Senior PLC Controls Engineer

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Salary Range: $122,720.00 To $147,680.00 Annually

Viable is seeking a Senior PLC Controls Engineer to serve as the controls technical lead for automated systems from concept through deployment, service, and upgrades. In this role you will define the controls problems to be solved, break them into well-scoped work for other team members, and act as the go-to controls resource for the project team, while remaining hands-on in PLC programming, commissioning, and the hardest troubleshooting.

This position is ideal for an experienced controls engineer who wants to lead the controls side of complete automated systems, set the technical approach, and help other engineers grow.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the controls technical lead for automated systems from concept through deployment, translating loosely defined needs into a controls concept, sequence of operations, and controls plan with identified risks and mitigations.
• Define controls problems and break project scope into well-scoped tasks with clear sequences, I/O, and acceptance criteria; assign them to other team members based on their skills and development needs; and track progress, review work, and integrate the results into a working system.
• Serve as the primary controls consultant for the project team, including technical discussions with customers, unblocking others and guiding their approach rather than defaulting to doing the work yourself.
• Help develop controls effort estimates for projects and proposals based on technical scope and risk, and flag early when technical findings change those estimates.
• Define the control architecture for each system, including PLC program structure, I/O and network architecture, and the handshakes between PLCs, robots, motion systems, HMIs, and software.
• Set project-level PLC programming conventions consistent with company standards, using ladder logic as the primary language ; define how logic is tested in simulation or on the bench; and review program changes before deployment.
• Define the HMI structure, alarm philosophy, and diagnostics for each system, and review the screens other team members develop.
• Lead the controls side of R&D and prototype efforts, directing feasibility studies, selecting the control approach and hardware for new automation solutions, and deciding which concepts move forward.
• Lead integration of complex hardware, including multi-axis servo and motion systems, robots, vision, and safety devices, across digital, analog, Ethernet, and serial communication protocols.
• Lead on-site commissioning independently, make technical decisions in the field, and communicate technical impacts to the project team.
• Define the validation tests and acceptance criteria that prove systems meet performance, cycle-time, and reliability requirements.
• Drive root-cause analysis for complex PLC, electrical, mechanical, and network problems, including intermittent faults that span multiple subsystems.
• Lead tuning of servo, motion, and process control loops, and resolve performance tradeoffs across the system.
• Drive system reliability and uptime through fault handling and recovery logic and diagnostics that make issues fast to resolve.
• Own the controls side of machine safety for each system, including designing the safety circuits and safety PLC logic that team members implement, selecting safety-rated devices, and validating safety functions, in support of the risk assessment.
• Determine required performance levels and verify safety functions against ISO 13849 or equivalent requirements.
• Coordinate the controls design with the electrical, mechanical, robotics, and software teams, and resolve interface and integration tradeoffs.
• Lead control panel design and component selection, and review electrical drawings for correctness and manufacturability.
• Mentor other team members through program reviews, design reviews, and pairing on difficult problems.
• Author and review functional design specifications, wiring diagrams, test procedures, and commissioning reports for the project.
• Ensure project documentation, program backups, and change records are complete and maintainable for future service and upgrades.
• Apply ISO, ANSI, and NFPA standards relevant to industrial machinery, including NFPA 79, and guide team members in applying them.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechatronics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering , or a related technical field.
• 9+ years of industrial automation controls experience, with a substantial portion leading the controls on automated systems.
• Expert-level PLC programming on Allen-Bradley and Siemens platforms, primarily using ladder logic , including structuring large, multi-module programs.
• Deep experience with servo and motion control systems, including multi-axis coordination and loop tuning.
• Experience defining control and network architecture across PLCs, robots, and HMIs using industrial protocols such as EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, Modbus, and CAN .
• Experience leading HMI and SCADA development, including defining alarm and diagnostics standards.
• Experience setting up version control, backups, and change management practices for a project team.
• Experience designing safety circuits and safety PLC logic, and working knowledge of ISO 13849, NFPA 79, and related machine safety standards.
• Ability to design and mark up electrical schematics and lead control panel design.
• Led the controls on at least two delivered automated systems from concept through customer acceptance.
• Experience leading the technical work of a small team, including problem definition, task breakdown, delegation, and review of other engineers' work.
• Experience developing controls effort estimates from technical scope and risk.
• Clear technical communication, including documenting design decisions and explaining tradeoffs to the project team and customers.
• CMSE and/or CFSE preferred.

The Company:

Viable Engineering Solutions is a world-class concept-to-completion center for the industrial market. We take Research and Development to the next level providing rapid prototyping, robotics, automation, and non-destructive testing solutions in our state-of-the-art concept-to-completion facility. We are located in Orlando in the heart of the Central Florida Research Park

Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity Employer Statement:

Viable Engineering Solutions is an Equal Opportunity Employer and takes affirmative action to employ and advance qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability.

In compliance with federal law, we encourage qualified individuals with disabilities and protected veterans to apply. Reasonable accommodations are available upon request. As a federal contractor, Viable is committed to complying with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA).