POSITION TITLE
Ironwood Process Controls Engineer
POSITION OVERVIEW
The Plant Controls Engineer serves as the primary technical resource responsible for the reliability, maintenance, and continuous improvement of Encapsys' PLCs, HMIs, and power distribution systems. This role supports both daily plant operations and assigned capital or improvement projects.
Timely diagnosis and resolution of control system issues are critical, as failures in these areas can directly impact production efficiency, product quality, and customer shipments. The Plant Controls Engineer works closely with maintenance, production, engineering, and other plant personnel to troubleshoot issues, optimize control systems, and implement improvements that enhance safety, reliability, and performance.
This position is based in Portage, Wisconsin at Encapsys, a wholly owned subsidiary of Milliken. The role includes 24/7 on-call support, excluding approved vacation periods. Standard work hours are typically Monday through Friday, with flexibility and limited work-from-home opportunities when operationally feasible. The Plant Controls Engineer will support multiple sites and must be willing to travel as needed to provide on-site assistance.
JOB RESPONSIBILITIES
- Maximize uptime and minimize interruptions to plant control systems and production equipment.
- Improve the reliability, performance, and stability of plant PLC, HMI, and industrial systems.
- Deliver the electrical and controls scope of projects on time and within approved budgets.
- Travel between Portage and Appleton Encapsys sites to support, maintain, and improve all control systems.
- Design, implement, and manage plant electrical power distribution systems, PLC control systems, and HMI applications.
- Identify and implement projects to address control system component obsolescence and reliability improvements.
- Manage control system service contracts to return the best value
- Develop and recommend electrical specifications in compliance with applicable industry standards, codes, and best practices.
- Review, approve, and release detailed electrical drawings for production, construction, and installation.
- Assign and coordinate project work for internal and external engineers, programmers, and CAD designers, providing technical direction and oversight.
- Communicate project status, risks, mitigation strategies, and improvement opportunities through written reports, presentations, and conference calls.
- Manage project execution through routine status reviews and coordination with stakeholders.
- Prepare written capital project requests that clearly define scope, schedule, resource requirements, and business justification.
- Track project costs against approved budgets and provide regular updates to project teams and management.
- Apply Lean and Continuous Improvement principles to identify and implement enhancements to control systems and communications that reduce cycle time, improve quality, and reliability.
- Evaluate equipment maintenance strategies and recommend appropriate spare parts inventories to support reliable operations.
- Participate in quarterly capital planning meetings to support long-term site investment planning.
QUALIFICATIONS - REQUIRED
- Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering or a closely related technical field.
- Minimum of three (3) years of relevant industrial electrical or controls engineering experience.
- Ability to travel to multiple Encapsys sites up to 25% of the time.
- Substantial hands-on experience in:
- Allen-Bradley / Rockwell Automation PLC platforms
- HMI development
- Plant-level electrical power distribution systems
- Process integration and optimization
- Demonstrated understanding of industrial instrumentation with the ability to specify instrumentation requirements for capital projects.
- Strong project management capabilities, including prioritization, organization, resource allocation, multitasking, and use of business or cost analytics.
- Proficiency with Rockwell Studio 5000 and FactoryTalk software applications.
- Working knowledge of AutoCAD, AutoCAD Electrical, and Microsoft Office tools, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Microsoft Project.
- Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills, including the ability to deliver clear technical presentations.
- Strong team orientation with proven ability to collaborate effectively with plant operators, engineers, and external contractors.
- Ability to proactively identify, surface, and address conflicts or issues that may impede project or operational progress.
- Kaizen-focused mindset with demonstrated ability to promote, lead, and sustain continuous improvement initiatives.
- Experience interfacing with customers, senior leadership, and cross-functional stakeholders such as process and research engineers.
- Safety: Adhere to all plant safety policies and regulatory requirements. Actively participate in safety initiatives, including audits, improvement projects, hazard identification, safety teams, and completion of all required annual safety training.
- Quality: Demonstrate knowledge of and compliance with Milliken Quality Policy, applicable Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), relevant ISO 9000 standards, and all company policies applicable to the role.
QUALIFICATIONS - PREFERRED
- 1-3 years of experience in electrical engineering and industrial control systems, with application in a manufacturing environment
- Experience in chemical, pharma, and/or liquid food processing facilities
- Familiarity with Plant Pax 5.0 and OSI PI products desired
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