Automation and Controls Engineer

Alloy Surfaces Co Inc; Chester Township (Delaware County); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Alloy Surfaces Company seeks an Automation and Controls Engineer to develop, program, troubleshoot, commission, and maintain industrial control systems and automated manufacturing equipment on the factory floor. This hands-on role focuses on improving equipment performance with safety and quality in mind.

The ideal candidate has strong PLC experience (Rockwell/Allen Bradley) and excels at solving manufacturing problems while collaborating with production and maintenance teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Industrial Automation or related field.
• Allen Bradley Logix, Drives, and Motion Program Certificate(s) a plus.
• Minimum of seven years of engineering, automation or equipment design experience in a manufacturing environment.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, test, troubleshoot and repair electrical and motion control systems used on production equipment in a manufacturing environment.
• Generate and maintain PLC programs, software revisions, electrical drawings, control, process and procedure documentation using Microsoft Office, AutoCAD, and/or SolidWorks.
• Develop, modify, test, document, and maintain PLC programs for manufacturing equipment and automated systems.
• Program and troubleshoot PLCs, HMIs, VFDs, servos, motion-control systems, robots, and other industrial automation equipment.
• Lead or support controls-related continuous improvement and capital projects.

Skills

PLC programming

Rockwell Automation

Troubleshooting

Automation design

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Industrial Automation or related field

Allen Bradley certifications

Tools

AutoCAD

SolidWorks

Microsoft Office

Rockwell PLCs (RSLogix / CompactLogix / ControlLogix)

Job description

Job Summary

The Automation and Controls Engineer for Alloy Surfaces Company (ASC) is responsible for developing, programming, troubleshooting, commissioning, and maintaining industrial control systems and automated manufacturing equipment. The ideal candidate is a hands‑on engineer with strong PLC and automation experience who enjoys solving manufacturing problems and improving equipment performance in a safety and quality‑focused environment. This position is primarily based in a manufacturing environment and requires regular interaction with production equipment, machinery, control systems, and manufacturing personnel. The Automation and Controls Engineer should be comfortable working directly on the manufacturing floor, troubleshooting equipment, commissioning new systems, and supporting production as needed.

Essential duties and responsibilities

• Design, build, test, troubleshoot and repair electrical and motion control systems used on production equipment in a manufacturing environment
• Generate and maintain PLC programs, software revisions, electrical drawings, control, process and procedure documentation using Microsoft office suite programs, AutoCAD, and/or SolidWorks.
• Develop, modify, test, document, and maintain PLC programs for manufacturing equipment and automated systems.
• Program and troubleshoot PLCs, HMIs, VFDs, servos, motion‑control systems, robots, and other industrial automation equipment.
• Must be proficient in Rockwell Automation (Allen Bradley) PLC’s controllers including RS Logix 500, SLC500, and MicroLogix devices. PAC controllers including CompactLogix and ControlLogix and some Siemens experience a plus
• Design, implement, and commission controls systems for new and existing manufacturing equipment.
• Troubleshoot electrical, controls, instrumentation, automation, and machine‑safety issues.
• Support equipment installation, startup, commissioning, and production qualification.
• Provide hands‑on support to manufacturing and maintenance teams during equipment troubleshooting and production issues.
• Integrate automated equipment with manufacturing systems, data collection systems, MES, SCADA, and plant networks.
• Identify opportunities to automate manual processes and improve production throughput, repeatability, quality, and reliability.
• Support the development and implementation of automated inspection, testing, and data‑collection processes.
• Perform root‑cause analysis on equipment failures, process issues, and recurring downtime.
• Lead or support controls‑related continuous improvement and capital projects.
• Ensure changes to automation and controls systems are properly tested, documented, reviewed, and implemented in accordance with established procedures.
• Collaborate with Quality Engineering to ensure automated processes support product quality, process validation, inspection, and traceability requirements.
• Work with equipment manufacturers, system integrators, and contractors on controls and automation projects.
• Support preventive and predictive maintenance strategies for automated manufacturing equipment.
• Ensure control systems and machine modifications meet applicable electrical, machine‑safety, and company standards.
• Provide technical training and support to Maintenance, Manufacturing Engineering, and Operations personnel.

Other job functions

• Ensure compliance with all company policies and procedures, including but not limited to the Code of Conduct, U.S. Code of Ethics and Business Conduct, and the Chemring Operational Framework
• Ensure the Group ethos of all employees going home safely at the end of their working day is adhered to
• Promote a high standard of ethical behavior and adherence to the Group’s core values, and promote a culture of honesty and integrity across ASC
• Comply with government and corporate laws, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures
• Special projects and additional duties as assigned

Supervisory responsibility

• N/A

Requirements

Education/Certification

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Industrial Automation or related field
• Allen Bradley Logix, Drives, and Motion Program Certificate(s) a plus

Experience

• Minimum of seven years of engineering, automation or equipment design experience in a manufacturing environment

Additional skills and qualifications

• Must be eligible to obtain and/or maintain a U.S. Government Security Clearance commensurate with the level of facility clearance
• Effective listening, communication (verbal and written), and negotiating skills
• Strong leadership, motivation and managerial skills
• Team player who works productively with wide range of people
• Motivated self‑starter, comfortable in fast‑paced environment
• Manages time effectively and adapts quickly to changing priorities
• Working Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, including MS Word, Excel, etc.
• Demonstrated ability to direct and coordinate activities of others, to take decisive action appropriate to the situation and business plan
• Personnel development and performance management
• Conflict resolution

Physical and other requirements

Lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, or otherwise moving objects, weighing up to 25 pounds. Requires the physical ability to build, repair and perform hands‑on troubleshooting of electrical and mechanical production equipment. Occasional work outside normal business hours may be required during equipment commissioning, planned shutdowns, or critical production issues. Some domestic or travel may be required.

Disclaimer

The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and essential job functions of this position. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job. Employees will be expected to perform other job functions and duties as may be needed and/or required.

Equal opportunity employer

Alloy Surfaces Company (ASC) is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, genetic information and other legally protected characteristics.

The “Know Your Rights” Poster is available here: EEO Know Your Rights

ASC EEO Policy Statement is available here: EEO Policy Statement

ASC is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the employment process, please send an e‑mail to [e-mail] or call (703) 574‑6049 and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.