Controls Engineer

About the role

This Controls Engineer role focuses on developing and deploying device-level analytics solutions for manufacturing operations. You will leverage PLC-based data collection and Python-based analytics to identify emerging equipment issues, reduce downtime, and enable proactive maintenance actions.

Responsibilities

• Develop, test, and deploy PLC logic to collect critical operational data from manufacturing equipment while ensuring minimal disruption to production.
• Analyze, understand, and troubleshoot existing PLC programs and machine control logic to improve reliability and performance.
• Extract operational and diagnostic data from existing PLC programs and manufacturing systems to support device-level analytics.
• Modify, update, test, and deploy PLC code on live equipment, maintaining safe and continuous operations.
• Design, develop, validate, and standardize controls device data parsing PLC logic to support analytics and reporting.
• Own and update automated PLC logic generation tools to streamline deployment and configuration across multiple plants.
• Develop PLC logic for Rockwell, Siemens, and Fanuc platforms, integrating with programming languages such as Python and C++ where appropriate.
• Ensure compliance with common controls hardware and software strategies when implementing new device-level analytics controls solutions.
• Ensure adherence to plant floor systems, networking, and cybersecurity requirements in all controls and analytics implementations.
• Collaborate with core analytics teams, business stakeholders, IT, automation specialists, and the broader analytics community to capture requirements, prioritize initiatives, and plan deployments.
• Create and maintain training documents, standardized work instructions, and reference materials to support consistent implementation and knowledge transfer.
• Maintain a deep understanding of the latest industry trends in advanced analytics tools and explore opportunities to apply them in manufacturing environments.
• Review observations from manufacturing plants, propose improvement solutions, and provide feedback to enhance device-level analytics strategies.
• Provide training, guidance, and support to controls execution teams, strategic suppliers, and plant personnel as needed during deployments and upgrades.
• Travel to manufacturing facilities on an as-needed basis to support pilots, testing, training, upgrades, and commissioning of analytics and controls solutions.
• Connect Python-based analytics solutions to plant equipment, validate data collection processes, and ensure successful implementation within production environments.

Requirements

• 2+ years of experience in industrial automation, controls engineering, or manufacturing automation.
• Experience working in automotive powertrain manufacturing environments such as propulsion systems facilities, engine plants, or similar operations.
• Strong hands-on PLC programming experience, including Siemens PLC programming using STEP 7 and TIA Portal.
• At least 1 year of Allen-Bradley PLC experience, which may include academic or project-based work.
• Intermediate-level Python programming skills, including data extraction, data analysis, and automation scripting.
• Demonstrated ability to develop, modify, and deploy PLC logic on live production equipment.
• Ability to travel as needed to manufacturing plants across the United States.
• Ability to work primarily from a technical center location while coordinating activities with multiple plant sites.

Qualifications

• Experience in automotive OEM or Tier-1 supplier environments.
• Experience working with automation integrators such as GROB, KUKA, Comau, or Valiant.
• Familiarity with Fanuc controls and PLC platforms.
• Experience developing PLC logic that interfaces with higher-level programming languages such as Python and C++.
• Understanding of common controls hardware and software strategies and standards used in large manufacturing organizations.
• Knowledge of plant floor systems, industrial networking, and cybersecurity requirements.
• Ability to create clear training documents and standardized work instructions for technical audiences.
• Interest in and awareness of the latest industry trends in advanced analytics tools and manufacturing data solutions.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to propose practical improvement solutions based on observations from manufacturing plants.
• Comfort with supporting pilots, tests, trainings, and system upgrades in active production environments.