Controls Automation Engineer

About the role

Join a team where innovation meets real-world impact. We’re looking for a driven Automation Engineer to become a key part of our Divisional Engineering group—a highly collaborative team supporting manufacturing operations across Georgia, Tennessee, Scotland, and China. In this role, you’ll take the lead on process improvement initiatives, support large-scale capital projects, and partner closely with plant teams to solve complex challenges. You’ll have the opportunity to evaluate emerging technologies, strengthen automation and control strategies, and work directly with our Technical teams to help develop new processes that enable the next generation of innovative products. This position provides leadership and technical support to a manufacturing division(s) as it relates to industrial automation and control systems, including troubleshooting, process improvement efforts, and capital project efforts. The role may require working weekends, holidays, and being on-call.

Responsibilities

• Directs and supports electricians, junior Automation Engineers, and other plant staff in troubleshooting and diagnosing electrical problems on new or existing equipment of any size or complexity.
• Supports process improvement efforts by carrying out automation-related tasks directly and through managing internal and external resources. Helps identify improvement opportunities and offers solutions.
• Supports and manages capital project efforts from an electrical standpoint, including scope development, budgeting, bidding, installation, commissioning, and documentation. May also participate in or lead efforts from a mechanical standpoint. Oversees internal and external resources as needed.
• Maintains and develops electrical standards and best practices for the division(s) in coordination with other senior staff and corporate departments.
• Drives process conformity across the division(s) from a controls perspective.
• Supports 24/7 manufacturing operations across the division(s), including being on-call and available for weekend and holiday work.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Computer, or Mechatronics Engineering.
• Minimum 2 years of relevant experience.
• Good organizational, computer, analytical, and leadership skills.
• Ability to work well under pressure and within deadlines.
• Thorough understanding of the following with demonstrated prior application:
  • PLC programming languages and concepts, their function, and proper selection for a given application.
  • Siemens TIA Portal and Allen Bradley RSLogix 5, 500, 5000 / Studio 5000 programming.
  • Siemens S7-1200 and S7-1500 series processors and related hardware; Allen Bradley Micrologix, SLC, PLC-5, CompactLogix, and ControlLogix series processors and related hardware.
  • Advanced control concepts such as control loops and PID tuning.
  • Motor control concepts, hardware components, their function, and proper application (e.g., starters, soft starters, variable frequency drives).
  • Motion control concepts, hardware components, their function, and proper application (e.g., servos and robots).
  • Human-machine interfaces (HMIs) hardware and software.
  • Panel-mounted and field-mounted electrical devices, troubleshooting, and selection for specific applications.
  • Standard industrial test equipment and their proper application.
  • Industrial networks and troubleshooting.
  • Data analysis tools and using historical information to solve problems.
  • Safety circuit design and current safety standards.
  • Single and three-phase power and power distribution, including power factor, harmonics, fault current, and arc flash considerations in system design.
  • Process operations, associated equipment, control systems, and how control changes affect process performance (e.g., throughput and quality).
  • Working knowledge of NFPA articles 70, 70E, 79 (e.g., sizing conductors, overcurrent protection devices, AIC ratings, tap rules, grounding requirements).
  • Basic understanding of mechanical systems such as pneumatics, hydraulics, and mechanical drive systems.
• Capable of the following:
  • Designing, commissioning, and troubleshooting PLC, VFD, and HMI applications of varying complexity.
  • Selecting proper electrical hardware for new or modified systems.
  • Getting online with servo controllers for setup, configuration, and troubleshooting unsupervised.
  • Using teach pendants to troubleshoot robots.
  • Selecting proper network communication design for a given application.
  • Using data storage and retrieval tools to transfer data between factory floor-level devices and higher-level systems.
  • Troubleshooting safety-related hardware and software, modifying existing circuits, and designing new circuits to fulfill application requirements.
  • Reading, editing, and generating electrical schematics, ensuring they are current.
  • Reading P&ID diagrams for troubleshooting and generating an electrical bill of material with limited assistance.
  • Directing the efforts of electricians and junior Automation Engineers in making changes, reviewing changes, and providing feedback.
  • Assisting in the development of junior Automation Engineers and electricians by identifying skill gaps and providing coaching or recommending training.
  • Performing all work independently and in accordance with established regulatory, company, and divisional electrical standards and best practices.
  • Partnering with resources from other disciplines to successfully develop and execute capital improvement projects from conception through commissioning.

Preferred Skills

• Proficient in AutoCAD 2D.

Key Competencies

• Build Customer Satisfaction
• Initiate Action
• Adapt and Change
• Innovate
• Coach and Support
• Deliver Compelling Communication

Schedule

8-hour non-rotating shift, hours fall to in-punch day, observed calendar, shift starts AM.