Electrical Controls Engineer

Description We are seeking an Electrical Controls Engineer to design, program, and support continuous improvement of the control systems on our electron beam equipment. Working closely with our mechanical engineering and manufacturing teams, this role is well suited for an electrical engineer with hands-on Allen-Bradley PLC and HMI experience and a solid foundation in industrial electrical systems and machine controls, who can independently manage controls projects while collaborating across teams to develop reliable, standardized, and manufacturable solutions.

The successful candidate will develop and maintain PLC and HMI programs, electrical schematics, and controls documentation, and will help standardize the controls architecture for current and future machine offerings. This individual will work directly with manufacturing to support machine wiring, I/O checkout, commissioning, testing, and troubleshooting, as well as develop work instructions and documentation to improve consistency and efficiency. While travel is not expected as part of the role, occasional domestic and international travel to customer sites may be required to support installations, commissioning, troubleshooting, or technical projects.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

• Design, program, and implement machine control systems for our electron beam equipment using Allen-Bradley PLCs and Studio 5000 Logix Designer.
• Develop and maintain HMI applications using FactoryTalk View and PanelView Plus, including alarming, diagnostics, and operator interface screens.
• Configure and troubleshoot industrial networks and devices, including EtherNet/IP, distributed I/O, variable frequency drives, and motion components.
• Establish and maintain controls standards, including PLC program structure, tag naming conventions, reusable code, and program version control.
• Develop, maintain, and standardize electrical and control panel schematics and wire run lists using AutoCAD Electrical.
• Lead I/O checkout, commissioning, and functional testing of machines, and provide technical support to manufacturing during wiring, assembly, testing, and troubleshooting.
• Collaborate with the mechanical engineering team to ensure effective integration of electrical, controls, and mechanical systems, including sensors, actuators, interlocks, and safety circuits.
• Apply machine safety and electrical standards in control system and panel design.
• Evaluate and recommend PLC hardware, electrical components, and controls solutions for existing and future machine designs, including migration of legacy controls platforms.
• Coordinate with third-party controls consultants, including Opto22 programming resources, to improve machine functionality, controls integration, and diagnostics.
• Develop and maintain manufacturing SOPs, work instructions, and controls documentation, and ensure engineering documentation released to manufacturing is complete, accurate, standardized, and up to date.
• Support the migration, organization, and maintenance of engineering documentation and PLC/HMI program files within the Autodesk Vault document management system.
• Perform electrical testing, troubleshooting, and validation using common test equipment, including oscilloscopes, digital multimeters, and waveform/function generators.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives related to controls design standards, manufacturing processes, and machine performance.

Requirements

• Hands-on experience programming Allen-Bradley PLCs in Studio 5000/RSLogix 5000, primarily ladder logic; structured text or function block experience is a plus.
• Experience developing HMI applications in FactoryTalk View and/or PanelView Plus.
• Working knowledge of industrial networks and devices such as VFDs, servo drives, and distributed I/O.
• Solid understanding of electrical control systems, control panel design, and industrial wiring practices.
• Familiarity with machine safety concepts and standards, such as safety relays, safety PLCs, NFPA 79, and UL 508A.
• Proficiency with AutoCAD Electrical or similar electrical CAD software.
• Experience using electrical test equipment, including waveform/function generators, oscilloscopes, and digital multimeters.
• Strong troubleshooting skills and a methodical approach to diagnosing electrical and controls issues.
• Exposure to MRP/ERP systems is a plus.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Word.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with engineering and manufacturing teams.
• Willingness to learn new technologies and develop professionally.
• Opto22 programming experience is a plus but not required.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
• 2-5 years of electrical or controls engineering experience.
• Demonstrated experience with Allen-Bradley PLC and HMI programming in an industrial automation or machine-building environment.
• Experience commissioning or supporting industrial automation, machine controls, or manufacturing equipment is preferred.
• Experience with AutoCAD Electrical is preferred.
• Experience with electrical testing equipment, including waveform/function generators, is preferred.

Physical Requirements

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Ability to work in manufacturing and production environments as needed.
• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds occasionally.

ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) Statement Wasik complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities.