Controls Engineer - Martinsville, VA

Summary:

The Controls Engineer will play a pivotal role in designing, developing, and maintaining control systems for robotics, conveyors, material handling systems, and other automation technologies. This position offers the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technologies and create custom machines that support our customers by ensuring their production processes run at peak efficiency.

Essential Functions:

• Ensure compliance with safety and quality standards in all designs.
• Design and develop PLC-based control systems, including ladder logic, structured text, or function block programming, utilizing software such as Rockwell and Siemens platforms.
• Design and develop HMI screens to interface with main and remote-control systems seamlessly.
• Design, plan, and implement electrical and control systems for new and existing equipment to enhance performance and efficiency.
• Collaborate with customers to understand market needs and translate them into detailed product requirements, ensuring alignment with project goals.
• Design, testing, and implementation of automation systems, ensuring they meet project specifications and performance standards.
• Integrate automation systems, including troubleshooting programs at customer sites.
• Participate in technical design reviews to ensure electrical design integrity is achieved.
• Submit engineering change orders and assist with technical documentation.
• Select electrical, pneumatic, and electro-mechanical components.
• Evaluate new technologies in the electrical and electronic field to incorporate these technologies in these manufacturing processes. Utilize these technologies to improve production processes, part quality, and safety.
• Design software architecture and interfaces, specifying programming tasks to meet objectives.
• Prepare engineering and supporting documentation, wiring schematics, assembly drawings, bills of material, and panel machining drawings.
• Troubleshoot and resolve control system issues to minimize downtime.
• Communicate with suppliers, assemblers, service personnel, management, and other engineers to help transition new products from prototype into full production.
• Assure system and product functionality by assuring proper operation, error recovery, and compliance with DFMEA.
• 20%-30% travel annually, including internationally.
• Occasional travel outside of normal business hours in urgent situations

Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, Automation, Computer Science, or related field.
• An associate degree in the automation field with suitable work experience will be considered.

Experience:

• 2- 5 years of automation experience.
• Ability to explain programming concepts and solicit feedback from colleagues and customers.
• Ability to independently identify and resolve safety and reliability risks.
• Mechanical aptitude required to program systems that move and manipulate.
• Familiarity and aptitude for troubleshooting electromechanical and pneumatic systems.
• Comfortable wearing multiple hats and performing different types of tasks at different project stages.
• Thorough knowledge of HMI, PLC, motion controls, materials, and manufacturing processes.
• Experience with AutoCAD Electrical.
• Prior robotics implementation a plus.

Functional Success Drivers: These competencies are what we require for an individual to be successful in this role.

• Analysis Skills
• Detailed Oriented
• Communication (Oral & Verbal)
• Results Oriented
• Team Player
• Interpersonal Savvy
• Creativity