Controls Automation Engineer

Job Title

Position Overview

• Directs and supports electricians, junior AEs, and other plant staff in troubleshooting and diagnosing electrical problems on new or existing equipment of any size or complexity.
• Supports process improvement efforts by carrying out Automation related tasks directly and through managing internal and external resources. Helps identify improvement opportunities and offers solutions.
• Supports and manages capital project efforts from an electrical standpoint including scope development, budgeting, bidding, installation, commissioning, and documentation. May also participate in or lead the efforts from a mechanical standpoint. Expected to oversee the efforts of internal and external resources as needed.
• Maintains and develops electrical standards and best practices for the division(s) in coordination with other senior staff and corporate departments.
• Helps drive process conformity across the division(s) from a controls perspective.
• Supports 24/7 manufacturing operations across the division(s) including being on-call and being available for weekend and holiday work.

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Computer, or Mechatronics Engineering. 
• Minimum 2 years relevant experience
• Must possess a good organizational, computer, analytical, and leadership skills
• Must be able to work well under pressure and within deadlines.
• Thorough understanding of the Following Across the Division(s) with Demonstrated Prior Application:
  • PLC programming languages and concepts, their function, and proper selection for a given application
  • Siemens TIA Portal and Allen Bradley RSLogix 5, 500, 5000 / Studio 5000 programming
  • Siemens S7-1200 and S7-1500 series processors and related hardware and Allen Bradley Micrologix, SLC, PLC-5, CompactLogix, and ControlLogix series processors and related hardware
  • Advanced control concepts such as control loops and PID tuning
  • Motor control concepts, hardware components, their function, and proper application such as starters, soft starters, and variable frequency drives (VFDs).
  • Motion control concepts, hardware components, their function, and proper application such as servos and robots.
  • Human-machine interfaces (HMIs) hardware and software
  • Panel mounted and field-mounted electrical devices, how to troubleshoot them, and how to select the best device for a particular application.
  • Standard industrial test equipment and their proper application
  • Industrial networks and how to troubleshoot them
  • Data analysis tools and how to use historical information to solve problems
  • Safety circuit design and current safety standards
  • Single and three-phase power and power distribution including topics such as power factor, harmonics, fault current, and arc flash and incorporating these considerations in the design of new or modified systems.
  • Process operations including the associated equipment and control systems and how control changes affect process performance such as throughput and quality.
• Working knowledge of NFPA articles 70, 70E, 79 including topics such as sizing of conductors, sizing of overcurrent protection devices, AIC ratings, tap rules, grounding requirements, etc.
• Basic understanding of mechanical systems such as pneumatics, hydraulics, and mechanical drive systems
• Capable of the following:
  • Design, commission, and troubleshoot PLC, VFD, and HMI applications of varying complexity.
  • Selecting the proper electrical hardware for new or modified systems.
  • Getting online with servo controllers throughout the division(s) for setup, configuration, and/or troubleshooting purposes unsupervised. Capable of using the teach pendants to troubleshoot robots.
  • Selecting the proper network communication design for a given application.
  • Using data storage and retrieval tools to transfer data between factory floor-level devices and higher-level systems.
  • Troubleshooting safety-related hardware and software, modifying existing circuits as needed, and designing new circuits to fulfill application requirements.
  • Reading, editing, and generating electrical schematics as needed and ensuring schematics are current.
  • Reading P&ID diagrams for troubleshooting purposes and generating an electrical bill of material from them with limited assistance.
  • Directing the efforts of electricians and junior AE(s) in making changes, reviewing changes, and providing feedback.
  • Assisting in the development of junior AEs and electricians by identifying skill gaps and providing coaching directly and/or recommending training avenues to their superiors.
  • Performing all work independently and in accordance with established regulatory, company, and divisional electrical standards and best practices.
  • Partnering with resources from other disciplines to successfully develop and execute capital improvement projects from conception through commissioning.

• Build Customer Satisfaction
• Initiate Action
• Adapt and Change
• Innovate
• Coach and Support
• Deliver Compelling Communication

Work Shift