Controls Engineer - Junior
Sterling Engineering, Inc.
- Buffalo Grove, IL
- 6 days ago
- $90,000–$110,000 Per Year
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Skills
- Allen-Bradleyunmatched
- Automationunmatched
- Automation Systemsunmatched
- Automotive Automationunmatched
- Biotech and Pharmaceuticalunmatched
- Commissioningunmatched
- Communication Skillsunmatched
- Communications Protocolsunmatched
- Continuous Improvementunmatched
- Control Engineeringunmatched
- Data Collectionunmatched
- Document Managementunmatched
- Electricityunmatched
- Equipment Validationunmatched
- Ethernetunmatched
- Human Machine Interface (HMI)unmatched
- IP (Internet Protocol)unmatched
- Identify Issuesunmatched
- Information Technology & Information Systemsunmatched
- Manufacturingunmatched
- Manufacturing Automationunmatched
- Manufacturing Engineeringunmatched
- Manufacturing Equipmentunmatched
- Manufacturing Operationsunmatched
- Manufacturing Softwareunmatched
- Manufacturing Systemsunmatched
- Medical Equipmentunmatched
- Network Architecture/Engineeringunmatched
- Network Connectivityunmatched
- Network Integrationunmatched
- Network Systemsunmatched
- Operational Improvementunmatched
- Production Supportunmatched
- Production Systemsunmatched
- Programmable Logic Controller (PLC)unmatched
- Reliability Engineeringunmatched
- Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA)unmatched
- System Integration (SI)unmatched
- Systems Reliabilityunmatched
- TCP (Transmission Control Protocol)unmatched
Description
Controls Engineer – Manufacturing Systems & SCADA
Location: Buffalo Grove, IL
Hire Type: Direct Hire
Compensation: $90,000–$110,000 per year
Schedule: Full-Time | 100% Onsite
Position Overview
We are seeking a Controls Engineer to support the continued growth of a highly automated medical device manufacturing operation in Buffalo Grove, IL. This role combines traditional controls engineering with manufacturing IT, SCADA, and Operational Technology (OT) integration to support a connected manufacturing environment.
The ideal candidate will have experience troubleshooting PLC-controlled automation while also understanding plant-level SCADA systems, manufacturing networks, and system integration. This individual will partner closely with Manufacturing Engineering, IT, Automation, Maintenance, and Quality teams to improve equipment connectivity, data visibility, and production system reliability.
This is an excellent opportunity for a junior to mid-level Controls Engineer looking to expand into smart manufacturing, digital factory initiatives, and Industry 4.0 technologies.
Key Responsibilities
Location: Buffalo Grove, IL
Hire Type: Direct Hire
Compensation: $90,000–$110,000 per year
Schedule: Full-Time | 100% Onsite
Position Overview
We are seeking a Controls Engineer to support the continued growth of a highly automated medical device manufacturing operation in Buffalo Grove, IL. This role combines traditional controls engineering with manufacturing IT, SCADA, and Operational Technology (OT) integration to support a connected manufacturing environment.
The ideal candidate will have experience troubleshooting PLC-controlled automation while also understanding plant-level SCADA systems, manufacturing networks, and system integration. This individual will partner closely with Manufacturing Engineering, IT, Automation, Maintenance, and Quality teams to improve equipment connectivity, data visibility, and production system reliability.
This is an excellent opportunity for a junior to mid-level Controls Engineer looking to expand into smart manufacturing, digital factory initiatives, and Industry 4.0 technologies.
Key Responsibilities
Support and troubleshoot PLC-controlled manufacturing equipment and automated production systems.
Maintain and improve plant-level SCADA systems and manufacturing visualization platforms.
Assist with Operational Technology (OT) initiatives, including manufacturing network connectivity and system integration.
Support integration between production equipment, PLCs, SCADA, manufacturing databases, and other plant systems.
Collaborate with Manufacturing Engineering, IT, Controls, Quality, and Operations to improve system reliability and production performance.
Troubleshoot automation hardware, industrial communication networks, HMIs, and manufacturing software.
Participate in automation upgrades, equipment commissioning, validation, and continuous improvement projects.
Support manufacturing data collection, reporting, and connected factory initiatives.
Assist with troubleshooting automated material handling systems, including ASRS (Automated Storage & Retrieval Systems) and AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) integration where applicable.
Develop and maintain controls documentation, network architecture diagrams, and engineering standards.
Work closely with equipment vendors and system integrators during new equipment installations and upgrades.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Mechatronics, Automation Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical field.
2–5 years of experience supporting industrial automation or manufacturing controls systems.
Experience troubleshooting PLC-controlled equipment in a manufacturing environment.
Working knowledge of SCADA systems and HMI platforms.
Understanding of Manufacturing IT, Operational Technology (OT), and industrial networking concepts.
Experience supporting high-speed automated manufacturing equipment.
Strong troubleshooting skills with electrical controls, automation hardware, and industrial communication networks.
Excellent communication skills with the ability to work across Engineering, IT, Operations, and Quality teams.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience with Allen-Bradley and/or Siemens PLC platforms.
Familiarity with SCADA platforms such as Ignition, FactoryTalk View SE, WinCC, Wonderware, or similar.
Exposure to MES, manufacturing data collection systems, or historian platforms.
Experience integrating production equipment with plant-level systems.
Knowledge of Ethernet/IP, Profinet, Modbus TCP, OPC UA, or other industrial communication protocols.
Experience supporting ASRS, AGV, or other automated material handling systems.
Experience within a medical device, pharmaceutical, food, or other highly regulated manufacturing environment.
Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate is a controls engineer who enjoys working at the intersection of automation and manufacturing technology. They possess a strong foundation in PLCs and industrial controls while also understanding how automation systems connect to plant-wide SCADA, manufacturing IT, and Operational Technology (OT) environments. This individual is eager to support digital manufacturing initiatives, collaborate across multiple engineering disciplines, and help drive the evolution of a connected, high-performance manufacturing operation.
Numbers & Facts
| Location | Buffalo Grove, IL |
| Industry | Staffing/Employment Agencies |
| Salary | $90,000–$110,000 Per Year |
| Company Size | 500 to 999 employees |
| Year Founded | 1969 |
| Website | http://www.sterling-engineering.com |
About Company
Sterling Engineering has been a trusted partner for engineering, project management, and staffing solutions for over five decades. We provide exceptional engineering/technical recruitment and engineering project services to clients nationwide:
- Engineering & Technical Recruitment - With our focus on engineering, technical, and IT, Sterling has the in-depth knowledge, industry expertise, and robust employee pipeline it takes to rapidly find talent for even the most difficult to fill positions. Sterling’s extensive recruitment methodology allows us to engage the most talented employees in the marketplace. We offer exciting work and career-building opportunities for our candidates, along with expert support at every step of the process.
- Engineering Project Services – Our experienced, multi-disciplined team of project managers, engineers, and designers, led by licensed Professional Engineers (PE), provide project management, engineering, design, and Commissioning, Qualification, and Validation (CQV) to manufacturing, OEM, and R&D customers. We work on complex, highly technical projects across a number of industry sectors, and our ability to scale and seamlessly integrate at multiple levels of your organization is what differentiates us.
Sterling offers a unique combination of engineering solutions and Best of Staffing level service to help our clients and talent achieve their goals.