Controls Engineer

Job Title: Controls Engineer
Job Description
The Controls Engineer plays a key role in a growing frozen breakfast manufacturing operation that is investing heavily in automation, new production lines, and expanded shift coverage for higher throughput. In this role, you work side-by-side with maintenance technicians on the plant floor to troubleshoot complex electrical and controls issues, minimize downtime, and support the integration of new equipment and capital projects. You serve as the technical expert for PLCs, HMIs, VFDs, and SCADA systems, supporting startups, FAT/SAT, and commissioning activities for new lines and equipment without carrying overall project management responsibility.
Responsibilities

• Work directly on the manufacturing floor at least half of the time, partnering with maintenance technicians to troubleshoot and resolve complex electrical and controls issues in real time.
• Diagnose PLC programs and sequences (primarily Rockwell/Allen-Bradley and Siemens) to identify faults, determine where the process is in the sequence, and implement corrective actions.
• Serve as the technical expert for plant automation systems, including PLCs, HMIs, VFDs, servo drives, and SCADA, ensuring reliable operation and minimal downtime.
• Support new equipment integration and capital projects by reviewing and understanding vendor-supplied programs, performing root cause analysis on equipment issues, and recommending technical solutions.
• Assist with the scope and technical content of capital expenditure (capex) project proposals, providing detailed input on controls and automation requirements.
• Act as the site technical lead for outside contractors during controls-related work, guiding them on plant standards and integration needs while not serving as the overall project manager.
• Integrate PLCs into existing and new automation systems, ensuring proper communication, configuration, and functionality across equipment and lines.
• Support FAT (Factory Acceptance Testing), SAT (Site Acceptance Testing), and commissioning activities for new lines and equipment from a controls and automation standpoint.
• Install and configure VFDs, servo drives, and related components, including wiring, parameter entry, and functional verification.
• Troubleshoot and support 480V motors and associated control circuitry within an automated manufacturing environment.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with production, maintenance, and engineering teams to triage issues, prioritize work, and ensure smooth operation of high-throughput manufacturing lines.
• Provide occasional remote support by being on call to diagnose controls and automation issues over the phone for off-shifts when needed.

Essential Skills

• Demonstrated ability to work with PLCs and diagnose where equipment is in a sequence, with hands-on experience in Rockwell/Allen-Bradley and/or Siemens PLC platforms.
• At least 2 years of electrical and controls experience in an automated manufacturing environment, supporting production and maintenance teams.
• Proven experience troubleshooting automation systems on the plant floor and performing root cause analysis on equipment issues using vendor-developed programs.
• Hands-on experience with 480V motors, including installation, wiring, and troubleshooting in a manufacturing setting.
• Experience installing and configuring VFDs and servo drives, including wiring and entering operating parameters.
• Ability to integrate PLCs into new and existing automation systems and support related projects through implementation and optimization.
• Experience working as a technical resource on capital projects, assisting with scope definition and serving as a site lead for contractors without owning full project management.
• Solid understanding of controls and automation in high-throughput manufacturing environments such as food, automotive, chemical, or pharmaceutical production.
• Willingness and ability to be occasionally on call to diagnose controls issues remotely for off-shift operations.
• Comfort working 100% on site and spending a significant portion of time (at least 50%) on the manufacturing floor.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• 2+ years of manufacturing experience is ideal, particularly in roles that support maintenance teams and troubleshoot vendor-developed control programs.
• Experience in food manufacturing is helpful, though backgrounds in other automated industries such as automotive, chemical, or pharmaceutical are also relevant.
• Familiarity with Siemens TIA Portal is a plus.
• Experience with ABB robotics and the ability to jump in and troubleshoot robotic systems is highly desirable.
• Exposure to SCADA systems and HMI interfaces in a production environment.
• Ability to support FAT, SAT, and commissioning activities for new equipment and lines, even without formal commissioning experience.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to perform detailed root cause analysis on equipment and controls issues.
• Effective communication skills for collaborating cross-functionally and working with external contractors and vendors.
• Motivation to contribute to a growing operation that is adding new lines and installing state-of-the-art equipment, playing a pivotal role in launching new products.
• Interest in working in a dynamic environment with ongoing automation upgrades and capital investments.

Job Type & Location
This is a Permanent position based out of Hazelwood, MO.
Pay and Benefits
The pay range for this position is $120000.00 - $130000.00/yr.
Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.
see attached- 401k, competitive PTO and up to 10% bonus potential
Workplace Type
This is a fully onsite position in Hazelwood,MO.
Application Deadline
This position is anticipated to close on Oct 6, 2026.
About Actalent


Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.


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