Maintenance Controls Technician / Electrical Automation Technician
Clarksville, Tennessee
Industrial Manufacturing Facility | Full-Time | $36–$39.50/hr (up to $41.50/hr with shift premium)
$5,000 Sign-On Bonus
This isn’t a “watch the machines and call it in” kind of job.
This is the role the floor leans on when production is down, when a line is acting up, when a PLC logic issue is stopping throughput, or when a drive just doesn’t want to behave.
You’ll be the person who steps in, figures it out, and gets things moving again.
What you’ll actually be doing
You’ll be hands-on with a high-volume, automated manufacturing operation where downtime isn’t an option.
Expect to spend your time:
- Troubleshooting and repairing electrical + mechanical systems across production equipment
- Working deep in PLCs (Allen Bradley Studio 5000), ladder logic, and control systems
- Diagnosing and tuning VFDs, HMIs, motion control systems, ABB drives, and automated equipment
- Supporting AGVs, HVAC systems, and advanced production machinery
- Reading prints, chasing down faults, and fixing problems at the source—not just symptoms
- Making program adjustments, rung edits, timing changes, and system improvements
- Redlining drawings and working directly with engineering on updates
- Driving root cause analysis when something breaks more than once
- Supporting continuous improvement (5S, uptime, process stability)
- Installing, repairing, and maintaining electrical/mechanical components, conduit, motors, wiring, and controls
Some days you’re deep in code. Some days you’re in a panel with tools in hand. Most days are both.
The shift reality (read this part carefully)
- Start on 1st or 2nd shift during training
- After training, you will move to a 2-2-3 night shift schedule (5:45pm–6:00am)
- Candidates must be open to either shift during onboarding
Pay & package
- $36.00 – $39.50/hr starting range
- Up to $41.50/hr for top performers
- +$2/hr night shift differential
- $5,000 sign-on bonus
- Full benefits: medical, dental, vision, life insurance
- 401(k) with match
- Paid holidays + PTO
What you need to bring
- 4+ years in industrial maintenance (multi-craft or controls-heavy background preferred)
- Strong PLC troubleshooting experience (Allen Bradley preferred)
- Comfort working with VFDs, HMIs, motors, sensors, and automated systems
- Ability to read electrical schematics and mechanical prints without hesitation
- Real-world problem solving—not just textbook knowledge
- Willingness to work in a hot, loud, fast-moving industrial environment
- Ability to lift up to 50 lbs, work at heights, and move throughout a large facility
The environment
- This is a manufacturing floor—not climate controlled, not quiet, not slow.
- You’ll work in heat, cold, elevated areas, and tight spaces when needed. Equipment doesn’t wait for comfortable conditions, and neither does this role.
Why people stay in roles like this
Because you’re not just turning wrenches or swapping parts—you’re controlling how the whole system behaves.
If you like solving real automation problems, getting deep into controls, and being the person production relies on when things go sideways, this is that kind of seat.