Controls Engineer – Material Handling Automation

Our client is hiring a Controls Engineer to lead the design, programming, and deployment of complex control systems for material handling automation. This role also serves as the technical owner of the client’s emulation and virtual commissioning platform.

The Controls Engineer owns projects from design through commissioning, develops and maintains reusable emulation component libraries (Emulate3D or equivalent), and defines PLC-to-emulation I/O standards to support virtual commissioning as the default approach for FAT, code QA, training, and design validation. The role provides hands-on PLC/HMI delivery support (Rockwell/Beckhoff + Ignition), drives standardization, supports troubleshooting escalations, mentors engineers in model-driven testing, and collaborates closely with Mechanical and Electrical teams to reduce on-site time, risk, and cost.

System Architecture, Standards & Tooling

• Design and develop PLC and HMI architectures for moderately to highly complex automation systems
• Contribute to and maintain reusable PLC/HMI code libraries, configuration templates, and engineering standards
• Define and manage the I/O contract between PLC libraries (UDTs/AOIs/DUTs) and emulation objects, including virtual-mode hooks and diagnostic structures
• Ensure alignment between standard PLC/HMI libraries and the emulation component catalog, including version control, migration notes, and Git/GitHub workflows

Emulation Platform Ownership

• Build, maintain, and expand a reusable emulation component catalog (transport, merges, gapping, scanning, diverters, recirculation; roadmap to advanced sortation)
• Establish and document fidelity guidelines, modeling assumptions, and system limits
• Develop automated FAT harnesses (scripted test decks, pass/fail gates, reporting) tied to design documents and performance metrics
• Create layout assembly tools and workflows to rapidly build or reconfigure models from ECAD/CAD
• Ensure parity between emulated and live systems to reduce on-site time, cost, and risk

Technical Leadership & Execution

• Program, test, and commission control systems—including conveyors, merges, and moderate sortation logic—both virtually and on-site
• Lead FAT/SAT activities, troubleshooting escalations, and commissioning strategies
• Develop and maintain project deliverables, version control, and quality assurance processes
• Contribute targeted PLC/HMI development, including device AOIs, diagnostics, Ignition widgets, gateway scripts, and position tracking

Cross-Functional & Customer Collaboration

• Serve as a technical point of contact and coordinate integration across Mechanical, Electrical, and Software disciplines
• Define CAD markup standards (mass, friction, materials, sensor faces, elevations) to improve model fidelity and reduce rework
• Partner with Project Management and Sales to scope projects, establish acceptance criteria, and present emulation results to internal and external stakeholders
• Provide technical direction and oversight to subcontractors and integration partners

Team Development, Mentorship & Culture Building

• Mentor engineers through hands-on guidance, structured peer reviews, onboarding, and training
• Develop playbooks, “golden example” projects, and internal training materials that enable engineers to independently build and extend emulation models
• Promote a simulation-first, standards-driven engineering culture focused on measurable outcomes such as hours saved, defects prevented, and accuracy versus on-site results

Strategic Growth & Innovation

• Identify and lead improvement initiatives related to commissioning efficiency, code reusability, testing accuracy, and HMI experience
• Pilot new tools, features, or platforms that enhance controls engineering and emulation capabilities
• Contribute to internal R&D efforts and share findings that inform roadmap development and engineering best practices

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related field
• The client is seeking candidates at two senior levels:
• 5–7 years of experience in industrial controls engineering, including lead project responsibilities
• 7+ years of experience in industrial controls or virtual commissioning, including hands-on PLC/HMI work and model-based testing
• Demonstrated experience leading emulation or virtual commissioning efforts tied directly to real PLC code (not visualization-only)

Technical Skills

• PLC Programming: Advanced proficiency in Rockwell Studio 5000 (AOIs/UDTs/ST); experience with TIA Portal; Beckhoff TwinCAT (ST/POUs/DUTs) a plus
• Emulation & Digital Twins: Strong experience with Emulate3D or equivalent, including custom component catalogs, scripted test decks, virtual-mode diagnostics, and automated FAT harnesses
• HMI/SCADA: Ignition (Perspective/Vision), FactoryTalk View; alarm configuration, historian basics, and security (roles/IdP)
• Industrial Networks & Devices: Ethernet/IP (preferred), Profinet, OPC UA; VFDs, servo drives/motion, scanners, safety systems, and device-level diagnostics

Leadership & Professional Skills

• Systems thinker with the ability to break down complex controls and emulation challenges into clear, testable components
• Strong communicator, effective with customers, vendors, and cross-functional engineering teams
• High documentation discipline with strong version-control awareness and adherence to engineering standards
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously while mentoring and developing junior engineers
• Collaborative leadership style focused on measurable outcomes, continuous improvement, and cross-team alignment
• Ability to read and interpret technical specifications, professional journals, and engineering drawings, and to produce clear technical documentation
• Willingness to travel up to 40% for commissioning, installations, and on-site support

Compensation range: $115,000 - $150,000