Senior Automation Engineer

Waterstone Human capital; Toronto; On-site; CAD 104,000 - 127,000; Full time

Job summary

Waterstone Human Capital, on behalf of a leading heavy manufacturing equipment designer in Toronto, Canada, seeks a Senior Automation Engineer to own custom PLC programming projects from scratch, oversee testing, and drive on-site commissioning with the team.

You will work with a team of controls engineers, mentor junior staff, and travel occasionally for on-site commissioning and customer training, taking ownership of controls deliverables from concept to final acceptance.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of hands-on PLC programming / controls engineering experience.
• Strong experience with Allen-Bradley PLC platforms (RSLogix 5000/500)
• Proven ability to write controls code from scratch for custom equipment
• Experience with motion control systems: servo drives and VFD motors
• Ability to read electrical schematics; comfortable using AutoCAD Electrical to update drawings
• Engineering degree, technical diploma, or equivalent hands-on experience in electrical/controls
• Must be legally authorized to work in Canada (Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or equivalent) without employer sponsorship

Responsibilities

• Program and debug PLC logic (ladder logic and structured text) on Allen-Bradley platforms for custom equipment builds
• Write structured, reusable code largely from scratch for custom machines
• Configure and startup motion control systems, including servo drives and VFD motors
• Test, commission, and troubleshoot machines prior to shipment and installation
• Travel occasionally for on-site commissioning and customer training
• Maintain accurate testing records, specifications, and design documentation
• Act as liaison between mechanical, testing, and electrical design teams
• Provide informal mentorship to junior and mid-level engineers

Skills

PLC programming

Allen-Bradley platforms

Motion control systems

Electrical/electronics

Education

Engineering degree or technical diploma

Tools

AutoCAD Electrical

RSLogix 5000/500

HMI programming

Job description

Reports to: Electrical Engineering Manager

Compensation: $115,000+ CAD, DOE

Our client is a vertically integrated designer and manufacturer of large-scale, custom industrial equipment for the heavy manufacturing sector, handling everything from mechanical and electrical engineering to PLC programming and assembly in-house. They're looking for a Senior Automation Engineer to join a growing electrical engineering team as they invest further in their controls capabilities.

Your Role:

Every project here is custom, there's no off-the-shelf system to plug in and go. As Senior Automation Engineer, you'll write PLC programs from scratch for large, one-of-a-kind machines, then see them through testing and on-site commissioning, acting as the team's go-to controls expert on projects that will genuinely challenge you.

What You’ll Do:

• Program and debug PLC logic (ladder logic and structured text) on Allen-Bradley platforms for custom equipment builds
• Write structured, well-documented, reusable code, largely from scratch given the custom nature of each project
• Configure and start up motion control systems, including servo drives and VFD motors
• Test and commission machines prior to shipment, and troubleshoot electrical/mechanical issues during testing and installation
• Travel occasionally (roughly 10% or less) for on-site commissioning and customer training
• Maintain accurate testing records, specifications, and design documentation
• Act as a liaison between mechanical engineering, testing, and the electrical design team
• Provide informal mentorship to junior and mid-level engineers

What You’ll Bring:

• 5+ years of hands-on PLC programming / controls engineering experience
• Strong experience with Allen-Bradley PLC platforms (RSLogix 5000/500); HMI programming a plus
• Proven ability to write controls code from scratch for custom equipment, not just modify or maintain existing programs
• Experience with motion control systems: servo drives, VFD motors, and device networking
• Ability to read and interpret electrical schematics; comfortable using AutoCAD Electrical to update drawings
• Engineering degree, technical diploma, or equivalent hands-on experience in electrical/controls
• Must be legally authorized to work in Canada (Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or equivalent) without the need for employer-sponsored work permit support

Why Join?

This is a rare chance to do genuinely from-scratch controls engineering, not templated logic inherited from someone else, on equipment builds that are one-of-a-kind every time. The company is investing heavily in its controls and automation capabilities as it grows, giving you real visibility and room to shape how the team's technical practices evolve. You'll also mentor other engineers along the way, building your leadership profile alongside your technical one.