Job Summary
The Lead Controls Engineer will provide expert technical direction and hands-on support for industrial controls and technology-based processes within a manufacturing plant environment. The role will focus on PLC programming and troubleshooting, SCADA/HMI systems, industrial networking, plant automation, material-handling equipment, and controls modernization. The engineer will work closely with cross-functional teams, technical personnel, vendors, and business stakeholders to identify, develop, implement, and support reliable and cost-effective controls solutions while maintaining applicable standards and methodologies.

Key Responsibilities
• Provide technical direction and recommendations to team members and management for controls and technology solutions
• Develop, maintain, and support technical environments and solutions that enhance mission-critical manufacturing operations
• Program, commission, troubleshoot, and maintain PLC-based control systems in industrial environments
• Work with Schneider Electric/Modicon PLC platforms and support both modern and legacy control systems
• Troubleshoot automated production and material-handling equipment in a live manufacturing environment
• Support conveyors, motors, drives, sensors, photo eyes, interlocks, sequencing, and related material-handling equipment
• Perform I/O mapping, HMI integration, and interpretation of electrical schematics to diagnose faults and restore equipment uptime
• Troubleshoot and support SCADA/HMI systems, including Ignition and iFix
• Diagnose issues across PLC, HMI/SCADA, connected equipment, electrical systems, and industrial communications
• Integrate and troubleshoot industrial barcode, scanning, and vision systems, including Keyence, Cognex, and SICK platforms
• Troubleshoot communications between PLCs, scanners, field devices, HMIs, and other plant-floor systems
• Support controls upgrades, equipment replacements, modernization initiatives, and integration of legacy systems
• Perform root cause analysis across controls, electrical, communications, and equipment systems
• Develop, review, and modify technical specifications, configurations, programs, and coding standards
• Develop and execute integrated test plans to validate controls and technology solutions
• Recommend and develop implementation plans for systems development and operations
• Support technology evaluations, equipment and software recommendations, and related implementation activities
• Work with vendors and technical personnel to support controls and technology solutions
• Maintain awareness of relevant technology developments and trends to support future planning
• Ensure compliance with applicable technology standards, methodologies, procedures, and best practices
• Communicate technical information and recommendations effectively to technical and non-technical stakeholders

Required Qualifications
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or another technical field, or equivalent work experience
• 6+ years of experience in Information Systems, controls engineering, industrial automation, or a related technical field
• Proven programming and controls engineering experience
• Strong hands-on experience with PLC programming, commissioning, and troubleshooting in industrial environments
• Experience with Schneider Electric/Modicon PLC platforms
• Experience with ladder logic and structured programming
• Experience with I/O mapping, HMI integration, and interpreting electrical schematics
• Strong manufacturing or plant-floor experience supporting automated production environments
• Strong experience with SCADA/HMI systems
• Experience troubleshooting industrial networking and communications
• Strong knowledge of scripting, server-based technologies, SQL, and related systems
• Experience troubleshooting automated production and material-handling equipment
• Strong diagnostic and root cause analysis skills across controls, electrical, communications, and equipment systems
• Strong understanding of system development lifecycle methodologies
• Experience developing, reviewing, and modifying technical specifications, configurations, and programs
• Experience developing and executing integrated test plans
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate technical information to non-technical stakeholders
• Ability to work effectively in a cross-functional team environment and manage multiple priorities

Preferred Qualifications
• Experience with Keyence, Cognex, or SICK barcode, scanning, and vision systems
• Experience with Ignition and iFix SCADA/HMI platforms
• Experience supporting conveyors, motors, drives, sensors, photo eyes, interlocks, and sequencing systems
• Experience working with both legacy and modern industrial control systems
• Experience supporting controls upgrades, replacements, and modernization initiatives
• Basic project management experience