Industrial Control System Designer

Job Description

Job Description

Benefits:

• 401(k) with 3% Safe Harbor
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Training & development
• Vision insurance

Industrial Control Systems Designer
For nearly 30 years, Automation Solutions has designed and built custom control systems, UL 508A panels, and custom electrical solutions for machine builders and industrial clients.

In this position, you will provide electrical design , 2D drafting , estimating , component selection , and project documentation . Working closely with senior engineers, you will convert initial customer concepts into preliminary BOMs and designs for quoting, then complete full, production-ready documentation packages once an order is received.

This is a drafting, design, estimating, and documentation role— no PLC programming or field work involved .

We apply a proven toolbox of architectures across a wide variety of industries, including semiconductor manufacturing, food processing, portable machine tools, utilities, and robotics. You will not spend your career building variations of the same parts washer. Instead, you will encounter new industries , products, and engineering challenges constantly.

We expect your design responsibility to grow over time . You will not be asked to take an unfamiliar project from concept to production on day one. We expect questions, redlines, and iteration. As your understanding develops, reviews with senior engineers will increasingly become conversations between engineers rather than instructions, with the long-term goal of transferring significant system-design work to you independently .

In custom integration, many creative thinkers struggle to finish the boring last 10% after the main problem is solved. The right candidate is different: you get genuine satisfaction from knowing details are complete , BOMs are reconciled, and final as-built records accurately match what was built. You must be willing to say, “I don't know. Will you show me?” and then dig deeper, research beyond the immediate answer, and take ownership of accuracy.

Qualification and Skills:

• Demonstrated ability to read, interpret, and draft industrial electrical schematics

• Working understanding of industrial automation components (relays, VFDs, PLCs, terminal blocks, power supplies)

• Competence in conventional 2D CAD controls drafting (DraftSight or AutoCAD)

• Ability to build preliminary BOMs , research product availability, and estimate material and labor costs

• Experience researching component datasheets, identifying functional substitutes, and cross-referencing parts

• High attention to detail and personal ownership in producing clean, accurate final as-built documentation

• Strong spreadsheet skills and the ability to navigate technical data comfortably 

•   Confident, open learning mindset with a willingness to ask questions, acknowledge uncertainty, and research independently. 

Beneficial Experience:

• Working knowledge of UL 508A panel design standards and NFPA 79

• Experience with SolidWorks or other 3D CAD software for enclosure layout and mechanical design

• Hands-on control panel fabrication, wiring, or assembly experience

• Industrial distribution, component sales, or purchasing experience

• Basic PCB schematic capture and hardware layout experience

• Hands-on personal projects in electronics, equipment restoration, vehicle repair, or fabrication

Working Environment:

Most work is performed at our Beaverton, Oregon facility. Flexible core hours and hybrid/remote work flexibility are available once fully onboarded into our workflow.  This is a non-travel, local position focused entirely on design, estimating, component research, and documentation.

When You Apply:

In addition to your resume, please tell us briefly about a technical project you built, repaired, modified, improved, or taught yourself outside of work (e.g., Raspberry Pi, vehicle/equipment repair, electronics, machining, or fabrication). Tell us what you chose to do, how you approached it, what went wrong along the way, and what you learned from the experience.