floor up-skilling as new systems roll out

Qualifications

• B.E./B.Tech in Mechanical/ Mechatronics/Production/Industrial Engineering (Master's a plus)
• 10-15 years in CNC manufacturing, with at least 5+ years focused specifically on automation/robotics integration
• Proven record of executing turnkey machine tending and robotic automation cells on the shop floor, not just specifying them on paper
• Direct working experience with robot integrators/OEMs (FANUC, KUKA, ABB, Universal Robots, Yaskawa, Mitsubishi, or equivalent)
• Strong exposure to machine vision (e.g., Cognex, Keyence), AMR platforms (e.g., MiR, Omron, Fetch), and RFID/IoT systems
• Demonstrated ownership of capex budgets and leadership of technical teams (10+ direct/indirect reports)

Required Skills

• Aerospace, defence, or precision-machining background, ideally in an AS9100D/NADCAP environment
• Experience standing up greenfield automated manufacturing lines
• Lean Manufacturing / Six Sigma / PMP certification
• Basic familiarity with connecting shop-floor systems to ERP/MES (a plus, not required - this is owned by the VP - Digital Transformation & Automation)