Lead Controls Engineer

Armstrong Fluid Technology; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Armstrong Fluid Technology is seeking a Senior Controls Engineer to design and mature the complete control system for next-generation infrastructure products. You will handle closed-loop control, energy efficiency, secure communications, and HMI development while ensuring repeatable, production-grade software baselines.

You will collaborate with electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, and embedded software teams, lead reviews, and mentor engineers, helping define standard architectures and release

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical, Controls, Mechatronics, or Computer Engineering and Eng designation.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement closed-loop control for fluid systems (pressure, flow, temperature).
• Develop control software as a standard, repeatable product; support field units.
• Embed cybersecurity practices in firmware and secure communications.
• Develop intuitive HMI for commissioning, diagnostics, and operation with role-based access.
• Mature design through PoC, pre-production and production; define tests and release procedures; collaborate across disciplines.

Skills

Closed-loop control design

HVAC operations sequences

Model-based control design

Fault management

Embedded controller development

PLC development

C/C++ embedded programming

IEC 61131-3

HMI design

Secure device communications

IEC 62443 cybersecurity

Standards compliance (ASHRAE/UL/CSA)

HIL testing

Technical leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in electrical/controls/mechatronics/computer engineering

Professional Engineering designation (Eng)

Tools

MATLAB/Simulink

Job description

Imagine working at the forefront of innovation in fluid-flow technology, with over 1,400 colleagues across the globe and eight manufacturing facilities on four continents. Armstrong Fluid Technology is a community of the brightest and most creative minds, driven by a shared mission to engineer the future and safeguard our planet.

In this role, you will design and develop the complete control system at the heart of a next-generation critical infrastructure product — serving one of the fastest-growing and most demanding applications in our industry. The scope spans the full controls stack: closed-loop pressure and temperature control, state management and safety interlocks, alarm and event management, HMI, secure communications, energy-efficient operation, and product cybersecurity.

This is a standardized product development role, not a one-off project role. Our products are manufactured at scale, so control systems must behave consistently across every unit — released as version-controlled software baselines with standard configurations and formal change control. You will help mature products from concept through production, working alongside electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, and embedded software engineers.

Key Accountabilities

• Controls
  • Design and implement closed-loop control strategies for fluid systems — such as pump/flow control and temperature control
  • Architect system control topology
  • Design the alarm, event, and parameter framework
  • Implement secure communications and integration with building/facility management systems and customer equipment, using standard industrial protocols.
  • Optimize control strategies for energy efficiency and equipment performance
• Embedded
  • Develop control software as a standard, repeatable product
  • Provide ongoing firmware support as units are deployed in the field.
• Security
  • Embed cybersecurity best practices into the product, including secure firmware update processes, certificate-based authentication, and alignment with recognized industry security frameworks.
• HMI
  • Develop an intuitive HMI for commissioning, diagnostics, manual overrides, and standalone operation, with role-based access control.
• Standardization & Release
  • Mature the design through proof-of-concept, pre-production, and production phases, incorporating lessons learned while protecting the standard architecture.
  • Define controls checkout and factory test procedures so that every production unit is verified consistently.
  • Collaborate with electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, and embedded software teams, and represent controls design in technical reviews.
  • Provide technical leadership, mentor engineers, and set controls design standards

What We’re Looking For

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical, Controls, Mechatronics, or Computer Engineering;
• Eng designation is required.
• Minimum 10 years of experience developing control systems for industrial or mission-critical products (thermal, hydraulic, or rotating equipment)
• Proven experience designing and tuning closed-loop control for pumps, valves, or thermal-hydraulic systems
• Experience implementing secure device communications and embedded product cybersecurity practices.
• Demonstrated experience with engineering change management, BOM and drawing release, and configuration control within a formal product development lifecycle.
• Critical infrastructure, mission-critical, or HVAC controls product experience — including chillers, heat pumps, boilers, or variable-speed pumping — is a strong asset

Technical Skills

• Controls
  • Closed-loop control design and tuning for pressure, flow, and temperature
  • Sequences of operation for HVAC systems, including ASHRAE Guideline 36
  • Model-based control design and simulation (MATLAB/Simulink)
  • Redundant sensor handling and fault management
• Embedded
  • Embedded controller and PLC development
  • Embedded programming in C/C++ and IEC 61131-3
  • Firmware lifecycle: version control, upgrade procedures, and compatibility matrices
• HMI
  • HMI design and development for commissioning, diagnostics, and operation
• Communications & Security
  • Secure device communications and integration using standard building/industrial protocols (BACnet, Modbus, MQTT)
  • Alignment with recognized cybersecurity standards, including IEC 62443
  • Event logging, telemetry, and remote diagnostics design
• Standards & Verification
  • HVAC energy and efficiency standards, including ASHRAE 90.1
  • Product safety and regulatory compliance (UL/CSA 60730, EMC)
  • Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing and control system verification

Soft Skills

• Ability to simplify complex problems and provide clear, well-reasoned recommendations.
• A product mindset — designing for repeatability, reliability, and scale, with the discipline to follow standard documentation and release processes.
• An ability to communicate openly and authentically in all situations.

Why Armstrong Fluid Technology?

By joining us, you’ll become part of a global community pushing the boundaries of fluid-flow technology while upholding Armstrong’s commitment to sustainability. Together, we’ll build tomorrow’s solutions today.