Principal Manufacturing Execution System (MES) Engineer

This role is located in Somerville, MA - We are a hybrid work environment and are in the office 3+ days/per week.

Tulip, the leader in AI-native frontline operations, is helping companies around the world equip their workforce with composable, connected apps, leading to higher quality work, improved efficiency, and end-to-end traceability across operations. Tulip’s cloud-native, no-code platform, powered by embedded AI, is driving the digital transformation of industrial environments through composable, human-centric solutions that go beyond disrupting the Manufacturing Execution System (MES) category.

A spinoff out of MIT, Tulip is headquartered in Somerville, MA, with offices in Germany, Hungary, Singapore, and Israel. Tulip has been recognized as a World Economic Forum Global Innovator, a 2024 Deloitte Technology Fast award winner, one of Energage’s Top Workplaces USA, and one of Built In Boston’s “Best Places to Work” and “Best Midsize Places to Work.”

About You:

As a Principal Manufacturing Executions Systems (MES) Engineer, you work directly with manufacturers to design, build, and deploy solutions on Tulip’s Frontline Operations Platform. You operate at the intersection of solution engineering, manufacturing operations, and customer outcomes, translating real shop-floor problems into scalable, production-ready solutions.

You will embed with customers at their facility to rapidly implement applications, integrations, and workflows that improve quality, productivity, and traceability across manufacturing operations.

What skills do I need? 

• 8-10+ years of experience in manufacturing, industrial software, or manufacturing-focused technology roles, with at least 4 years of experience in direct, customer-facing or consultant roles
• Ability to walk a shop floor and independently identify opportunities for operational improvement
• Experience with Operations Technology, including MES, ERP, quality, or production systems (Architecture and implementation experience strongly preferred)
• Experience integrating systems and devices in manufacturing environments
• Strong understanding of manufacturing workflows, quality, traceability, and operational constraints
• Proven ability to lead complex technical or operational initiatives end to end
• Strong project management, organization, and communication skills
• Comfortable and experienced in customer-facing, technically deep conversations
• Ability to think creatively and strategically while delivering practical solutions
• A demonstrated commitment to viewing problems through the customer’s lens
• Ability to learn quickly and lead by example in ambiguous environments
• BS degree in Engineering or a related technical field (or equivalent experience)
• Must be able to travel up to 75%

Key Responsibilities:

Customer-Embedded Solution Delivery

• Partner with plant-level and corporate stakeholders at a customer’s site (operators, engineers, IT, quality, operations leadership)
• Lead design, build, and deployment of customer-specific Tulip solutions
• Work side by side with customers and partners to implement solutions in live manufacturing environments
• Deploy solutions to live production environments with minimal disruption

OT / IT Integration

• Integrate with shop-floor systems such as PLCs, MES/ERP, and quality systems
• Work with machine data, events, and production context (orders, materials, routings)
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex issues spanning software, data, and operational workflows
• Serve as the technical owner for forward-deployed customer solutions
  

Technical Leadership & Enablement

• Serve as the technical authority during customer deployments
• Advise on architecture, scalability, security, and reliability in regulated or high-availability environments
• Document solutions and share learnings across internal teams
• Communicate and work with broader customer team to strategize for success

Product & Platform Feedback

• Represent the voice of the customer to Product and Engineering teams, and collaborate to influence Product roadmap and feature design
• Help generalize customer-specific solutions into reusable product capabilities
• Contribute to internal process development, best practices, and cross-team collaboration

Key Collaborators:

• Tulip Account Executives
• Customer Success Managers
• Product Managers
• Engineering

Working At Tulip

We know even great candidates experience imposter syndrome. Even if you don’t match every requirement, applying gives you the opportunity to be considered. 

We’re building a strong, diverse team that values hard work, families, and personal well-being. Benefits of working with us include:

• Direct impact on product and culture
• Company equity
• Competitive benefits package including Health, Dental, Vision, Short-term Disability, Long-term Disability, Life Insurance, AD&D Insurance, Flexible Spending Account (FSA), Commuter Benefits, Parental Leave, and 401(K)
• Flexible work schedule and unlimited vacation policy
• Virtual company events and happy hours
• Fitness subsidies
• An inclusive, dog-friendly office with diverse and inspiring colleagues

We are an equal opportunity employer. At Tulip, we celebrate all. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. Help us build an inclusive community that will transform frontline operations.

The compensation information displayed on each job posting reflects the range for new hire pay rates for the position across all US locations. Within the range posted, actual compensation will be determined depending on multiple factors including job-related knowledge & skills, experience, business needs, geographical location, market compensation data, and internal equity. Expected compensation ranges for this role may change over time. The salary range for this position is $140,000-$180,000 per year.