Controls Engineer

Company Summary

Our client is a global manufacturer of advanced, high-speed automated production machinery. They are expanding a U.S. engineering hub north of Boston to develop robotic and automation solutions close to their American customers. The hub works closely with a larger U.S. engineering site and engineering teams in Europe, and it concentrates on prototypes and early-stage project execution. Depending on the project and supply-chain needs, projects are finished locally or handed off to sister sites for production. The company has an immediate hiring plan for these two roles and expects to add several more engineering hires next year.

Job Summary

We are seeking a Controls Engineer to join a growing engineering hub. The role is focused on PLC programming and automation controls. You will develop, test, and support the controls for prototype machinery, work directly with customers, and travel for installation, validation, and commissioning. Engineers may own entire projects or take defined portions of larger ones, collaborating with colleagues across multiple locations.

Responsibilities

• Design, program, and debug PLC code for automated machinery and robotic systems
• Develop HMI and SCADA applications, and implement motion control
• Read and interpret electrical drawings to support design, build, and troubleshooting
• Support the first prototype build, then hand projects over to other sites for production as needed
• Own complete projects or defined portions of larger multi-site projects
• Travel to customer and installation sites for installation, validation, and commissioning
• Manage customer relationships and communicate project status clearly
• Proactively identify and resolve technical issues during development and commissioning
• Collaborate with engineering teams across U.S. and international locations

Requirements

• 5+ years of relevant controls and automation engineering experience
• Hands-on PLC programming experience
• HMI development experience
• Motion control experience
• SCADA software experience
• Ability to read and understand electrical drawings
• Experience with Rockwell/Allen-Bradley PLCs, or Siemens (other PLC platforms may be considered)
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Comfortable collaborating across locations in a structured engineering environment
• Willingness to travel
• Engineering degree preferred

Preferred Requirements

• Rockwell/Allen-Bradley experience
• CodeSys experience
• Robotics programming experience
• Master's degree in engineering
• Customer-facing experience and a proactive approach to debugging

Compensation/Benefits

• Base salary of approximately $150K–$160K, depending on experience
• Profit sharing of up to 4%, based on the company achieving its annual financial target
• 401(k) plan
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Travel expenses covered, including flights and hotels, with a company travel portal and company credit card
• $50 per day travel allowance
• Opportunity to join an engineering hub in growth mode, with significant additional hiring planned

Location

North of Boston, Massachusetts. This is an on-site role. Travel for installation, validation, and commissioning averages roughly one week per month, though it varies by project. Some periods involve two to three weeks of travel followed by several months with none.