Position Summary

We are seeking a Controls Engineer to support and improve automated manufacturing operations within a high-speed food production and packaging environment. This role will be responsible for designing, programming, troubleshooting, and optimizing PLC-based control systems while partnering closely with Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, and Continuous Improvement teams to maximize equipment reliability, safety, and production efficiency.

The ideal candidate will have experience supporting automated manufacturing equipment in the food processing, beverage, consumer packaged goods (CPG), or packaging industries and enjoy solving complex technical challenges on the plant floor.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, program, and troubleshoot PLC, HMI, VFD, and industrial control systems supporting manufacturing and packaging operations.
• Support high-speed automated production lines by identifying equipment issues and implementing long-term control system improvements.
• Program, modify, and maintain PLC logic using Allen-Bradley (Rockwell), Siemens, or other industrial automation platforms.
• Develop and maintain HMI applications for machine operation, diagnostics, and operator interfaces.
• Configure and troubleshoot Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs), servo motion systems, instrumentation, and industrial communication networks.
• Support startup, commissioning, and validation of new production equipment and automation projects.
• Collaborate with Maintenance, Operations, and Process Engineering to reduce downtime and improve Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).
• Lead root cause analysis activities for recurring equipment failures and implement permanent corrective actions.
• Develop and maintain electrical drawings, PLC documentation, control narratives, and standard operating procedures.
• Ensure all automation systems comply with company safety standards, electrical codes, and food manufacturing regulations.
• Participate in capital improvement projects from concept through installation and startup.
• Drive Continuous Improvement initiatives focused on safety, quality, reliability, and production efficiency.
• Provide technical support and training for maintenance technicians and production personnel.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Mechatronics, Automation Engineering, or related technical field.
• 3+ years of Controls Engineering experience within manufacturing.
• Experience supporting automated production equipment in food manufacturing, beverage, consumer packaged goods (CPG), pharmaceutical, or packaging environments strongly preferred.
• Hands-on PLC programming and troubleshooting experience.
• Experience with Allen-Bradley (Rockwell) PLCs preferred.
• Siemens, Schneider, Omron, or Mitsubishi PLC experience will also be considered.
• Experience programming and supporting HMIs.
• Working knowledge of industrial networking including Ethernet/IP, DeviceNet, ControlNet, Profinet, or Modbus.
• Experience troubleshooting VFDs, servo systems, sensors, actuators, and instrumentation.
• Ability to read electrical schematics, P&IDs, and control panel drawings.
• Strong troubleshooting and analytical problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration abilities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Food manufacturing or packaging industry experience.
• High-speed packaging line automation experience.
• Vision inspection systems.
• Servo motion control.
• Robotics experience (Fanuc, ABB, KUKA, Yaskawa, or Universal Robots).
• SQL, Ignition, FactoryTalk, or SCADA experience.
• MES integration experience.
• Project management experience.
• Knowledge of FDA, GMP, HACCP, or SQF manufacturing environments.
• Experience supporting capital automation projects.

Technical Skills

• Allen-Bradley (Rockwell)
• Siemens TIA Portal
• Studio 5000
• RSLogix 5000
• FactoryTalk View SE/ME
• Wonderware
• Ignition SCADA
• HMIs
• PLC Programming
• Servo Motion
• VFDs
• Industrial Networking
• Ethernet/IP
• Profinet
• Modbus
• DeviceNet
• Robotics
• Vision Systems
• Instrumentation
• AutoCAD Electrical
• Electrical Schematics