Distillery Controls Engineer (Lawrenceburg, IN)

Distillery Controls Engineer (Lawrenceburg, IN) MGP Ingredients is a leading supplier of premium distilled spirits and food ingredient solutions. Its Distilling Solutions segment provides bourbons, whiskeys, ryes, gins, and vodkas to craft and multinational brands. MGP’s own Branded Spirits business is growing following the 2021 acquisition of Luxco and the 2023 acquisition of Penelope Bourbon. Ingredient Solutions delivers nutritional, functional wheat- and pea-based ingredients aligned with consumer trends. The company operates in locations across the Midwestern U.S., and overseas in Northern Ireland and Mexico. Opportunity The Distillery Controls Engineer provides technical leadership and oversight for the plant’s distributed control systems (DCS) and operational technology (OT) environment to ensure reliable, secure, and efficient plant operations. This role leads control system projects, supports system reliability and cybersecurity, and partners cross‑functionally to maintain and improve process control, instrumentation, and automation capabilities. What You Will Be Doing Project Management Lead large‑scale DCS and OT hardware and software upgrade projects from concept through commissioning. Develop project scope, schedules, budgets, and resource plans for capital and continuous improvement initiatives. Select control system hardware, software, and instrumentation solutions that meet operational and safety requirements. Coordinate internal resources and external contractors to execute projects safely, on schedule, and within budget. Oversee installation, testing, documentation, and transition of completed projects to operations. OT System Administration Provide subject matter expertise for DCS programming, troubleshooting, modifications, and system enhancements. Develop, modify, and deploy control logic, HMI screens, and instrumentation configurations. Partner with Process Engineering, Maintenance, Production, Warehouse, and Quality teams to support operational goals. Create, maintain, and control technical documentation for control system hardware, software, and network architecture. Maintenance Support Plan and coordinate control system activities for annual shutdowns and major maintenance events. Identify required materials, spare parts, and labor resources to support scheduled maintenance work. Verify instrumentation and control equipment meet calibration, performance, and safety standards. Leadership & Technical Guidance Provide technical leadership, mentoring, and guidance to engineering, maintenance, production, and warehouse teams. Support contractor onboarding and ensure technical alignment with plant control system standards. Respond to critical control system issues, including providing after‑hours support when required. Who We Are Looking For Safety‑minded individual with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, electro‑mechanical engineering, or related discipline, or an accredited associate degree plus at least five (5) years of relevant industrial experience. Complete and apply training on plant control systems, including DCS programming, HMI development, input/output configuration, and system troubleshooting. Configure, calibrate, and troubleshoot a wide range of industrial instrumentation and control devices. Create and maintain electrical and control system drawings using AutoCAD or equivalent drafting tools. Apply knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC) and NFPA 70E standards; utilize NFPA 70B and DISCUS standards where applicable. Perform control system engineering work in a manufacturing or industrial environment, preferably within distillation, grain processing, or similar process‑driven operations. Troubleshoot, modify, and support distributed control systems (DCS), including systems operating in virtualized environments. Execute control system project development, implementation, testing, and commissioning activities. Configure and support I/O devices, instrumentation, and associated control software platforms. Apply engineering principles to the design, operation, and troubleshooting of industrial control systems, instrumentation, and electrical power systems. Evaluate and implement current industrial control technologies to improve system reliability, safety, and performance. Administer and support control system infrastructure within a virtualized operational technology (OT) environment. Diagnose and resolve control system issues across hardware, instrumentation, networking, DCS, and HMI platforms. Prioritize and respond to critical operational system issues to restore safe and reliable plant operations. Coordinate effectively with contractors and service providers performing instrumentation and control system work. Use administrative and technical software tools to document, track, and support engineering activities. Provide after‑hours technical support, remotely or on site, when required to address critical system issues and maintain operational continuity. Physical Requirements Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook, SAP, copier/printer. Standard office equipment, computers, administrative software, manuals, technical documentation, books, and other written resources. Hand tools, power tools, two‑way radios, sanitation equipment, and laboratory or field equipment. Electrical measurement meters and programming devices. Industrial control system and automation software, including DCS and PLC programming platforms, HMI development software, virtualization tools, and instrumentation configuration and calibration systems. Electronic drafting and documentation software, including AutoCAD or equivalent. Material handling and access equipment, including fork trucks and JLG man lifts. Electrician’s hand tools and required personal protective equipment (PPE), including arc flash protection. This position involves significant physical activity. You must be able to lift to 50 pounds to shoulder height on occasion and remain physically mobile throughout the entire shift, including extensive walking, climbing, kneeling, stooping, and using stairs. You must be able to stand for periods of up to six hours. The role may occasionally require driving. Full sensory capability is required, including the ability to hear, smell, touch, speak, taste, and distinguish colors. You must be able to work in tight spaces and tolerate exposure to both high heat and cold for the full duration of the shift. Some tasks require remaining stationary at a computer for up to six hours. Benefits Exceptional medical, dental, vision, short‑ and long‑term disability, life insurance, 401(k) Match and PTO. All successful candidates for this position will be required to submit to a criminal background check and drug test as well as physical assessment. Candidates will also be required to achieve a qualifying score on a pre‑employment mechanical assessment. #J-18808-Ljbffr MGP Ingredients