Senior Controls Engineer

Join a Top Engineering Firm That’s 100% Employee-Owned Wunderlich-Malec Engineering (WM) is one of the largest and most well-established engineering firms in the U.S., with over 40 years of industry leadership. As a 100% employee-owned ESOP company, we’re proud to be ranked among the Top 5 Systems Integrators and an ENR Top 500 Firm. We’re looking for a Senior Controls Engineer to join our Irvine, CA office. In this leadership role, you’ll design and implement innovative automation solutions across industries like Life Sciences, Food & Beverage, and Manufacturing. What You’ll Do As a Senior Controls Engineer, you’ll lead projects from concept to commissioning, working directly with clients and internal teams. Your responsibilities will include: 🔧 Automation & Controls Engineering Design and implement control systems using PLC, HMI, SCADA, and DCS platforms (Ignition and PlantPAx experience is a plus)Develop control system architecture, select components, and create detailed schematicsProgram controllers (Ladder, SFC, Structured Text) and visualization systems (HMI/SCADA)Build databases for historical data archiving and displayUtilize programming languages like VBA, .NET, SQL, and Python for advanced HMI/SCADA development 🌐 Industrial Networking Design and implement fiber, wired, and wireless networks using industrial protocols (Ethernet/IP, Profinet, IT/OT) 📈 Project Leadership & Management Lead engineering teams and mentor junior staffManage project execution plans, budgets, schedules, and reportingOversee daily operations of projects up to $1M and ensure profitabilityAct as technical lead and occasionally serve as Project Manager What You Bring 🎓 Education & Experience Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Chemical Engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent experience7+ years of experience in controls engineering, including:Rslogix 500, Studio 5000 PLC programmingSiemens Step 7 and TIA Portal programmingRockwell Automation platforms (FactoryTalk, PlantPAX)Inductive Automation IgnitionS88 Batch/Recipes, OEE, MES, ERP systemsElectrical schematics and control panel designAutoCAD proficiency 🤝 Leadership & Collaboration Proven ability to lead teams and mentor engineersStrong communication and client-facing skillsProfessional references from a manager, peer, and subordinate ✈️ Travel Up to 25% out-of-state travel; regular visits to client sites in Southern California Work Environment & Physical Requirements Hybrid mix of standard office environment and work-from-home leadership (at least 3 days of office work, discretionary 2 days of remote work, and on-site job walks as needed per week), up to 25% level of travel to client sites in the US; diverse industrial environments; flexible for out-of-region candidates but Southern California Region (specifically Orange County, Inland Empire, and San Diego) preferred. Physical Demands of Position Seeing, color perception, hearing, clear speech, dexterity in hands, driving, lifting, ability to mount/dismount equipment, pushing and pulling. Why Join WM? We offer a comprehensive benefits package for full-time employee-owners, including: Ready to lead cutting-edge automation projects and grow with a company that invests in you? Job Descriptions are not exhaustive lists of all skills, responsibilities, or efforts associated with a job. They reflect principal job elements essential for performing the job and evaluating performance. Wunderlich-Malec is proud to offer a comprehensive employee-owner benefit package. Full-time employees may be eligible for the following benefits: Medical Dental Vision Basic and Supplemental Life and AD&D Long Term Disability Voluntary Short Term Disability Healthcare & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts Health Savings Account Paid Time Off (PTO) Paid Holidays Tuition Reimbursement Referral Bonus Program 401(k)/Profit Sharing 100% ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) Employee Assistance Program Will Preparation Resources Worldwide Travel Assistance. The expected salary range is $110,000 to $155,000 base per year depending on qualifications plus a discretionary bonus and employee stock program.