Plant Automation & Controls Engineer

About the role

The Plant Automation & Controls Engineer serves as the Subject Matter Expert (SME) for all plant control systems at the Blades & Vanes Tampa facility. Responsibilities include design, maintenance, reliability, cybersecurity, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement of manufacturing automation systems. The role involves leading initiatives to maximize equipment uptime, enhance process capability, and develop plant-wide automation standards while collaborating with various teams.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary technical authority for all automation and industrial control systems throughout the facility, developing and maintaining a site-wide controls strategy, standards, and lifecycle management plan.
• Maintain comprehensive documentation, including control narratives, network architecture diagrams, PLC/HMI programs, electrical drawings, instrumentation databases, and backup and disaster recovery procedures.
• Provide advanced troubleshooting and root cause analysis for automation and controls-related equipment failures, supporting production and maintenance teams in resolving PLC, HMI, SCADA, process instrumentation, and communication system issues.
• Develop, modify, and optimize PLC programs and HMI interfaces while designing and implementing automation improvements to increase productivity, reduce downtime, and enhance process stability.
• Maintain and troubleshoot industrial communication networks, ensuring secure integration between plant-floor systems and business networks, while supporting cybersecurity initiatives for Operational Technology (OT) environments.
• Lead automation scope development for capital projects, managing controls system specifications, vendor selection, FAT/SAT activities, and commissioning efforts to ensure seamless integration of new equipment into existing systems.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Automation Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, or related technical discipline or equivalent experience.
• Minimum 5 years of experience supporting industrial automation and control systems within a manufacturing environment.
• Strong experience with PLC programming, troubleshooting, and commissioning.
• Experience supporting HMIs, SCADA systems, industrial networks, and manufacturing process control systems.
• Demonstrated ability to lead troubleshooting efforts during critical production outages.
• Strong understanding of electrical control systems and industrial instrumentation.

Qualifications

• Legal authorization for employment in the United States without need for current or future employer-sponsored work authorization.
• Experience may require an export license from the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security and/or the Department of State, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls.

Skills

• PLC programming and troubleshooting.
• HMIs, SCADA systems, and industrial networks.
• Manufacturing process control systems.
• Automation improvements and optimization.
• Communication networks and cybersecurity.
• Capital project management and vendor selection.

Benefits

• Company paid Health and wellness benefits.
• Paid Time Off and paid holidays.
• 401K savings plan with company match.
• Family building benefits.
• Parental leave.

Pay

Commensurate with experience.

Schedule

N/A