Sr. Controls Engineer

What's in it for you?

Gorilla Glue has been recognized as a top place to work for 16 years in a row, thanks to our commitment to creating a supportive and engaged workplace culture. We offer competitive compensation packages, comprehensive healthcare benefits, and other perks and incentives to ensure our employees feel valued and supported.

Joining the Gorilla Glue family means being part of a team passionate about building strong brands and promoting a culture of excellence. As an employee, you'll be able to help create high-quality products and build brands that people love. Join us in an inspiring workplace where you can belong, grow, and make a difference.

Summary Description:

The Controls Engineer is a hands-on technical leader responsible for designing, developing, programming, troubleshooting, commissioning, and continuously improving industrial automation and machine control systems. This role requires 10+ years of demonstrated experience with both controls hardware and software, including Allen-Bradley and Omron processors, PLCs, HMIs, drives, sensors, safety systems, robotics, and industrial networks. The position supports production equipment, packaging systems, fillers, cappers, robotic cells, palletizing systems, and other automated manufacturing equipment. The Senior Controls Engineer will lead complex controls projects, provide advanced technical support to manufacturing and maintenance teams, document control system designs, and drive automation improvements that improve safety, reliability, quality, and operational efficiency.

What will your day look like?
• Lead, organize, and prioritize controls engineering projects while providing technical guidance to maintenance, operations, engineering, and controls team members.
• Design, modify, and improve electrical control systems, control panels, machine wiring, safety circuits, sensors, drives, servos, pneumatics, and related mechanical automation components.
• Develop, write, modify, troubleshoot, and document PLC and HMI programs using Allen-Bradley and Omron hardware and software platforms, including processors, I/O, communication modules, HMIs, and related automation devices.
• Manage controls project scope, schedules, equipment specifications, capital equipment planning, vendor coordination, installation support, startup, and commissioning activities.
• Specify, source, and support purchasing of controls hardware, electrical components, processors, HMIs, VFDs, servos, sensors, machine safety devices, and spare parts.
• Support manufacturing equipment by providing advanced programming, troubleshooting, controls diagnostics, machine design improvements, reliability improvements, automation training, and technical documentation.
• Spend significant time on the plant floor supporting production, troubleshooting equipment issues, implementing improvements, and partnering with operators, mechanics, technicians, engineers, and leadership.
• Identify, justify, and execute automation projects that reduce downtime, improve throughput, improve safety, reduce operating costs, and increase equipment reliability.
• Support and improve automated packaging and production equipment including fillers, cappers, labelers, case packers, conveyors, vision systems, robotic systems, palletizers, and other integrated manufacturing equipment.
• Troubleshoot complex electrical, controls, network, PLC, HMI, drive, servo, safety, robotics, and instrumentation issues using schematics, diagnostic tools, software, and root cause analysis methods.
• Design, document, build, test, and support startup of electrical control panels, machine control systems, custom automation assemblies, and production equipment modifications.
• Other duties as assigned by management.

What will you bring to the table?

Education & Experience:
• A.S in Engineering, technical field, or equivalent.
• Minimum 10+ years of related controls engineering, electrical controls, automation, PLC/HMI programming, machine troubleshooting, and manufacturing equipment support experience.
• Strong work ethic.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Strong willingness to learn.
• Ability to use various hand tools and shop equipment.
• Ability to take direction from others.
• Must be able to work independently and demonstrate effective initiative.
• Demonstrate good judgment.
• Goal oriented, confident, outgoing, and able to work well under pressure.
• Expert ability to read, develop, interpret, and troubleshoot complex electrical, electronic, pneumatic, and machine control schematics.
• Strong knowledge of industrial communication networks including Ethernet/IP and machine-level control networks.
• Advanced knowledge of PLCs, HMIs, processors, robotics, pneumatics, sensors, instrumentation, motion control, machine safety, and motor controls.
• Strong knowledge of AC/DC motors, VFDs, servos, encoders, actuators, and integrated drive systems.
• Design knowledge and experience with electro-mechanical drive systems and pneumatics.
• Ability to understand and follow schematics, blueprints, electrical code, and manuals.
• Excellent communication and documentation skills.


Required Skills:
• Experience with electrical design documentation tools such as AutoCAD Electrical, AutoCAD, or equivalent; SolidWorks experience preferred.
• Advanced PLC programming experience with Allen-Bradley and Omron platforms, including new program development, program modification, troubleshooting, and commissioning.
• HMI programming and troubleshooting experience with Allen-Bradley, Omron, Pro-face, or equivalent HMI platforms.
• Robotics and robotic controls experience, including integration, troubleshooting, safety interfaces, and production support.
• Vision system setup, troubleshooting, and integration knowledge.

Additional Desirable Skills:
• Experience with production filling equipment, fillers, cappers, pumps, conveyors, and packaging line controls.
• Experience with production packaging equipment including labelers, case packers, palletizers, robotic cells, and integrated automation systems.
• Vision setup/programming for Cognex and Teledyne Dalsa.
• Understanding of NEC codes, NFPA 70E Manual

Physical Demands:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stoop, reach, bend, stand, walk, lift, pull, push, grasp, talk, hear, see, and lift up to 40 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision such as reading handwritten and or typed material and must have the ability to focus.


Company Values:

Adhere to The Gorilla Glue Company's Core Values that ensure everyone works together to exceed expectations.
• Have fun, be passionate and show it!
• Act with integrity and respect in all relationships.
• Communicate openly and appreciate the effort of others.
• Embrace knowledge, growth and change.
• Strive for excellence in what we do every day!

Are you ready to join one of Cincinnati's Top Workplaces ? Our employees love working here because of our environment, which is driven by our company mission and core values. If you have the right qualifications and thrive in a fun and fast-paced environment, we have a great opportunity for you to grow with us!