Controls & Automation Engineer

Job Description

Job Description

Controls & Automation Engineer

Location: Lugoff, South Carolina

Salary: $85,000 – $95,000

Position: Full-Time | On-Site

The Opportunity

R12 Talent is recruiting a Controls & Automation Engineer for a manufacturing client in Lugoff, South Carolina.

This is a hands-on engineering position with a real opportunity to influence how automation is used across the facility. You'll work directly with existing production equipment to improve reliability and controls performance, while also developing upgrades and introducing new automation where it can improve safety, quality, and productivity.

The role covers the full spectrum of industrial automation, including PLCs, HMIs, robotics, machine vision, drives, sensors, safety systems, and industrial communications .

This would be a great fit for an engineer who enjoys being on the plant floor, troubleshooting equipment, programming controls, and taking automation projects from an initial idea through to production.

What You'll Be Doing

• Troubleshoot PLC, HMI, robotics, machine vision, and automated equipment issues

• Identify recurring controls problems and implement permanent improvements

• Restore and improve existing automation that has become unreliable or dependent on manual workarounds

• Develop and modify PLC and HMI programs

• Work with ladder logic, structured text, function blocks, and other industrial programming methods

• Develop machine sequences, operating modes, interlocks, alarms, diagnostics, and fault recovery logic

• Integrate sensors, drives, HMIs, cameras, robots, cobots, and other automation hardware

• Configure machine vision systems including cameras, lighting, triggers, recipes, tolerances, and inspection criteria

• Program and integrate industrial robots and cobots

• Support applications including robotic welding, machine tending, material handling, inspection, and fixture verification

• Establish reliable communication between PLCs, robots, equipment, process controls, and safety systems

• Improve machine safety through risk assessments and appropriate controls

• Develop custom scripts, interfaces, or GUIs where standard automation software isn't sufficient

• Evaluate whether existing equipment should be upgraded, redesigned, or replaced

• Develop new automated equipment and cells from concept through commissioning

• Support equipment installation, testing, debugging, and production launch

• Coordinate external automation vendors and system integrators when required

• Validate new equipment under real production conditions

• Develop consistent controls standards for programming, hardware, HMIs, alarms, backups, and documentation

• Maintain accurate source files, electrical documentation, schematics, and system backups

• Train maintenance technicians and production personnel on new or modified equipment

What We're Looking For

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Automation, Mechatronics, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline

• 5+ years of relevant industrial controls or automation experience

• Strong PLC and HMI programming experience

• Hands-on plant-floor troubleshooting and commissioning experience

• Experience integrating industrial robots or cobots

• Knowledge of machine vision systems

• Experience with drives, sensors, industrial communications, electrical controls, and pneumatics

• Understanding of machine safety systems and industrial safety circuits

• Ability to perform root cause analysis on complex equipment problems

• Experience developing custom logic or interfaces using at least one programming or scripting language

• Strong communication skills and the ability to work with Engineering, Maintenance, Production, Quality, and external suppliers

Relevant Technology Experience

Experience with one or more of the following would be particularly valuable:

PLC & Controls

• Allen-Bradley / Rockwell Automation

• Siemens

• Mitsubishi

• AutomationDirect

Robotics

• FANUC

• ABB

• Yaskawa / Motoman

• OTC

• Universal Robots

• Other industrial robot or cobot platforms

Machine Vision

• Cognex

• KEYENCE

• SICK

Experience automating equipment involving welding, brake presses, conveyors, paint/coating processes, motion control, fixtures, inspection, or material handling would also be beneficial.

The Type of Engineer We're Looking For

We're looking for someone who wants to own automation problems rather than simply keep existing systems running.

You might spend one day diagnosing a recurring PLC or robot fault, another improving an HMI and machine diagnostics, and another developing the controls for a new automated cell.

The successful engineer will be comfortable moving between troubleshooting, programming, electrical controls, robotics, machine vision, commissioning, and longer-term automation projects .

This is very much a hands-on position, so we're looking for someone who enjoys being around machinery and working directly with production and maintenance teams.

Working Environment

• Fully on-site in Lugoff, South Carolina

• Manufacturing and production environment

• Primarily plant-based engineering position

• Occasional after-hours or weekend support may be required for equipment issues, installations, or projects

• Candidates must be comfortable working safely around industrial and automated equipment

Salary & Benefits

$85,000 – $95,000 per year , depending on experience.

Benefits include:

• Health insurance

• Dental insurance

• Vision insurance

• 401(k) matching

• Health Savings Account (HSA)

• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

• Life insurance

• Paid time off

Why Consider This Opportunity?

This isn't a position where you'll be limited to maintaining somebody else's PLC programs.

You'll have the opportunity to improve existing automation, introduce new technology, develop controls standards, integrate robotics and vision systems, and design new automated solutions from the ground up.

For an engineer who enjoys seeing their work make a direct difference on the manufacturing floor, this offers a strong mix of hands-on troubleshooting and longer-term automation engineering.