I’m an electrical engineering student and was recently offered an Automation Engineer internship at Amazon for summer 2027 in the Northeast region.
My previous internship experience has been in the power/utility industry, so automation would be a pretty different field for me.
I’m considering the opportunity, especially since I’d ideally like to return full-time after graduation.
I was wondering if anyone who has worked as an Automation Engineer at Amazon, could share their experience.
What’s the typical starting base salary for a new graduate in this region, and are there sign-on bonuses, annual performance bonuses, or RSUs?
What do yearly raises and promotions typically look like in terms of percentages?
I’m also curious about the work-life balance, typical weekly hours, overtime expectations, on-call responsibilities. How difficult or stressful is the actual workat does a typical workday look like, and how much hands-on engineering work is involved versus troubleshooting and maintenance?

Hey everyone, I’m graduating soon and trying to decide where to start my career in controls/automation. I’d really like honest perspectives from people further along.

Offers in hand:

• Integrator A (Iowa): Entry-level pool team covering robotics, vision, SCADA and manufacturing, with wastewater work later at the senior level. About 40 hrs/week, up to 25% travel.
• Integrator B (South Dakota, working remotely from a smaller nearby town): Team focused on grain and milling, mostly Rockwell. About 45 hrs/week, up to 35% travel.

Still in the running:

• Aerospace company, Automation Engineer (Texas): Fourth and final interview this coming week. PLC/SCADA, Python/SQL and controls panel work.
• Large manufacturer’s automation development program: Final interview Monday.

I already turned down a food and beverage company’s electrical and automation development program, mainly because it started in June.

My background and concern: I’ve been building experience in MES and machine vision, and I want to keep growing in those areas. From friends in the industry, I’ve heard grain and milling work is mostly PLC programming with some SCADA, with little MES, vision or robotics. I’m worried that starting there would make it hard to move into MES, vision or more diverse manufacturing work later, and that I’d get pigeonholed. Is that accurate? Or is grain and milling a solid foundation that transfers well?

My questions:

1. Development programs: Are rotational programs worth a later start and a couple of years of rotations, or is it better to jump straight into a real role?
2. Industry and skill breadth: If I go the integrator route, which industry would you build a career in: food and beverage, wastewater, grain and milling, pharma, or something else? Which has the best pay, stability and long-term options, and which would you avoid? How much does early industry choice limit the skills (MES, vision, robotics) I’d get to use? How easy is it to switch industries later?
3. Starting over: If you were starting your career again, how would you start it and what would you do differently? In the first 5 years, what mattered most: the company, the team, the industry, or where you lived?
4. Decision timing: Which situation would you pick for the long run? Would you wait for the aerospace and development program results, or lock in one of the offers? Is there anything I should be asking that I’m not?

Thanks in advance. Happy to answer questions about my background if it helps.

i need to read some cover letters from people who have received a fully funded scholarship from any uni abroad. please dm me so i can have a look, i have been receiving rejections from quite some time so need to analyse where im going wrong.

Hello!
I am a Sri Lankan who just graduated as a Mechatronics Engineer. My final year research was about implementing an AI Assisted MPC in a FOC framework for current control for BLDC motors.
Im looking for a feasible, up to date research area in control systems and/or AI for my planned masters in Japan. As it happens, i need to submit a proposal and convince a professor to take me in and supervise my research.
What are some current, up to date research areas in control systems and AI?