Senior Controls System Engineer

We are seeking a Sr. Controls Systems Engineer to own the hands-on design, programming, commissioning, and sustained operation of controls and automation systems across our manufacturing environment. This is a deeply technical, individual-contributor role: you will personally architect and program PLC systems, build SCADA/HMI applications, integrate industrial robots and automation cells, and serve as the technical authority for controls integration across the MES, ERP, WMS, QMS, PLC, and SCADA layers.

Working in a fast-paced manufacturing setting, you will operate with high autonomy and a strong bias for action-diving deep into PLC programming, SCADA system design, and controls architecture while ensuring daily production reliability, safety, and performance. Your scope spans pilot operations through high-volume production across diverse processes and lines. Rather than managing a team, you will lead through technical depth: setting controls standards, mentoring fellow engineers, guiding system integrators, and raising the bar on engineering quality across the organization.

You thrive on the practical challenges of the factory floor-troubleshooting live equipment, improving cycle time and uptime, and turning a pilot line into a repeatable, high-yield production system.

Key job responsibilities

Controls Design & Development

• Design and program PLC architecture (Siemens TIA Portal and/or Rockwell Studio 5000/ControlLogix), define programming standards, and develop controls design specifications for a scalable framework spanning pilot through high-volume production.
• Develop and enforce controls standards (hardware, software, networking); review and validate that system integrators and vendors deliver in strict compliance.
• Design, deploy, and maintain the SCADA/HMI layer (e.g., Ignition, FactoryTalk, WinCC), providing real-time visibility into line performance, alarms, and production data.
• Implement automation and robot integration (e.g., Fanuc, KUKA, ABB) across assembly and automation cells, ensuring standardized programming, safety compliance, and maintainability.
• Develop functional safety designs (SafetyPLC, safety-rated networks) and apply equipment safety standards for all automated systems, ensuring compliance with industry regulations and Amazon safety requirements.

MES & Systems Integration

• Implement MES integration at the controls layer, bridging MES, ERP, WMS, QMS, PLC, and SCADA systems to ensure seamless data flow from the shop floor to enterprise systems.
• Partner with the Factory Software team on system architecture, data models, and integration-defining clear interface boundaries and supporting coordinated deployment.
• Build traceability, genealogy, and quality data capture at the controls layer to support analytics, yield improvement, and regulatory compliance.
• Apply standards for connectivity protocols (OPC-UA, EtherNet/IP, PROFINET), data historians, and reporting infrastructure that enable data-driven decision making.

Line Deployment, Commissioning & Ramp

• Own the controls engineering scope for line deployment: design review, vendor coordination, FAT, SAT, commissioning, and ramp to high-volume production.
• Coordinate system integrator relationships: define specifications, conduct design reviews, verify adherence to controls standards, and drive issue resolution.
• Lead troubleshooting, optimization, cycle-time improvement, and reliability growth through production ramp to steady-state operations.
• Collaborate with Operations, Process Engineering, and Quality teams to ensure controls solutions meet operational and production requirements.
• Drive root cause analysis on system failures; implement countermeasures and preventive mechanisms to improve reliability and uptime (MTTR/MTBF).
• Develop commissioning playbooks, validation protocols, and startup checklists that enable repeatable, rapid line launches.

Technical Excellence & Sustained Operations

• Serve as a hands-on technical authority for controls-mentoring fellow engineers and elevating engineering practices through influence rather than direct management.
• Support 24/7 production through on-call participation and escalation, diving deep on the factory floor to restore and improve automated systems.
• Create and maintain knowledge management resources, troubleshooting databases, and continuous-improvement mechanisms for controls reliability.
• Own technical documentation for electrical and control systems.
• Uphold a culture of technical excellence, ownership, and operational rigor with the highest standards for system quality and documentation.