AI-Driven Controls Engineering Manager

PRAB, Inc.

Kalamazoo (MI)

On-site

USD 110,000 - 150,000

Full time

11 days ago

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Job summary

PRAB, Inc. is seeking a Controls Engineering Manager to lead and grow the Controls Engineering team, directing electrical design, PLC programming, and HMI development for standard products and engineered solutions.

You will drive engineering standards, tool modernization, and AI-enabled productivity while collaborating with Sales, Manufacturing, Customer Service, Purchasing, and Engineering to deliver reliable automation and exceptional customer experiences.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Electrical Engineering Technology, Automation Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience).
5+ years of industrial controls engineering experience, preferably with custom equipment or process automation.
Previous engineering leadership experience or demonstrated ability to lead technical teams.
Strong knowledge of PLC programming, HMI development, industrial networking, controls architecture, and electrical system design.
Experience with electrical panels, component selection, documentation, and applicable electrical codes.
Experience supporting quotations, estimating, and customer-facing technical discussions.
Excellent project management, communication, and organizational skills.
Proven ability to coach, mentor, and develop engineers.
Proficient using AI tools to improve research, engineering productivity, and technical problem solving.
Experience developing AI-enabled engineering tools or applications is a plus.

Responsibilities

Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing Controls Engineering team.
Oversee electrical design, PLC programming, HMI development, testing, and implementation.
Establish engineering standards for controls architecture, programming, documentation, reusable software, and component selection.
Drive standardization to improve quality, manufacturability, serviceability, and profitability.
Manage department priorities, schedules, resources, and project execution.
Provide technical leadership on complex customer applications, product development, and troubleshooting.
Support Sales through estimating, proposal development, scope definition, and technical presentations.
Collaborate with Engineering, Manufacturing, Customer Service, Purchasing, and Sales to improve products and processes.
Recruit, develop, and retain engineering talent while building future department capabilities.
Champion engineering productivity through automation, AI, and modern engineering tools, including internal AI applications.
Build strong relationships with customers, suppliers, and technology partners.
Travel as needed to support customer meetings, FATs, commissioning, and strategic projects.
Build a culture of technical excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Balance innovation with practical, standardized engineering solutions.
Improve engineering efficiency through better processes, automation, AI, and reusable designs.
Develop future engineering leaders through coaching and delegation.
Stay current on automation technologies, AI capabilities, and industry trends.