Controls Engineering Manager

Sterling Engineering, Inc.

Grand Rapids, AL

JOB DETAILS
SKILLS
ABB (Asea Brown Boveri), Allen-Bradley, Automation, Automotive Automation, Automotive Manufacturing, Communication Skills, Control Engineering, Control Systems, Customer Relations, Documentation, Electrical Engineering, Engineering Management, Human Machine Interface (HMI), Leadership, Mechanical Engineering, Mentoring, Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), Project Execution, Project/Program Management, Sales, Schematics, System Integration (SI), Team Lead/Manager, Testing
LOCATION
Grand Rapids, AL
POSTED
30+ days ago
Electrical Controls Engineering Manager

? West Michigan (Relocation Available)
? Full-Time | Direct Hire
? Minimal to No Travel

A well-established custom automation and industrial systems integrator is seeking an Electrical Controls Engineering Manager to lead and support a growing controls engineering team. This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who enjoys staying technical while guiding engineers through complex, customer-driven automation projects.
The company specializes in custom automated systems for automotive and truck manufacturing, including adhesive lines, bonding systems, and robotic automation.

Why This Role Stands Out
  • Lead a team of Controls Engineers and Test Engineers
  • Hands-on programming — not a desk-only management role
  • Minimal to no travel
  • Flexible work schedule
  • Stable organization with ~100 employees
  • Strong, repeat customer base in automotive and truck manufacturing
What You’ll Be Doing
  • Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Controls and Robot Engineers
  • Oversee PLC, HMI, and robotic control system design for custom automation projects
  • Review and approve programs, safety layouts, schematics, and documentation
  • Act as the technical escalation point for complex automation challenges
  • Collaborate closely with Mechanical Engineering, Project Management, and Sales
  • Interface directly with customers on technical reviews and project execution
  • Ensure compliance with safety standards, quality requirements, and regulatory expectations
Technology Environment
  • PLCs: Allen-Bradley (primary)
  • Robotics: Fanuc (primary), some ABB
  • Automation Focus:
    • Adhesive and bonding systems
    • Automotive and truck body components
    • Robotic material handling and assembly
What We’re Looking For
  • 10+ years of automation controls experience
  • Prior leadership or team-lead experience in a custom automation environment
  • Strong Allen-Bradley PLC programming background
  • Fanuc robot programming experience (ABB a plus)
  • Comfortable being hands-on when projects demand it
  • Customer-facing experience and strong communication skills
  • Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Automation, or equivalent experience
Reporting Structure
  • Reports to the Managing Director, with direct visibility to executive leadership
Location & Relocation
  • Preference for Midwest-based candidates
  • Relocation assistance is available 
     


Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information.

About the Company

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Sterling Engineering, Inc.

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.

COMPANY SIZE
500 to 999 employees
INDUSTRY
Staffing/Employment Agencies
FOUNDED
1969
WEBSITE
http://www.sterling-engineering.com