Controls Technician - PLC Programmer

Sterling Engineering, Inc.

Chicago Heights, IL

JOB DETAILS
SALARY
$36–$42 Per Hour
SKILLS
Allen-Bradley, Communication Skills, Computer Programming, Control Systems, Documentation, Electricity, Equipment Maintenance/Repair, Food Safety, GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices), HVAC, Housekeeping/Cleaning, Hydraulic Engineering, Identify Issues, Laptop PC, Leadership, Maintain Compliance, Maintenance - Electrical, Maintenance - Plumbing, Maintenance Services, Preventative Maintenance, Production Support, Production Systems, Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), Refrigeration, Regulations, Root Cause Analysis, Safety Compliance, Safety Standards, Safety/Work Safety, Servomechanism, Systems Maintenance
LOCATION
Chicago Heights, IL
POSTED
30+ days ago

Title: Controls Technician 3
Location: Chicago Heights, IL
Hire Type: Direct hire, Onsite
Shift: First shift (6:00am - 2:30pm)
Compensation: $36.00 - $42.00/hour
Benefits: PTO, Paid holidays, Medical/Dental/Vision
Must-Have Skill Set:  Allen-Bradley CompactLogix controllers


Job Summary:
The Controls Technician 3 maintains and troubleshoots all electrical, mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic, and control systems for plant production. This role supports safe and efficient operation of food processing and packaging equipment, performs preventive and corrective maintenance, programs and repairs automated machinery (including PLCs and VFDs), and ensures compliance with food safety, GMP, and safety standards. The Technician also documents work, trains other maintenance staff, assists with root-cause analysis, and supports production demands across all shifts under the direction of Maintenance leadership.

Job Duties:
  • Inspect, diagnose, troubleshoot, and repair food processing and packaging equipment.
  • Perform electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and control-system repairs.
  • Install and maintain automated equipment, PLCs, servo drives, robots, and power distribution systems.
  • Conduct preventive and corrective maintenance; monitor equipment condition and performance.
  • Maintain accurate documentation of electrical and control systems, hardware, and software.
  • Support production by performing maintenance while equipment is running.
  • Coordinate and train Maintenance Technicians across all shifts.
  • Lead troubleshooting and repair during equipment breakdowns.
  • Install, modify, and maintain pipe systems, valves, regulators, and related components.
  • Maintain facility structures and secondary systems (steam, water, air, refrigeration, HVAC).
  • Follow GMP, safety, food defense, allergen control, and HACCP requirements.
  • Use PPE, report safety issues, and ensure safe work practices.
  • Maintain clean work areas and report contamination or suspicious activity immediately.
  • Complete all tasks in alignment with codes, regulations, and company procedures.
  • May travel for parts, training, or assigned duties.
  • Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:
  • Formal training in electrical or electronic engineering technology.
  • Skilled troubleshooting of PLCs, VFDs, HMIs using laptop-based tools.
  • Must understandAllen-Bradley CompactLogix controllers.
  • Ability to read and interpret electrical, mechanical, instrumentation, and control-system documentation (P&IDs, single-line diagrams, loop drawings, etc.).
  • Electrical skills for 120V–480V.
  • CMMS proficiency (creating notifications, updating work orders, documenting feedback).
  • Mechanical and plumbing repair skills.
  • Ability to work safely, follow procedures, and use all safety devices.
  • Strong communication, documentation, and troubleshooting abilities.
  • Reliable attendance and ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced environment.

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