Siemens PLC & HMI/SCADA Specialist
Department: Equipment/ maintenance
Company / Location: WorldWise Plastics (WWP) - Minth Group / Lewisburg, TN
Reports To: Maintenance Manager
Employment Type: Full-Time / Exempt (subject to classification review)
Job SummaryThe Controls Engineer designs, programs, troubleshoots, maintains, and optimizes industrial automation systems in a high-volume Tier 1 automotive manufacturing environment. The role requires proficiency in Siemens SIMATIC PLCs, TIA Portal, STEP 7, and WinCC HMI/SCADA, supporting production equipment, new installations, reliability, safety, quality, and continuous improvement.
Key ResponsibilitiesSiemens PLC Programming & Automation Controls- Develop, program, troubleshoot, and maintain Siemens SIMATIC S7-1200, S7-1500, and applicable legacy S7-300/S7-400 PLC systems.
- Use TIA Portal and STEP 7 for Ladder Logic, Function Block Diagram, and Structured Control Language (SCL).
- Diagnose PLC hardware, software, I/O, and communication faults; maintain program backups, version control, and change documentation.
- Support commissioning, validation, and integration of automated manufacturing equipment.
HMI & SCADA Systems- Design, configure, troubleshoot, and maintain Siemens WinCC HMI and SCADA applications.
- Develop operator interfaces, alarms, status displays, and production monitoring screens.
- Integrate PLC and HMI/SCADA systems for reliable real-time equipment and process information.
Automotive Manufacturing & Production Support- Support controls for injection molding, painting, chroming, assembly, and material-handling operations.
- Troubleshoot automated lines, sensors, actuators, servo drives, VFDs, and control components.
- Coordinate with Maintenance and Production to resolve downtime, cycle-time losses, and recurring faults while meeting OEM delivery objectives.
Industrial Networking & Systems Integration- Configure and troubleshoot PROFINET, PROFIBUS, Industrial Ethernet, and applicable OPC UA interfaces.
- Integrate PLCs, HMIs, remote I/O, drives, sensors, and MES or production monitoring systems.
- Maintain accurate network configurations and control-system architecture documentation.
Equipment Installation, Commissioning & Project Support- Support design, installation, commissioning, startup, and validation of automated equipment.
- Review electrical schematics, control panel designs, and equipment specifications.
- Coordinate with vendors and integrators on FAT, SAT, new product launches, and engineering changes.
Continuous Improvement & Equipment Reliability- Improve machine uptime, cycle time, OEE, and automation performance.
- Perform root cause analysis of recurring failures and implement approved corrective actions.
- Support preventive and predictive maintenance, Lean, 5S, and Kaizen initiatives.
Quality, Safety & Automotive Compliance- Support IATF 16949-aligned processes, customer requirements, error-proofing, traceability, and production quality monitoring.
- Follow OSHA, Lockout/Tagout, and applicable machine safety standards.
- Support safety PLCs, interlocks, emergency stops, guarding, and validated engineering changes.
Technical Documentation & Cross-Functional Support- Maintain PLC programs, HMI configurations, electrical drawings, and troubleshooting records.
- Develop troubleshooting guides and train Maintenance Technicians, Electricians, and Production personnel.
- Communicate technical risks, project status, and corrective actions to Engineering and plant leadership.
Minimum Qualifications- Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Controls, Automation, or Mechatronics Engineering, or equivalent technical education and substantial relevant experience.
- 3-5 years of industrial automation, PLC programming, or controls engineering experience.
- Hands-on Siemens SIMATIC PLC programming and troubleshooting; proficiency with TIA Portal, STEP 7, and WinCC.
- Understanding of electrical controls, sensors, actuators, motor controls, PROFINET, PROFIBUS, and Industrial Ethernet.
- Ability to read electrical schematics and independently diagnose complex manufacturing automation problems.
Preferred Qualifications- Tier 1 automotive supplier or OEM experience; injection molding, painting, chroming, or automated assembly experience.
- Advanced Siemens S7-1500, WinCC Unified/Professional, SINAMICS, motion control, and industrial robotics experience.
- Familiarity with IATF 16949, APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, OEE, MES, and Industry 4.0 systems.
- Machine safety and safety PLC experience.
Safety Requirements- Follow company policies, OSHA requirements, and Lockout/Tagout procedures.
- Use required PPE and report unsafe equipment or electrical conditions.
- Validate control changes to protect machine safeguards and personnel.
Physical Requirements- Stand, walk, bend, kneel, and access equipment and control cabinets safely.
- Occasionally lift up to 50 pounds with assistance as appropriate.
- Use programming and electrical diagnostic tools in active production environments.
Work Conditions- Fast-paced Tier 1 automotive manufacturing environment with machinery, noise, and automated equipment.
- Occasional evenings, weekends, overtime, shutdown, and launch support as needed.
