Automation Controls Technician

Lead Automation Maintenance Technician – Allen-Bradley / Siemens PLCs Up to $38.00/Hour + Shift Differentials Greater Milwaukee, WI All Shifts Available Direct-Hire Compensation & Earnings: Up to $38.00/hour starting rate (scaling directly with technical depth) + competitive shift differentials + multiple corporate performance bonuses throughout the year + full comprehensive benefits package. Work Schedule & Choice: Choice of traditional shifts (Monday - Friday): 1st Shift (7:00 AM - 3:00 PM), 2nd Shift (3:00 PM - 11:00 PM), or 3rd Shift (11:00 PM - 7:00 AM). Work Environment & Culture: High-tech, collaborative manufacturing facility in Greater Milwaukee; high-autonomy, non-micromanaged shop floor culture built on technical respect. Core Technical Scope: 3+ years of hands-on industrial equipment maintenance; Allen-Bradley or Siemens PLC fault-tracing; robotics; AC/DC electrical up to 480V; VFDs; pneumatics; electrical/mechanical schematic tracing. Company Stability & Culture: Established market leader known for long-tenured employees, heavy reinvestment, exceptional employee appreciation, profit sharing, and zero-layoff history. Strict Requirements: U.S. Citizenship or Permanent Residency (Green Card); local commute within a comfortable 45-minute daily drive of Greater Milwaukee, WI. If you are an industrial maintenance professional looking for a stable, high-autonomy career home where your trade skills are respected and micromanagement is left at the door, this is your ideal destination. Operating out of a premier manufacturing facility in the Greater Milwaukee area, this market leader has built a reputation for being genuinely employee-friendly, collaborative, and financially rock-solid. This role provides a rare opportunity to secure the exact work schedule that fits your life, with openings actively available across all three traditional Monday-through-Friday shifts. You won’t just be swapping parts; you will take true technical ownership of complex automation lines, advanced robotic cells, and high-speed processing machinery. Backed by regular profit sharing, performance bonuses, and a history of zero layoffs, this is an environment where technicians regularly plant roots and stay for decades. What You Will Be Doing (Daily Responsibilities) Diagnose Automated Production Lines: Execute real-time mechanical, electrical, and pneumatic diagnostics to keep automated machinery, processing lines, and robotic cells running at peak efficiency. Navigate PLC Logic & Controls: Interface directly with Allen-Bradley or Siemens PLCs to trace input/output faults, isolate software/hardware errors, and clear production line stoppages. Trace Schematics & Drawings: Utilize complex electrical blueprints, ladder logic, and mechanical drawings to perform emergency breakdown repairs and structured preventative maintenance sequences. Maintain Fluid Power Systems: Service, rebuild, and optimize heavy-duty pneumatic valves, cylinders, regulators, and distribution lines. Service AC/DC Drives & Power Distribution: Work safely with industrial power systems up to 480V, electric motors, variable frequency drives (VFDs), sensors, and low-voltage control circuits. Execute Machinery Fabrication: Perform light structural welding, torching, and metal fabrication to adapt, modify, or repair production equipment components. What We Are Looking For (Requirements & Qualifications) 3+ Years Industrial Maintenance Depth: Verifiable hands-on track record servicing and repairing high-speed production machinery, custom automation, or heavy industrial equipment. Automation & PLC Diagnostic Skills: Demonstrated familiarity working around automated equipment, including basic navigation, I/O monitoring, and error tracing in PLC environments. Schematic & Electrical Literacy: Proficiency reading electrical schematics, mechanical blueprints, and hydraulic/pneumatic fluid power diagrams without hand-holding. Proven Tenure & Reliability: Solid, stable work history showing strong daily attendance, safety dedication, and long-term commitment with previous employers. Local Commute: Residence within a comfortable 45-minute daily drive of the Greater Milwaukee, WI area. Compliance & Legal Authorization: Must be a United States Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident (Green Card holder). Preferred Technical Assets (Bonus Skills) Industrial Robotics: Hands-on experience with FANUC, ABB, or Yaskawa robotic arms, teach pendants, or end-of-arm tooling (EOAT). Fabrication & Welding: Welding certifications or strong proficiency in MIG/TIG welding for shop equipment modifications. Predictive Maintenance: Exposure to thermal imaging, vibration analysis, or computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS). #J-18808-Ljbffr Sterling St James Inc.