Location: Traveling position. Work at customer job sites nationwide.

Department: Operations / Project Delivery Reports To: Mechanical Installation Manager

Role Type: Technical Leadership / Individual Contributor

Who We Are

Zone 4 is a nationwide leader in the design and installation of advanced material handling systems, specializing in conveyor, robotic automation, automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS), multi-shuttle, mini-load, and high-density racking systems. Headquartered in Orange, CA, Zone 4 serves blue-chip clients across retail, e-commerce, logistics, grocery, and other industries. With over 15 years of experience, Zone 4 provides nationwide installation services for projects of varying size and complexity. At Zone 4, we combine advanced planning, transparent alignment, and accountable execution to elevate outcomes and build trust with our customers and partners.

Role Purpose

The Conveyor Mechanical Installation Subject Matter Expert (SME) provides expert-level technical leadership for the planning, installation, alignment, quality control, mechanical completion, and turnover of conveyor and related material handling equipment. This role establishes technical installation standards, supports project launches and ongoing field execution, resolves complex mechanical installation issues, and develops the capabilities of Zone 4’s mechanical field teams.

The Conveyor Mechanical Installation SME is a hands-on technical leader and escalation point who works closely with the Mechanical Installation Manager, project management, engineering, safety, quality, procurement, field leadership, controls, commissioning teams, vendors, and OEM partners. The role supports projects from internal handoff through mechanical completion and may initially serve as a site launch lead on major projects while reviewing and supporting additional sites.

Scope of Responsibility

• Technical installation standards for conveyor, sortation, robotic interfaces, platforms, guarding, and related material handling equipment
• Pre-mobilization review of contract scope, layouts, mechanical drawings, bills of material, installation schedules, and project risks
• Project launch planning, site-readiness verification, field kickoff, benchmarks, control lines, elevations, and installation sequencing
• Field troubleshooting, technical escalation, installation oversight, dimensional control, and quality assurance
• Mechanical completion, punch-list resolution, and handoff to controls and commissioning teams
• Technical training, mentoring, and development of installers, leads, foremen, and new site leaders
• Compliance with approved drawings, manufacturer requirements, customer standards, OSHA requirements, and Zone 4 procedures
• Material receiving, staging, inventory control, equipment planning, and protection against loss or damage
• Field documentation, launch plans, progress tracking, open-issue logs, written handoffs, closeout input, and lessons learned

Key Outcomes

• Conveyor mechanical installations consistently meet approved drawings, elevations, alignment tolerances, manufacturer requirements, safety expectations, and Zone 4 standards
• Projects launch with clear scope, site organization, crew plans, installation sequence, material flow, safety requirements, and sustainable production targets
• Gaps, site conflicts, material constraints, and technical risks are identified early and resolved with minimal schedule or cost impact
• Site leads and foremen consistently execute effective daily planning, manpower tracking, reporting, quality control, and customer communication
• Mechanical completion and handoff to controls and commissioning teams occur with minimal open work or repeat punch-list items
• Standard work, launch checklists, installation methods, and quality checkpoints are implemented across projects
• Rework, installation delays, damaged material, and other costs of poor quality are reduced
• Lessons learned are captured and integrated into estimating, engineering, project management, training, and future execution plans

Core Responsibilities

Technical Expertise & Guidance (Primary Focus)

• Provide expert-level guidance for the mechanical installation of conveyor, sortation, transfers, merges, diverts, platforms, guarding, robotic interfaces, and related material handling equipment
• Interpret contract scope, mechanical layouts, elevations, sections, details, bills of material, OEM documentation, and installation schedules
• Serve as the technical escalation point for complex layout, fit-up, elevation, alignment, support, guarding, equipment-interface, and installation challenges
• Maintain current knowledge of conveyor technologies, installation methods, tooling, equipment, inspection practices, and applicable safety and customer standards

Pre-Mobilization Planning & Handoff

• Review contract scope, layouts, mechanical drawings, bills of material, and the installation schedule before arriving on site
• Participate in the internal handoff from sales and engineering to installation and identify scope gaps, risks, assumptions, constraints, and open questions early
• Confirm crew size, skill mix, tools, lifts, rigging equipment, access equipment, specialty tooling, and material-delivery plans with the project manager
• Verify site readiness, including access, laydown and staging areas, floor conditions, power availability, work zones, customer rules, and safety requirements
• Review installation interfaces with electrical, controls, racking, robotics, platforms, fire protection, and other trades
• Develop or validate the initial mechanical execution and launch plan before mobilization

First Week On Site: Project Launch

• Lead the kickoff with the field team and customer to align on scope, schedule, roles, communications, quality expectations, and safety requirements
• Walk the site to confirm actual conditions match the drawings and immediately resolve or escalate conflicts and discrepancies
• Establish or validate benchmarks, control lines, centerlines, elevations, and layout controls for conveyor and related equipment
• Review the installation sequence, work zones, crew assignments, material flow, and sustainable daily and weekly production targets
• Demonstrate correct installation methods and enforce technical standards and quality checks throughout the installation
• Coach the site lead or foreman on daily planning, reporting, manpower tracking, production measurement, issue escalation, and customer communication
• Establish material receiving, inspection, staging, protection, and inventory-control methods to prevent shortages, loss, and damage
• Confirm the site safety plan, JHAs, lift plans, rigging plans, PPE requirements, and customer-specific procedures are in place and followed
• Conclude the launch period with a written handoff documenting the forward plan, responsibilities, open issues, risks, controls, and agreed targets

Installation Oversight & Field Support

• Establish conveyor mechanical installation standards and verify teams follow approved methods, drawings, elevations, tolerances, and manufacturer requirements
• Provide technical guidance for support steel, hangers, floor supports, conveyor bed, transitions, rollers, belts, chains, drives, take-ups, transfers, guarding, and equipment interfaces
• Support site managers, leads, and foremen with real-time troubleshooting and resolution of complex mechanical installation issues
• Evaluate field workmanship, installation practices, crew capability, and subcontractor performance
• Review daily and weekly execution plans to improve safety, quality, production flow, and labor efficiency
• Coordinate with engineering and OEM representatives when field conditions require approved changes or corrective action

Ongoing Project Support

• Serve as the technical escalation point for site leads and foremen on mechanical installation questions
• Monitor progress against the approved plan, schedule, labor forecast, and production targets
• Return to the site when a project falls behind, experiences major quality concerns, or encounters significant technical issues
• Help develop recovery plans addressing sequencing, manpower, tools, equipment, materials, technical decisions, and customer coordination
• Support complex installation activities, equipment integration, and critical milestones as required

Mechanical Completion & Turnover

• Define mechanical completion criteria and verify systems are installed, aligned, guarded, secured, lubricated, adjusted, and ready for the next phase
• Support punch-list development, prioritization, ownership, tracking, and verification of completed corrective work
• Coordinate handoff to electrical, controls, commissioning, and customer teams with clear documentation of remaining constraints and open items
• Support dry checks, bump tests, belt tracking, chain tensioning, drive alignment, equipment adjustment, and commissioning readiness
• Provide technical support during startup when mechanical issues affect testing, controls, or system performance

Quality Assurance & Dimensional Control

• Perform technical quality inspections and verify installations comply with approved drawings, specifications, elevations, tolerances, and OEM requirements
• Establish quality checkpoints for layout, supports, elevation, level, straightness, alignment, fasteners, torque, guarding, drive components, belts, chains, and equipment interfaces
• Monitor cumulative tolerances and confirm conveyor interfaces align with robotics, racking, workstations, platforms, chutes, electrical devices, and controls components
• Identify root causes of defects, installation failures, and recurring punch-list items, then implement sustainable corrective actions
• Document nonconforming conditions and coordinate approved repair, adjustment, replacement, or deviation plans

Safety & Compliance

• Champion safe conveyor installation practices, including lift operation, fall protection, rigging, material handling, overhead work, pinch-point controls, and dropped-object prevention
• Participate in JHAs, pre-task planning, lift and rigging planning, safety reviews, and corrective-action investigations with field and safety leadership
• Verify crews use approved tools, access methods, rigging practices, PPE, and installation procedures
• May stop work when an installation condition presents an immediate safety, equipment, specification, or quality risk

Training & Team Development

• Train installers, leads, foremen, and new site leaders on conveyor installation methods, layout, tolerances, quality requirements, planning, and system interfaces
• Coach field leaders on daily planning, crew organization, manpower tracking, production reporting, issue escalation, and customer communication
• Conduct field demonstrations, workshops, mock-ups, and technical reviews for new systems, repeat issues, and revised standards
• Mentor field personnel and provide recommendations regarding technical readiness, development priorities, and project assignments
• Help build repeatable technical qualification and skills-assessment processes for the mechanical installation organization

Standards & Continuous Improvement

• Build and maintain standard work, project-launch checklists, installation SOPs, inspection forms, and mechanical best practices
• Capture lessons learned from each project launch and feed improvements back into estimating, engineering, project management, procurement, and training
• Identify recurring causes of rework, delays, material damage, low productivity, and other costs of poor quality
• Develop practical countermeasures and verify that improvements are implemented across future projects
• Support the standardization of labor assumptions, crew mixes, tooling packages, installation sequences, and production benchmarks

Documentation & Communication

• Maintain accurate launch plans, written handoffs, field measurements, redlines, quality records, progress reports, technical issue logs, and punch-list status
• Communicate technical risks, decisions, constraints, and recommended actions clearly to project and operations leadership
• Provide technical input for project closeout reports, turnover packages, lessons-learned reviews, and future estimates

Authority & Decision-Making

• Establishes and recommends conveyor mechanical installation standards, methods, quality checkpoints, tolerances, and technical best practices
• Directs technical troubleshooting and recommends corrective action for complex field, layout, equipment-interface, quality, and commissioning-readiness issues
• May stop mechanical installation work that presents an immediate safety, equipment, specification, or quality risk
• Provides technical recommendations on employee and subcontractor capability, training needs, and assignment readiness
• Recommends design, material, tooling, equipment, crew mix, sequencing, and constructability changes to project leadership
• Escalates unresolved technical, safety, schedule, quality, material, or customer risks to the Mechanical Installation Manager and senior leadership

Required Experience

• 8+ years of conveyor or material handling mechanical installation experience, including complex distribution, fulfillment, manufacturing, or automation projects
• Advanced ability to read and interpret contract scope, mechanical drawings, layouts, elevations, sections, details, bills of material, and OEM installation documentation
• Demonstrated experience leading conveyor installation, project launch, layout, alignment, quality inspection, troubleshooting, mechanical completion, and turnover activities
• Strong working knowledge of conveyor supports, drives, belts, chains, rollers, transfers, sortation equipment, guarding, platforms, and mechanical interfaces
• Experience with benchmarks, control lines, elevations, precision measurement tools, laser layout equipment, alignment methods, and dimensional verification
• Experience developing execution plans, crew and equipment requirements, SOPs, launch checklists, quality standards, and technical training
• Ability to communicate effectively with field personnel, customers, engineers, project managers, vendors, OEMs, controls teams, and commissioning personnel
• Ability to travel extensively and support active project sites, including extended assignments during initial onboarding

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with belt, roller, chain, MDR, pallet, overhead, vertical, sortation, merge, divert, and specialty conveyor systems
• Experience with robotic cells, AS/RS interfaces, shuttle systems, platforms, catwalks, guarding, chutes, and workstations
• Experience supporting mechanical completion, controls checkout, commissioning, customer acceptance, and system startup
• OSHA 30, competent-person, fall-protection, lift, rigging, forklift, or manufacturer-specific certifications
• Experience acting as a mechanical Site Lead, superintendent, installation manager, quality lead, startup lead, or technical trainer

Travel & Initial Assignment Expectations

This position is expected to travel approximately 70% to 90%. Initial assignments may include leading the pre-mobilization and first-week launch of major conveyor projects, coaching the assigned site lead, and reviewing additional sites from an organization, quality, and execution standpoint. The Travel will require ability to fly and utilize a rental car.

Success Metrics/ KPIs (in order of greatest importance)

• Conveyor installation quality, first-pass acceptance, and reduction in rework, alignment failures, and punch-list items
• Safety compliance across lift operation, fall protection, rigging, material handling, JHAs, and pre-task planning
• Project-launch effectiveness, including site readiness, crew setup, material flow, field controls, and achievement of sustainable production targets
• Accuracy of layout, elevation, level, straightness, alignment, support installation, guarding, and equipment-interface verification
• Effectiveness and speed of technical issue resolution, escalation management, and recovery planning
• Mechanical completion readiness and quality of handoff to electrical, controls, and commissioning teams
• Installation productivity and schedule performance without compromising safety or quality
• Field leadership capability growth, training completion, and demonstrated improvement in planning, reporting, and customer communication
• Adoption and effectiveness of standard work, launch checklists, installation SOPs, quality checks, and lessons learned across projects
• Customer, OEM, project management, engineering, controls, commissioning, and field leadership satisfaction with technical support

Role Impact

This role strengthens Zone 4’s ability to safely and consistently launch and deliver complex conveyor mechanical installations. The Conveyor Mechanical Installation SME provides the technical depth and field leadership needed to improve pre-mobilization planning, project startup, constructability, installation quality, mechanical completion, and commissioning readiness. By standardizing methods, coaching field leaders, resolving complex issues, and converting lessons learned into repeatable practices, this position directly supports predictable execution, lower cost of poor quality, customer confidence, and the continued growth of Zone 4’s mechanical installation organization.