Electrical Engineer

Job Description

Job Description

French® is an ISO-certified, 4th generation family-owned U. S. company that custom designs, manufactures and supports hydraulic press systems for molding rubber and composite materials, screw presses for synthetic rubber processing and for the separation of liquids from solids, and oilseed equipment used to extract vegetable oil from seeds and nuts, and to produce biofuels.

For over 120 years we have partnered with our stakeholders, in over 80 countries worldwide, to provide products with superior value and superior service that improve our customers’ productivity and reduce their overall production costs.

Location: Piqua, Ohio

Position Summary

The Electrical Engineer designs, programs, and troubleshoots electrical and hydraulic control systems for custom equipment, including hydraulic compression molding machines, polymer dewatering and drying machines, and oilseed machines. This position supports projects from initial control system design through machine assembly, testing, field startup, and customer support.

Responsibilities

• Review scope of supply, functional specifications, and customer requirements with the Project Manager and Sales to establish the control system concept and identify missing or conflicting information.
• Develop electrical control schematics using computer assisted engineering and design software, including power distribution, motor control, I/O, safety circuits, and instrumentation.
• Design control panel, console, and field device layouts in accordance with NFPA 79, UL 508A, and applicable customer and site electrical requirements.
• Select and specify PLCs, HMIs, VFDs, servo drives, proportional and servo valve amplifiers, transducers, safety devices, and network hardware; develop the Bill of Materials for the electrical scope of supply.
• Design operator interfaces, including pushbuttons, selector switches, indicators, and HMI displays, with attention to operator usability, alarm clarity, and machine diagnostics.
• Develop, document, and maintain PLC programs for machine sequencing, timing, interlocks, alarm handling, and diagnostics.
• Develop HMI applications, including operator screens, recipe management, alarm and event handling, trending, and production reporting.
• Configure and tune closed-loop hydraulic control, including proportional and servo valve control of ram position, velocity, pressure, and force using linear position and pressure feedback.
• Configure and commission VFDs, servo drives, temperature control loops, process instrumentation, and industrial network architecture, including EtherNet/IP, Profinet, Modbus TCP, and OPC UA.
• Design safeguarding and safety-related control systems in accordance with ANSI B11.2, ANSI B11.19, NFPA 79, and ISO 13849-1; select safety-rated components and verify safety functions.
• Support machine assembly and wiring, point-to-point checkout, I/O verification, initial power-up, trial runs, and Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT).
• Travel to customer facilities to provide installation support, commissioning, startup, performance verification, and customer training, frequently working independently as the Company’s on-site technical representative.
• Provide remote and on-site troubleshooting of electrical, hydraulic interface, network, and control system faults.
• Produce and maintain as-built schematics, sequence of operations, network diagrams, program backups, and other control system documentation.
• Communicate project status and technical issues clearly and escalate scope, schedule, or commercial concerns to the Project Manager.
• Contribute to Company control system standards, reusable code, and design practices; support less experienced engineering and assembly personnel as requested.
• Follow all ISO 9001 Quality Procedures and Work Instructions.

 

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering (B.S.E.E.) from a four-year college or university; five years of related experience and/or training; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Knowledge of computer assisted engineering and design software and PLCs.
• Ability to read and interpret ladder logic, electrical and hydraulic schematics, PLC programming instructions, and technical documentation.
• Ability to define problems, collect and analyze data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Ability to communicate technical information effectively with customers, assemblers, engineers, management, and other business representatives.
• Ability to apply mathematical concepts, including geometry, trigonometry, fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions, to practical situations.
• Willingness to travel to customer locations approximately 10–20% of the time, rarely exceeding 30%.

 

AAP/EEO Statement: French Oil Mill Machinery Co. is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or veteran status.