Controls Engineer

This role focuses on the design, programming, and troubleshooting of industrial automation systems, with a strong emphasis on Allen‑Bradley PLC programming. You will collaborate closely with engineering, maintenance, and operations teams to ensure reliable and efficient production. The position offers the opportunity to work on a variety of projects for different customers, either on-site at customer facilities in West Michigan or remotely from home, and to contribute to new automation equipment from concept through commissioning.

Responsibilities

• Design, program, modify, and troubleshoot Allen‑Bradley PLCs, including ControlLogix, CompactLogix, and MicroLogix platforms.
• Develop, configure, and support HMI applications using FactoryTalk View or similar HMI software.
• Diagnose and resolve controls and electrical issues on manufacturing and automation equipment to minimize downtime and improve reliability.
• Support system startups, commissioning, and debugging activities at customer sites and remotely.
• Create, read, and update electrical schematics to support controls design, troubleshooting, and modifications.
• Integrate and support robotics systems, including Fanuc and ABB robots, within automated production environments.
• Configure, program, and troubleshoot vision systems such as Keyence and Cognex to support inspection and automation tasks.
• Work with VFDs, servo systems, and related motion control components to ensure proper operation and integration with PLCs and HMIs.
• Collaborate with engineering, maintenance, and operations teams to implement continuous improvement and automation projects.
• Provide customer-facing technical support, clearly communicate project status, and represent the company professionally at all times.
• Document programs, configurations, and system changes to ensure maintainability and knowledge transfer for future support.

• Hands-on experience with Allen‑Bradley PLC programming, including ControlLogix, CompactLogix, and MicroLogix.
• Ability to diagnose and resolve controls and electrical issues
• Familiarity with robotics systems, including Fanuc and ABB robots, integration
• Vision systems - Keyence and Cognex.
• Ability to read and work with electrical schematics for troubleshooting and design.
• Experience working with VFDs, servo drives, and motion control systems.
• Strong troubleshooting skills and a methodical approach to problem solving in industrial environments.
• Positive attitude and strong interpersonal skills for effective customer-facing interactions.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision while managing multiple tasks and priorities.

"Nice to have" Skills & Qualifications

• Experience working for or with automation integrators or contractors.
• Background in supporting system startups, commissioning, and debugging at customer sites.
• Experience with industrial networking and communication between PLCs, HMIs, robots, and vision systems.
• Demonstrated ability to support continuous improvement and automation projects in a production environment.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills for collaborating with cross-functional teams and customers.
• Self-motivated, adaptable, and comfortable working in a dynamic, project-based environment.

Schedule:

• Monday through Friday
• 40–50 hours per week depending on project demands
• You will split your time between working remotely from home and working on-site at customer facilities in the West Michigan area.

Some travel is required to support installation, commissioning, and startup of new equipment at customer sites, including occasional visits to different locations for local customers.

• Typically working in typical industrial and manufacturing environments around production equipment, robotics, and automation systems.

Culture emphasizes flexibility in where and how you complete your work, exposure to new and diverse customer projects, and the opportunity to contribute to a growing organization experiencing strong demand and rapid growth.

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Nunica, MI.

The pay range for this position is $30.00 - $40.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: • Medical, dental & vision • Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital • 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available • Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) • Short and long-term disability • Health Spending Account (HSA) • Transportation benefits • Employee Assistance Program • Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

This is a hybrid position in Nunica,MI.

This position is anticipated to close on Sep 7, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications withoutregard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability,sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protectedby law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification oradjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability,please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance:Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in thecity and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicantswith arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector:It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as acondition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this lawshall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process,including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applicationsand qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, youacknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.