Intern - Automation Engineer (Summer 2027)
Posted Sep 1, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026
Likely interview questions for this role
Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.
About your past
Tell me about an automation, robotics or controls project you've worked on. What did you personally do?
What they are checking: Whether they have real hands-on experience and can separate their own contribution from the team's.
Tell me about a time something you built didn't work the first time. What did you do?
What they are checking: Whether they debug patiently and learn from failure, which is normal in automation work.
What would you do
An automated cell keeps stopping on a sensor fault. How would you troubleshoot it?
What they are checking: Whether they check wiring, alignment, settings and conditions methodically instead of bypassing the sensor.
Operators are worried that a new automated cell will replace them. How would you talk with them?
What they are checking: Whether they handle the human side of automation honestly and with respect rather than ignoring concerns.
About the work
What experience do you have with PLCs, ladder logic or robot programming?
What they are checking: Whether they have the core skills automation work in a factory depends on, or a plan to learn them.
How would you decide whether a manual assembly step is worth automating?
What they are checking: Whether they weigh volume, cost, quality gain and flexibility rather than automating just because it is possible.
Why is safety guarding and lockout so important around automated equipment?
What they are checking: Whether they take machine safety seriously, since automation hazards can cause severe injuries quickly.
Plexus often builds many different products in lower volumes. How does that change how you'd design automation?
What they are checking: Whether they see high-mix work needs flexible, quick-changeover automation rather than single-purpose machines.
Which CAD tools have you used, and could you design a simple fixture or gripper?
What they are checking: Whether they can contribute to mechanical design pieces that automation projects often need.
How would you document an automation change so the next engineer can support it?
What they are checking: Whether they value clear documentation, since undocumented automation becomes a problem when the builder leaves.
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Practice this out loudThe full job description
As published by Plexus.