Lead Engineer, Controls

About the role

The Controls Leader will provide key leadership for power and control systems, including equipment specification, maintenance, operation, technician development, troubleshooting, and repair to achieve or exceed plant reliability targets. This role focuses on systems optimization, compliance, personnel safety, and technician skill development related to plant electrical power and process control systems.

Responsibilities

• Acts as primary administrator and troubleshooter for plant power and control systems, serving as a key member of plant technical leadership.
• Provides input to the Engineering Projects Manager to develop and manage power and control standards, ensuring their application on all projects and upgrades.
• Leads the execution of the site masterplan for power and controls systems, including understanding the installed base and replacement plans for obsolete equipment/technologies.
• Builds and maintains a sustainable system for plant Electrical & Instrumentation (E&I) technicians' skill development, coaching them on assessments and operational practices.
• Manages Electrical & Instrumentation (E&I) technicians and provides daily direction.
• Ensures compliance with local and national regulatory codes (NFPA 70, NFPA 70e, NFPA 79, and OSHA 1910) and safe practice compliance in their area of responsibility.
• Validates MES data from PLCs and supports plant Process Engineers in conditioning PLC data for effective analysis, including application development.
• Designs and implements machine control and process automation applications, such as control strategies, HMI design, MES applications, and KPI development.
• Works with engineering and operations to identify losses in safety, quality, reliability, and cost, and develops plans to eliminate them.
• Owns key elements of systems related to power and control, such as electrical safety (LOTO, Electrical PPE, energized work permits, low voltage qualification) and Quality/CCP compliance (checkweighers, metal detectors, vision systems, ingredient flows, temperatures).
• Collaborates with engineering and operations leaders on the selection, installation, and start-up of new equipment, becoming the technical expert and ensuring training for others.
• Provides power and controls engineering support on capital initiatives.
• Supports other parts of the plant as needed on a daily basis.
• Applies control, simulation, and process modeling technologies to analyze and improve overall process and packaging operations.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering is required; Electrical engineering degree is preferred.
• 5 years of relevant controls experience is required.
• Manufacturing experience is preferred.
• Mechanical and electrical experience in food manufacturing is preferred.

Skills

• Ability to work and manage within a team environment.
• Strong knowledge of machine and/or process control hardware, instrumentation, and software, including Allen Bradley PLC and Rockwell FactoryTalk platforms.
• Working knowledge of NFPA and OSHA guidelines related to electrical equipment and practices.
• Proficiency in plant historian and understanding of technical systems and terminology.
• Experience learning and integrating new technologies.
• Experience leading the installation of equipment in a food manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated results in manufacturing maintenance utilizing maintenance systems.
• Experience with plant systems software.
• Self-motivated and able to motivate others.
• Strong organizational, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
• Effective presentation, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Suite applications.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Willingness to work off-shifts or weekends as needed, including taking off-shift support calls.
• Experience leading, teaching, or managing others effectively.
• Some travel required.
• Able to perform moderate activity, including significant time on the manufacturing floor and some physical work on equipment.