Comfort Systems USA

Principal Controls Engineer

Comfort Systems USA • $110K — $130K *
Manufacturing & Automotive
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's in Electrical, Controls, Automation, or Computer Engineering (or equivalent experience).
  • 10+ years in controls and automation, with a focus on complex industrial systems.
  • Expertise in PLC programming, HMI, and electrical design.
  • Strong knowledge of Rockwell Automation platforms and AutoCAD Electrical.
  • Mentoring skills with technical writing and troubleshooting capability.

Responsibilities

  • Lead technical reviews and make release-readiness recommendations.
  • Establish programming, architecture, and documentation standards.
  • Define and maintain industrial network architecture and cybersecurity practices.
  • Translate functional requirements into design packages and test plans.
  • Develop best practices for simulation, code review, and automated testing.
  • Lead troubleshooting efforts and implement platform improvements.
  • Mentor engineers through development and standards implementation.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive healthcare options for employees and their families.
  • Opportunities for professional development and continuous learning.
  • Flexible work schedule and potential for remote work.
  • Employee wellness programs and initiatives.
  • 401(k) retirement plan with company match.
Full Job Description
Scope and Decision Rights
• Lead assigned technical reviews and make release-readiness recommendations within delegated authority.
• Establish and maintain recommended architecture, programming, HMI, network, cybersecurity, testing, and documentation practices approved by the Manager.
• Identify and escalate technical, safety, quality, cybersecurity, schedule, or lifecycle risks.
• Stop or delay assigned technical work when released requirements, review evidence, test readiness, or safety controls are inadequate.
• Mentor and provide technical direction without assuming people-management authority unless formally assigned.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities
• Define standard automation architectures for hot cells, Glycol Systems, Deicing Solutions, and related product platforms.
• Establish PLC programming standards, reusable libraries, state models, sequencing methods, alarm strategies, diagnostics, tag structures, and software-documentation requirements.
• Establish HMI standards for navigation, visualization, alarms, operator guidance, security, trends, recipes, maintenance, and user experience.
• Define industrial network architecture, device integration, remote I/O, communications, data exchange, cybersecurity, backup, restore, and remote-access practices.
• Translate functional requirements and FDS content into complete controls design packages, software designs, I/O definitions, interface documents, test plans, and controlled releases.
• Lead software, electrical, controls, and integrated design reviews and confirm systems are testable, maintainable, serviceable, secure, and supportable.
• Develop simulation, emulation, code-review, automated-test, and version-control practices that improve quality before FAT.
• Lead difficult troubleshooting, commissioning, and root-cause investigations and convert lessons into controlled platform improvements.
• Mentor engineers and technicians through reviews, pairing, coaching, standards development, and practical instruction.
• Evaluate technology and recommend adoption based on business value, lifecycle support, cybersecurity, availability, standardization, and cost.

Working Interfaces
• Director, Automation & Electrical Systems: strategy, priorities, budget, staffing, department performance, capacity, major technical risk, and escalation.
• Product Management: product requirements, roadmap priorities, standard-versus-custom decisions, cost targets, and product performance.
• Product Design & Engineering: equipment functions, physical interfaces, sensor and actuator requirements, safety devices, pneumatics, serviceability, and integrated design reviews.
• Panel Shop: released schematics, panel layouts, BOMs, component requirements, UL considerations, technical clarifications, redlines, and controlled changes.
• Electrical Integration: released wiring packages, cable schedules, I/O definitions, device requirements, checkout support, energization readiness, and as-built feedback.
• Project Management: estimates, assumptions, schedules, technical status, risks, changes, customer technical communication, and recovery actions.
• cGMP & Acceptance Testing: FDS content, traceability, FAT/SAT support, approved software versions, deviations, test evidence, and turnover records.

Required Skills and Abilities
• Expert PLC programming, HMI, controls architecture, electrical design, industrial networking, system integration, and machine/process sequencing knowledge.
• Advanced Rockwell Automation, Studio 5000, FactoryTalk View, or equivalent platform proficiency.
• Strong instrumentation, I/O, drives, motors, valves, pneumatics, safety circuits, interlocks, alarms, recipes, and data-system knowledge.
• Demonstrated ability to create reusable software, standard architectures, test methods, and maintainable design practices.
• Strong Working knowledge of AutoCAD Electrical.
• Ability to interpret schematics, panel layouts, P&IDs, sequence documents, mechanical designs, and customer requirements.
• Strong mentoring, technical writing, troubleshooting, communication, and customer-facing capability.

Education and Experience
• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Automation Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
• Typically 10 or more years of progressive controls and automation experience with recent hands-on responsibility for complex industrial systems.
• Demonstrated experience developing, commissioning, documenting, and improving reusable automation platforms through multiple product or project cycles.
• Experience with regulated, validated, pharmaceutical, radiopharmaceutical, or similarly controlled equipment is preferred.

Success Measures
• Automation platforms are reusable, maintainable, documented, testable, secure, and scalable.
• FAT readiness improves through simulation, disciplined reviews, and standardized testing.
• Software defects, commissioning time, field issues, and configuration errors decrease.
• Engineers and technicians show measurable growth in architecture, programming, troubleshooting, documentation, and design ownership.
• Lessons become controlled standards, libraries, and retained organizational knowledge.

Physical and Work Requirements
• Prolonged computer, programming, and technical-review work.
• Regular presence in Panel Shop, equipment assembly, testing, and production areas.
• Travel to customer sites for commissioning and critical issue resolution.
• Compliance with PPE, electrical safety, lockout/tagout, cybersecurity, and site requirements

About Comfort Systems USA

Comfort Systems USA is a leading provider of commercial, industrial, and institutional heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) services. The company's services include design, installation, maintenance, and repair of HVAC systems, as well as energy management and building automation services. Comfort Systems USA has a national presence, with over 120 locations across the United States, and a workforce of over 12,000 employees. The company is committed to sustainability and has implemented a number of initiatives to reduce its environmental impact, including reducing waste and energy consumption. Comfort Systems USA is also committed to safety and has implemented a number of programs to promote a safe and healthy workplace.
Learn more about Comfort Systems USA
Size
13,200 employees
Market Cap
$4.1 billion
Industry
Net Income
$150.1 million
Founded
1997
5 Year Trend
+13.5%
Revenue
$2.8 billion
NASDAQ

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