Controls Staff Engineer

Controls Staff Engineer

Duration: 12-month contract with Extension

$70.00/hr - $80.00/hr

The Controls Staff Engineer serves as an electrical controls resource for manufacturing process improvement and capital expansion projects. Manage electrical and controls scope of assigned projects. Project focus will be implementation of Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) based automation in manufacturing plants and processes. This role leads the delivery of medium to large‑scale projects, supporting all phases from Factory Acceptance Test (FAT), Site Acceptance Test (SAT), to Plant Acceptance.

The Controls Staff Engineer develops and maintains project‑specific documentation on control systems, ensuring alignment with project requirements and standards. They are responsible for designing, developing, integrating, and troubleshooting robotic, PLC, and vision system programs for new automation equipment within the project scope.

• Serve as a technical leader and individual contributor – Provide hands‑on engineering support while guiding and mentoring other engineers and technicians. Set clear technical direction, ensure alignment with corporate standards, and foster a collaborative environment that drives project success.
• Adhere to structured Software Development practices to ensure efficient system completion and project delivery.
• Conduct training for plant engineers and technicians on new processes, equipment, or control systems as part of the project handover.
• Provide technical support during non‑standard hours as necessary to support project implementation and transition.
• Lead or participate in capital projects involving Controls, Robots, & vision systems, ensuring they meet project specifications and standards.
• Focus on developing and supporting new automation equipment for the projects, ensuring the equipment meets industry standards and utilizes leading‑edge technology for competitive advantage.
• Occasionally act in the role of a controls technician to provide project‑specific support to other manufacturing systems and equipment.

• 7+ years of experience with a proven track record of successfully implementing and integrating PLC systems into advanced manufacturing processes.
• Strong knowledge of control theory, systems, and automation.
• Proficiency in PLC programming, HMI development, and network configuration.
• Knowledge of control theory, control strategies and industry safety standards and regulations.
• Critical thinker, able to use logic and reasoning to identify strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to a problem.
• Fundamental understanding of PID loop tuning – Familiarity with the principles and practical application of Proportional‑Integral‑Derivative control, including the ability to recognize system behavior and make basic adjustments to optimize performance.
• Written and verbal communication skills – Able to clearly articulate complex controls engineering concepts to non‑technical stakeholders, ensuring that challenges, implications, and proposed solutions are understood and actionable to move projects forward.
• Able to apply a systems engineering approach to designing, managing and troubleshooting complex systems.
• Hands‑on experience with hardware platforms and ladder logic programming – Proficient in one or more industrial control systems such as Rockwell, Siemens, or OMRON, with the ability to develop, troubleshoot, and optimize ladder logic code.
• Working knowledge of industrial communication protocols – Familiar with technologies including Ethernet/IP, Ether
  
  CAT, Profinet, Modbus, and Device Net, with the ability to configure and diagnose communication between devices in a manufacturing environment.
• Controls and electrical support in manufacturing operations – Demonstrated ability to provide technical support for automation systems, troubleshoot electrical issues, and maintain uptime in a production setting.
• Understanding of equipment engineering and process support – Capable of supporting equipment design, integration, and debugging activities, with a focus on improving process reliability and efficiency.

• Advanced degree in…