Sr. Controls Engineer

About the role

The Senior Controls Engineer will provide technical leadership for electrical controls, automation, and plant systems within the manufacturing facility. This role is responsible for developing, maintaining, troubleshooting, and improving PLC, HMI, VFD, servo, robotics, vision, and industrial network systems that support safe, reliable, and efficient production. The Senior Controls Engineer will work closely with Engineering, Maintenance, Production, Quality, Safety, and external suppliers to improve equipment performance, support new product launches, reduce downtime, and advance automation and digital transformation initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, programming, implementation, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement of plant automation and controls systems.
• Develop, modify, and maintain PLC, HMI, VFD, motion control, servo, robotics, vision, and industrial communication systems.
• Provide advanced technical support to Maintenance and Production teams to resolve equipment downtime, repeat failures, process interruptions, and controls-related quality issues.
• Support new equipment installations, commissioning, process development, and new product launches from concept through start of production.
• Create, review, and maintain electrical schematics, control panel documentation, software backups, network drawings, machine safety documentation, and controls standards.
• Lead controls-related capital projects, upgrades, retrofits, and obsolescence plans, including scope development, supplier coordination, startup, validation, and training.
• Improve equipment reliability, uptime, cycle time, scrap reduction, operator usability, data visibility, and overall manufacturing performance.
• Ensure controls designs and modifications comply with applicable safety requirements, company standards, electrical codes, and industry best practices.
• Partner with Maintenance to develop troubleshooting guides, preventive maintenance tasks, spare parts strategies, and technician training for controls systems.
• Collaborate with Quality and Operations to support root cause analysis, mistake-proofing, process control, traceability, and data collection initiatives.
• Support plant digital transformation efforts including machine connectivity, production data collection, dashboards, SCADA/MES integration, and standardized automation practices.
• Mentor engineers, technicians, and maintenance personnel in controls troubleshooting, programming standards, and safe work practices.
• Communicate effectively with all levels of the organization to ensure issues are addressed and resolved in a timely manner.
• Conduct Layered Process Audits, per required schedule.
• Ensure compliance with all related IATF 16949 and ISO 14001 policies and procedures.
• Participate in plant-wide communications related to launch, process improvement, production support, and controls-related issues.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Automation Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related technical field; equivalent experience may be considered.
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in industrial controls, automation, or manufacturing engineering, preferably in an automotive or high-volume manufacturing environment.
• Strong experience programming and troubleshooting PLCs, HMIs, VFDs, servos, motion systems, industrial networks, and machine safety systems.
• Demonstrated ability to diagnose complex electrical and controls problems involving sensors, actuators, motors, drives, panels, networks, machine logic, and production processes.
• Experience with Allen-Bradley/Rockwell Automation controls platforms preferred; Siemens or other controls platforms are a plus.
• Working knowledge of electrical schematics, control panel design, industrial power distribution, and applicable standards such as NFPA 70, NFPA 79, NEC, and OSHA requirements.
• Experience supporting machine vision, robotics, SCADA, MES, or plant data acquisition systems is preferred.
• Strong project management, documentation, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.

Preferred Qualification

• Experience in automotive manufacturing, textile, carpet, acoustic, thermal, or related production processes.
• Experience with AutoCAD Electrical, EPLAN, or equivalent electrical design software.
• Experience with Ignition, FactoryTalk, Wonderware, Kepware, SQL databases, or other SCADA/MES/data collection platforms.
• Experience developing standardized PLC/HMI code structures, reusable code blocks, and plant controls standards.
• Experience supporting digital transformation, machine connectivity, predictive maintenance, or real-time production performance monitoring.
• Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or formal root cause analysis experience.

Math Ability

• Ability to perform calculations related to electrical loads, timing, cycle rates, line speeds, sensor scaling, control loops, downtime analysis, and process capability.
• Ability to analyze production and equipment data to identify trends, root causes, and improvement opportunities.

Reasoning Ability

• Ability to define complex technical problems, evaluate alternatives, and implement practical solutions in a manufacturing environment.
• Ability to interpret technical instructions, electrical drawings, software logic, machine sequences, process data, and equipment manuals.
• Ability to make sound decisions under production pressure while maintaining safety, quality, and reliability requirements.

Computer Skills

• Proficient in Microsoft Office software.
• Proficient with PLC and HMI programming software such as Rockwell Studio 5000, FactoryTalk View, RSLogix, or equivalent platforms.
• Experience with drive configuration software, industrial networking tools, electrical CAD software, and data collection or SCADA platforms.
• MS Project, AutoCAD Electrical, Minitab, SQL, Ignition, or equivalent tools are a plus.