Lead Industrial Controls Engineer

About the role

You will serve as the site technical authority for industrial control systems within one of the most complex and diverse manufacturing automation environments in the commercial aerospace aerostructures industry. As a member of the Manufacturing Automation and Development team—and the organization’s first dedicated controls engineering role—you will help establish and grow a critical capability supporting production, capital projects, and advanced manufacturing initiatives. You will own controls architecture, lead and evaluate external automation integrators and machine builders, drive capital equipment specification and acceptance, and sustain the performance of automated systems across multiple aircraft programs. In parallel, you will lead internal controls development efforts with the same level of technical rigor.

Responsibilities

• Establish site-level controls standards covering architecture, safety philosophy, platform prioritization, naming conventions, diagnostics, and version control
• Serve as the internal technical authority over external automation integrators and machine builders, directing controls scope, challenging vendor architecture, and protecting procurement outcomes
• Author controls-specific Statements of Work and define FAT and SAT acceptance criteria for new automation capital acquisitions
• Own the controls scope from User Requirements Specification through FAT through SAT through production handover
• Develop and own PLC logic, motion programs, and control system architecture across facility systems spanning Siemens TIA Portal, Rockwell, FANUC, ABB, KUKA, and other platforms
• Configure, program, and support industrial robotic systems including multi-axis robotic cells, coordinated robot-to-PLC interfaces, and vision-guided robotic applications
• Design, implement, and validate safety PLC systems and machine risk reduction strategies in accordance with ISO 13849 and IEC 62061
• Develop and support HMI systems across multiple platforms and configure industrial network architectures including Profinet, EtherNet/IP, EtherCAT, and OPC-UA
• Lead the design and development of internally built controls and automation systems including next-generation manufacturing technology programs currently in active development
• Provide senior-level technical escalation support for production-critical systems operating under program rate, quality, and uptime requirements
• Develop the controls knowledge and capability of the broader automation team through applied collaboration

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Mechatronics, or related field with a minimum five years of industrial controls engineering experience at a machine builder, systems integrator, or advanced automated manufacturing facility producing complex machinery. Or equivalent combination of education and hands‑on industrial controls experience is required.
• Experience authoring controls-specific Statements of Work or technical acceptance criteria for capital equipment procurement
• Direct experience leading or participating in Factory Acceptance Tests and Site Acceptance Tests with external vendors or machine builders
• Demonstrated experience programming, commissioning, or supporting industrial robotic systems including robot-to-PLC integration, coordinated motion, and vision-guided applications
• Hands-on mechanical and electrical experience on the machines you have programmed and commissioned; the ability to trace a fault across controls, electrical, and mechanical domains simultaneously is a baseline requirement

Qualifications

This position involves access to export-controlled technology which requires U.S. Person status or government authorization. A 'U.S. Person,' as defined by 22 C.F.R. §120.62, includes U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, individuals lawfully admitted for permanent residence (green card holders), and individuals granted asylum or refugee status in the United States. To be considered for this position, you must either be a U.S. Person or fall within a legally recognized export control exception or authorization. If hired, you will be required to provide valid proof of such status.