Senior Automation Engineer

Job Description

Senior Automation Engineer

Location: Crossville, TN

Pay Rate: $110,000 - 130,000 per year
Employment Type: Full-Time Direct Hire

Comprehensive Benefits Package

Take a senior-level leadership role in industrial automation where you'll have a direct impact on manufacturing reliability, equipment performance, and continuous improvement. This position goes well beyond day-to-day PLC troubleshooting-you'll help lead automation strategy, modernize legacy systems, manage projects, and provide technical direction to automation and production teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design, programming, implementation, troubleshooting, and improvement of industrial control systems.
• Provide advanced technical support for PLCs, HMIs, SCADA, motion controls, sensors, drives, and industrial communication networks.
• Lead automation projects from planning through implementation, tracking scope, priorities, workload, timelines, and deliverables.
• Perform advanced troubleshooting and root cause analysis for automation issues affecting production, quality, safety, and equipment availability.
• Drive the modernization of legacy SCADA applications through migration to the Ignition Automation platform.
• Establish and maintain standardized PLC software backup, version control, recovery, and change-traceability practices.
• Lead system integration, testing, debugging, commissioning, and machine startup activities.
• Develop and maintain control-system documentation, technical standards, software backups, and troubleshooting guides.
• Support preventive maintenance programs by ensuring automation-related PM tasks and controls checks are effective.

Qualifications

• Associate or Bachelor's degree in Controls Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Automation, Mechatronics, or a related technical field preferred.
• 7-10+ years of industrial automation experience, preferably within high-volume manufacturing and fast-cycle or continuous-production environments.
• Strong PLC programming experience.
• Strong SCADA experience.
• Strong HMI experience.
• Experience configuring drives and industrial communication networks.
• Hands-on experience with system integration, commissioning, startup, debugging, and advanced troubleshooting.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

Meet Your Recruiter

Galen Schloming
Senior Technical Recruiter

Galen is a Senior Technical Recruiter at Sterling Engineering with nearly 14 years of recruiting and talent acquisition experience, spanning agency leadership, high-volume technical recruiting, and executive-level client partnership. Since joining Sterling in February 2026, he has brought a strategic, relationship-driven approach to supporting candidates and clients across manufacturing, industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and more.

Galen is dedicated to solving complex hiring challenges and building trusted, long-term partnerships with candidates, hiring managers, and executives. He takes the time to understand each person's experience, goals, and career ambitions so he can help connect them with opportunities that align with both their skills and long-term direction.

For Galen, recruiting is about being an advocate and facilitator during important moments of transition and opportunity. He genuinely enjoys learning what motivates people and helping them take meaningful next steps in their careers while supporting companies in building strong, high-performing teams.

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About Crossville, TN

Explore exciting job opportunities in and around Crossville, Tennessee! Nestled between Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga, this charming town offers a unique blend of small-town charm and big-city amenities. With stunning natural beauty, including the iconic Cumberland Mountain State Park and the picturesque Cumberland Plateau, outdoor enthusiasts will find plenty to explore. Crossville boasts a thriving arts scene, with galleries like the Art Circle Public Library and the renowned Cumberland County Playhouse showcasing local talent. Indulge in delicious Southern cuisine at local favorites like The Crust Pizza and Rib City, or catch a show at the historic Palace Theatre. Come discover why Crossville is the perfect place to launch or advance your career - apply today!