Electrical Controls Engineer

JD from Top Echelon Network

Electrical Controls Engineer


Anderson, SC OH229-2756312

Great company with a great culture located in Anderson SC which is near Greenville and Clemson University. Have placed Controls Engineers and several others at this plant before. Well established consumer products manufacturer.

Looking for an experienced Electrical Controls Engineer to specify, design, implement, and maintain complex controls systems and software programming on production equipment and associated machinery while training and assisting Controls Technicians in solving complex problems. This person will also lead projects and work with customers to solve equipment issues. Must be willing to be on call. This person will work in the paper converting side of the business.

Need someone with a BS in Electrical Engineering or Electronics to be considered. That is a must. Someone with strong PLC and HMI programming with strong project management and leadership skills. Preference is someone out of consumer products or high speed manufacturing but would entertain any industry as long as it is manufacturing. Must be able to coach, train, and supervise Technicians. DCS experience is also preferred. Must be able to lead projects ranging from $50K to $500K and have experience with industrial control set up and troubleshooting.


Insights from POC intake call. Do not share this with candidates.

Electrical Controls Engineer


Location: Anderson, SC


Compensation: Up to $140K Base + 15% Bonus


Relocation: Available (lump sum assistance)


Work Authorization: US Citizen or Green Card Holder only


Client Overview

• Large consumer products manufacturing facility (800+ employees)
• Tissue and paper products manufacturing environment
• Strong hiring manager relationship; recruiter has successfully placed controls engineers and other professionals with this plant
• Stable company with strong culture and growth opportunities

Must-Have Requirements


Education

• Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering preferred
• Bachelor's Degree in another Engineering discipline may be considered
• No Associate degrees
• No Engineering Technology degrees without an Engineering Bachelor's
• Engineering degree is a major screening criterion

Experience

• Minimum 3+ years of relevant experience
• Manufacturing background required
• Currently working in an Engineering capacity
• Strong hands-on controls engineering experience

Technical Requirements

• PLC programming experience
• HMI programming experience
• Industrial controls troubleshooting
• Controls system design and implementation
• Industrial control networks
• Electrical engineering fundamentals

Preferred:

• DCS experience
• Allen Bradley PLCs
• Siemens PLCs
• High-speed manufacturing environments

Leadership & Project Experience

• Must have led capital projects
• Expected project size exposure: approximately $50K to $500K
• Experience mentoring, coaching, or training technicians
• Hands-on leadership rather than purely managerial
• Ability to support complex equipment and solve production issues

Preferred Industry Backgrounds


Strongly Preferred:

• Consumer products manufacturing
• High-speed manufacturing
• Tissue/paper products
• Paper converting
• Packaging
• Food & beverage

Acceptable:

• Any manufacturing industry with strong controls experience

Less Preferred:

• Automotive
• Aerospace

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Early to mid-career engineer
• Approximately 3-10 years of experience
• Strong controls-focused background
• Comfortable in a plant-floor environment
• Has ownership of programming and automation projects
• Looking for long-term growth

Red Flags

• Associate degree only
• Controls technician without engineering experience
• Maintenance technician background only
• No PLC programming ownership
• No manufacturing experience
• Frequent job changes
• Heavy contract history
• Requires sponsorship or visa support
• Pure design engineer with limited plant-floor exposure

Screening Questions

1. What is your engineering degree in?
2. Are you a US Citizen or Green Card Holder?
3. Which PLC platforms have you programmed?
4. Which HMI platforms have you programmed?
5. Describe a capital project you personally led.
6. What was the largest project budget you managed?
7. Have you trained or mentored technicians?
8. What manufacturing environment are you currently working in?
9. Do you have any DCS experience?
10. Are you open to relocating to Anderson, SC?
11. Are you comfortable with an on-call schedule?

Search Titles

• Electrical Controls Engineer
• Controls Engineer
• Senior Controls Engineer
• Automation Engineer
• Manufacturing Controls Engineer
• Industrial Controls Engineer
• Controls & Automation Engineer
• Electrical Engineer (Controls)
• Process Controls Engineer

Recruiter Notes

• Controls engineering capability is more important than a specific PLC platform.
• Client wants an engineer, not a technician transitioning into engineering.
• Stability matters; avoid frequent job hoppers.
• Compensation becomes challenging above $140K base.
• Candidates must be able to balance hands-on troubleshooting, programming, project leadership, and technician mentoring.
• Strongest submissions will come from consumer products or high-speed manufacturing environments with proven PLC/HMI programming ownership and capital project leadership.