Controls Engineer III

Details:

Job Title: Controls Engineer III

Location: Hanover MD

Schedule: Monday-Friday (Hybrid/Remote)

Travel: 50-75%

Pay: $150000 - $165000

Duration: Direct Hire

Important Note on Location & Travel

Hanover Location & Travel Requirements: This position is based in Hanover MD and requires approximately 80% onsite presence. Candidates should be local to the area or willing to relocate. Some travel to customer sites may also be required.

Position Overview

Our client a growing engineering and manufacturing organization supporting complex electrical and industrial systems is seeking a Controls Engineer III to provide advanced hands-on controls engineering expertise for custom-engineered systems and customer applications.

This is a senior-level individual contributor position requiring significant hands-on PLC and HMI programming experience. The Controls Engineer III will independently own controls activities across the project lifecycle while remaining directly involved in programming system integration testing commissioning and complex troubleshooting.

Candidates should have strong technical depth and remain actively involved at the programming level. This position is not focused on people management or traditional project management.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the technical development and implementation of PLC HMI and industrial controls solutions.
• Independently develop complex PLC programs from the ground up for custom-engineered applications.
• Own controls activities throughout the project lifecycle including requirements analysis controls architecture programming integration FAT commissioning startup and troubleshooting.
• Translate complex customer requirements and specifications into effective controls solutions.
• Integrate control systems with customer infrastructure third-party equipment and multiple vendor platforms.
• Configure and troubleshoot industrial networks and communication protocols.
• Diagnose and resolve complex controls integration and equipment issues during manufacturing and field implementation.
• Work closely with electrical mechanical manufacturing and field service teams to ensure successful system delivery.
• Serve as a senior technical resource during customer discussions testing commissioning and field support.
• Provide technical guidance and knowledge sharing while remaining a hands-on engineering contributor.
• Develop and improve programming standards technical documentation procedures and controls engineering practices.
• Support continuous improvement new product development and adoption of emerging controls technologies.
• Travel to company and customer locations as needed for commissioning startup troubleshooting and technical support.

Qualifications

• 5 years of hands-on controls engineering industrial automation or related programming experience.
• Advanced hands-on PLC programming experience with demonstrated ability to develop programs from scratch.
• Strong HMI programming configuration and troubleshooting experience.
• Demonstrated experience independently delivering controls projects from requirements through commissioning.
• Strong knowledge of industrial communication protocols and Ethernet-based networks.
• Experience integrating controls across multiple equipment and vendor platforms.
• Strong electrical troubleshooting skills and ability to interpret electrical schematics and technical specifications.
• Experience performing FAT startup commissioning and field troubleshooting.
• Strong customer-facing technical communication and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to work independently with limited technical oversight.
• Willingness and ability to accommodate significant travel during the initial ramp-up period.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering Controls Engineering Automation or a related technical discipline; equivalent technical training and extensive relevant experience may be considered.
• Experience across multiple PLC HMI and/or SCADA platforms.
• Industrial system integration experience.
• Experience with engineered-to-order or custom electrical equipment.
• Controls experience involving switchgear switchboards panelboards transformers or related power distribution equipment.
• Background within power generation/distribution utilities renewable energy battery energy storage data centers industrial automation or mission-critical infrastructure.
• Experience with protective relays power-system automation or related configuration platforms.
• Experience establishing controls standards developing technical documentation or supporting the development of less-experienced engineers.

Required Experience:

IC