The Controls Engineer, under the direction of the Facilities Manager and supporting the Engineering Manager/Director, supports daily plant operations by ensuring reliable performance of automation and control systems. This role acts as a technical bridge between Operations, Engineering, Maintenance, and IT, helping translate production needs into effective system solutions while maintaining safe, efficient, and stable controls infrastructure.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Operations Support (30%)- Partner with Operations to understand production requirements and translate them into control system functionality.
- Monitor automation system performance, identify bottlenecks, and implement improvements to enhance throughput and reduce downtime.
- Provide real-time troubleshooting and support for production-critical controls issues.
Engineering Collaboration (20%)- Work closely with Engineering on new equipment installations, upgrades, and process improvements.
- Develop and review control system designs, PLC logic, HMI screens, and networking architecture for new projects.
- Ensure all engineering changes are documented, validated, and compliant with internal standards.
Maintenance Integration (30%)- Support Maintenance teams through root cause analysis, advanced troubleshooting, diagnostic tools, and training.
- Develop and maintain standard operating procedures for controls-related maintenance activities.
- Coordinate with Maintenance on preventive and predictive strategies that involve instrumentation, sensors, and automated components.
Information Technology Coordination (20%)- Collaborate with IT to ensure secure and robust interfaces between industrial control systems and enterprise networks.
- Manage data flow from plant-floor systems to MES, SCADA, historians, and other business systems.
- System Ownership & Continuous Improvement
- Maintain PLC, SCADA, HMI, and network documentation, backups, and version control.
- Lead automation upgrades and migrations (e.g., PLC platform changes, HMI software updates, network modernization).
- Champion standardization across all controls platforms within the facility.
Essential Qualifications & Capabilities- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Automation, or related field.
- 2-5 years of experience in industrial controls or automation.
- Practical experience with PLCs, HMIs, and industrial networks (Allen-Bradley, Siemens, or similar).
- Understanding of industrial communication protocols (EtherNet/IP, Profinet, OPC, etc.).
- Strong troubleshooting and communication skills; ability to work well with cross-functional teams.
- Exposure to IT/OT networking is a plus.
Pay Range:
$79,200.00 - $118,800.00
Actual base salary offered varies based on factors, including but not limited to, relevant skill, prior experience, education, base salary of internal peers, demonstrated performance, and geographic location.
