Senior PLC and Drives Programmer

Kellow Recruiting; Southwestern Ontario; On-site; CAD 83,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Extended health

Paramedical

Vision & dental

Life insurance

Long-term disability

RRSP contribution

Half-day Fridays

Job summary

Kellow Recruiting is seeking a Senior PLC and Drives Programmer for the Greater Kitchener–Waterloo Area. You will own controls and drives on projects, write PLC/HMI programs, and commission systems at customer sites with occasional longer hours and weekend work.

You will work with engineering managers, project managers, and automation engineers to define system operation, test programs, and support ongoing issues, with travel to Ontario and the United States.

Qualifications

• Substantial hands-on PLC programming, startup and commissioning experience.
• Strong Allen-Bradley/Rockwell skills; Siemens experience is valuable.
• Practical industrial drives and motor control expertise.
• Electrical and mechanical understanding that helps you troubleshoot the complete system.
• Independent judgment, clear customer communication and prompt escalation when needed.
• Related technical education or equivalent practical experience.

Responsibilities

• Write, debug and document PLC and HMI programs; prepare functional descriptions and test plans.
• Configure and troubleshoot industrial drives, motor control and coordinated motion applications.
• Commission industrial networks and resolve communication issues between controllers and connected equipment.
• Use electrical schematics and process diagrams to understand the system and diagnose faults.
• Support electrical design reviews and related calculations where your controls expertise is needed.
• Work with customers and project managers on progress, technical issues and changes to project scope.
• Provide field support, document work and share your knowledge with developing teammates.

Skills

PLC programming

Startup & commissioning

Allen-Bradley/Rockwell

Siemens experience

Industrial drives & motor control

Electrical & mechanical understanding

Customer communication

Team collaboration

Technical education

Education

Related technical education or equivalent

Tools

HMI software

Siemens/Schneider tools

Job description

Senior PLC and Drives Programmer

Greater Kitchener–Waterloo Area | $60–$65/hour

Our client is an established industrial automation and drive systems company with decades of experience solving complex problems for customers across multiple industries. Its growing team designs, modernizes and supports equipment where reliable controls and motor performance matter.

The role

Working with the Engineering Manager, project managers, and a team of automation engineers and technicians, you'll take ownership of the controls and drives work on assigned projects. You'll help define how a system should operate, develop and test the programs, commission it at the customer's site, and support it when problems arise. You'll begin by joining an active commissioning project alongside experienced teammates, then move into ownership of future projects.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Write, debug and document PLC and HMI programs; prepare functional descriptions and test plans.
• Configure and troubleshoot industrial drives, motor control and coordinated motion applications.
• Commission industrial networks and resolve communication issues between controllers and connected equipment.
• Use electrical schematics and process diagrams to understand the system and diagnose faults.
• Support electrical design reviews and related calculations where your controls expertise is needed.
• Work with customers and project managers on progress, technical issues and changes to project scope.
• Provide field support, document work and share your knowledge with developing teammates.

You'll follow safe work practices during testing and commissioning. Customer-site assignments can occasionally require longer days or weekend work.

What you bring

• Substantial hands‑on PLC programming, startup and commissioning experience.
• Strong Allen‑Bradley/Rockwell skills; Siemens experience is valuable.
• Practical industrial drives and motor control expertise.
• Electrical and mechanical understanding that helps you troubleshoot the complete system.
• Independent judgment, clear customer communication and prompt escalation when needed.
• Related technical education or equivalent practical experience.

Experience with web or strip tension, coordinated drives, Schneider controls, or multiple PLC platforms would be particularly useful.

You might enjoy this role if you

• Prefer working mainly with your team in the office, with shorter planned commissioning trips rather than extended periods away.
• Like the variety of different customers, industries, equipment and technical problems.
• Want ownership of your work while collaborating with experienced people who share ideas and solve problems together.
• Enjoy passing on your knowledge and helping less experienced teammates develop.

What's in it for you

This is an opportunity to do demanding, varied controls work with a team that has deep practical experience in industrial drives. You'll see your projects through from development to startup, build relationships with different customers, and have a meaningful say in solving the problems you encounter.

Most projects involve two to three months of in‑office development followed by one to two weeks of commissioning. Travel averages 15–20% across Ontario and the United States. When a project requires a longer site presence, the team may rotate coverage to limit time away.

Compensation is $60–$65/hour, depending on experience. The package includes

• extended health, paramedical, vision and dental coverage;
• life insurance;
• long‑term disability;
• an RRSP contribution of up to 2.5% of wages;
• four half‑day Fridays before Monday statutory holidays.

Business mileage and hotels are covered. Relocation support may be discussed for the right candidate.