Senior / Staff Automation Controls Engineer

About the role

Heron Power is a startup building cutting‑edge power electronics for the modern grid. The company aims to accelerate electrification by creating scalable, innovative, and cost‑effective hardware solutions for large‑scale renewables, storage, and loads. The leadership team has shipped gigawatts of power conversion products, and the culture emphasizes collaboration, personal growth, and first‑principles engineering.

Responsibilities

• Define controls architecture for Heron Power’s factories, including platforms, devices, safety systems, and communication protocols.
• Lead virtual commissioning efforts to simulate, test, and validate controls logic prior to deployment.
• Design, program, and commission in‑house control systems for custom manufacturing equipment.
• Write clean, scalable, and maintainable control code for long‑term flexibility and reuse.
• Set up industrial robots, including programming, safety zoning, and cycle optimization.
• Conduct risk assessments and hazard analyses to identify potential safety issues and develop mitigation strategies for new and existing automation cells.
• Troubleshoot controls‑related issues and drive resolution on the production floor.
• Manage supplier controls performance, ensuring alignment with system requirements, quality standards, and safety expectations.
• Identify and mitigate risks, including compliance gaps, integration challenges, and long‑term maintainability.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, Controls Engineering, or a related field.
• 7+ years of experience in industrial automation, with a focus on safety systems and controls engineering.
• Expert‑level proficiency in PLC programming across multiple platforms, specifically Beckhoff TwinCAT, Rockwell Automation/Allen‑Bradley, and Siemens TIA Portal.
• Strong command of programming languages: Ladder Logic, Structured Text, and Function Block Diagram.
• Extensive experience with 6‑axis robots, gantry systems, and inspection methods.
• Subject‑matter expert in evolving safety standards and technologies.
• Deep experience with risk assessments and functional safety validation.
• Experience with high‑volume manufacturing process equipment such as fastening, dispensing, thermal processes, laser welding, material handling, and inspection systems.
• Willingness to work in a hands‑on role.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Strong problem‑solving skills and attention to detail.

Preferred Qualifications

• Functional safety certification.
• Deep expertise in visual inspection systems.
• Established strategic relationships with equipment suppliers across power electronics, battery packs, drive units, general assembly, and other high‑volume, high‑tech manufacturing domains.

Compensation

Heron Power offers competitive compensation, including salary, equity, and benefits. The salary range for this role is $120,000 – $195,000 per year.