Job Description
Controls Software Design Engineer – Machine Automation
Location: Lansing, MI
Employment Type: Direct Hire
Travel: Approximately 5%
Employment Type: Direct Hire
Travel: Approximately 5%
Compensation: $100-120k, based on experience
A growing industrial equipment manufacturer is seeking a Controls Software Design Engineer to design, program, debug, and commission machine control systems supporting high-volume manufacturing.
This is a hands-on controls engineering role responsible for projects from initial design and PLC/HMI programming through machine build, startup, debugging, run-off, and customer acceptance.
What You’ll Do
- Design and develop control systems for automated machinery and machine tools.
- Program and troubleshoot PLCs, HMIs, and machine control systems.
- Develop electrical control layouts and select control components.
- Create and maintain electrical drawings and project documentation.
- Lead controls design reviews with mechanical and project engineering teams.
- Support machine build, electrical checkout, startup, debugging, and run-off.
- Troubleshoot controls, electrical, and automation issues.
- Support commissioning and equipment startup at customer facilities.
- Work directly with engineering, manufacturing, service, and customers.
- Identify new controls and automation technologies for future machine designs.
Must Have Qualifications
- Must Have: 5+ years of experience in Controls Engineering, Controls Design, Automation Engineering, or Machine Controls.
- Must Have: Hands-on PLC programming and troubleshooting experience.
- Must Have: Experience designing and commissioning controls for machine tools, automated machinery, industrial automation, or manufacturing equipment.
- Experience with Allen-Bradley, Siemens, and/or FANUC PLC/control platforms.
- Experience programming and troubleshooting HMI systems.
- Ability to read and develop electrical schematics and control drawings.
- Experience supporting machine startup, debugging, commissioning, and run-off.
Highly Preferred Qualifications
- Highly Preferred: Experience with Allen-Bradley and Siemens PLC programming.
- Highly Preferred: Experience with AutoCAD Electrical, EPLAN, and/or SolidWorks.
- Highly Preferred: Background in machine tools, custom automation, automotive manufacturing, or high-volume production equipment.
- Experience with FANUC controls, robotics, or CNC/machine control systems is a plus.
- Experience supporting automotive, powertrain, or internal combustion engine manufacturing is a plus.
- Bachelor's degree in Controls Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Automation Engineering, or a related technical field is preferred.
Ideal Background
Strong candidates may come from machine builders, custom automation integrators, automotive equipment manufacturers, CNC/machine tool companies, robotics integrators, or other industrial automation environments.
This position is primarily based in Lansing, MI, with approximately 5% domestic travel for commissioning and customer support.
Numbers & Facts
| Location | Lansing, MI |
| Industry | Staffing/Employment Agencies |
| Salary | $100,000–$120,000 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.
Skills
- Allen-Bradleyunmatched
- Automationunmatched
- Automation Engineeringunmatched
- Automotive Automationunmatched
- Automotive Manufacturingunmatched
- CNC (Computerized Numerical Control) Systemsunmatched
- Commission Controlsunmatched
- Commissioningunmatched
- Component Selectionunmatched
- Control Engineeringunmatched
- Control Systemsunmatched
- Customer Support/Serviceunmatched
- Debugging Skillsunmatched
- Documentationunmatched
- Electrical Engineeringunmatched
- Electricityunmatched
- Fanuc Roboticsunmatched
- Human Machine Interface (HMI)unmatched
- Identify Issuesunmatched
- Internal Combustion Engineunmatched
- Machine Toolunmatched
- Maintenance - Electricalunmatched
- Manufacturingunmatched
- Manufacturing Automationunmatched
- Manufacturing Equipmentunmatched
- Mechanical Designunmatched
- Mechanical Engineeringunmatched
- Powertrainunmatched
- Production Volumeunmatched
- Programmable Logic Controller (PLC)unmatched
- Project Designunmatched
- Project Engineeringunmatched
- Roboticsunmatched
- Schematicsunmatched
- Software Designunmatched
- Software Engineeringunmatched
- Startupunmatched
- System Start-Upunmatched
- Systems Administration/Managementunmatched
- Technical/Engineering Designunmatched
- Willing to Travelunmatched
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