Controls Engineer

Controls Engineer

The Controls Engineer designs, develops, and implements PLC programs for material handling equipment, with a strong focus on warehouse automation and conveyor systems. This role participates in all phases of the product development lifecycle, including analysis, design, electrical design, installation support, debugging, and collaboration with other engineering staff involved in electrical hardware engineering. The Controls Engineer works independently to address changing site requirements and delivers effective technical solutions that support the successful installation and operation of automated equipment.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop PLC programs for material handling equipment, including conveyors and other warehouse automation systems.
• Collaborate with internal engineering teams and project management to understand and define system requirements based on business and customer needs.
• Work directly with customers to clarify functional requirements and ensure controls solutions meet operational expectations.
• Create and support electrical designs that integrate controls and motor components with overall system architecture.
• Support electrical installation by interfacing with electrical installers and providing technical guidance throughout the installation process.
• Debug and troubleshoot electrical installations for controls and motor components to ensure proper system operation.
• Adjust and refine control programs and electrical configurations to accommodate site-specific requirement changes.
• Participate in all stages of the product development lifecycle, from initial analysis and design through installation, commissioning, and post-installation support.
• Provide on-site support at client facilities across the country, including system startup, testing, and performance validation.
• Document control logic, configuration changes, and installation details to support future maintenance and enhancements.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or Electrical Engineering Technology.
• 3+ years of experience in controls engineering.
• Proficiency in PLC programming for material handling equipment and conveyor systems.
• Hands-on experience with Allen-Bradley PLCs.
• Proficiency with Rockwell Automation platforms, including Studio 5000 and RSLogix.
• Experience developing, testing, and commissioning control systems for automated equipment.
• Ability to interpret and work from electrical designs and schematics.
• Ability to travel 60–70% of the time to client sites across the country.
• Strong troubleshooting and debugging skills for electrical installations and control systems.
• Effective communication skills for working with internal engineering teams, project management, electrical installers, and customers.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience working with warehouse automation systems and conveyor-based material handling solutions.
• Familiarity with state-of-the-art automation software and tools.
• Ability to work independently on site and manage changing requirements during installation and commissioning.
• Strong problem-solving skills and a solutions-focused mindset in dynamic project environments.
• Interest in contributing to a rapidly growing organization within the warehouse automation industry.
• Motivation to gain broad exposure to diverse client operations and applications across multiple locations.

Work Environment

This role involves extensive travel, with approximately 60–70% of time spent on the road supporting client sites across the country. Typical travel schedules may include up to 10 consecutive days on a job site followed by 4 days off. Work is primarily performed at customer warehouse and distribution facilities that use automated material handling and conveyor systems. The position requires frequent on-site presence during installation, commissioning, and debugging of control systems, often in active industrial environments. Travel-related expenses are covered, and employees receive a daily per diem while traveling. The work environment emphasizes collaboration with multidisciplinary teams, exposure to advanced automation technologies, and opportunities to support complex, large-scale warehouse automation projects in a rapidly growing organization.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Cincinnati, OH.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $30.00 - $55.00/hr. Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: • Medical, dental & vision • Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital • 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available • Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) • Short and long-term disability • Health Spending Account (HSA) • Transportation benefits • Employee Assistance Program • Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully remote position.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Jul 10, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email View email address on click.appcast.io for other accommodation options.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.