Automation Controls Engineer

Socket.dev; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 154,000 - 266,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

401k

Relocation support

Flexible vacation policy

Equity

Job summary

Hadrian is hiring a generalist Automation Controls Engineer to join the Special Projects team, standing up customer production lines with tooling, robotic cells, and machine vision. You will own controls architecture from requirements through PLC/robot/HMI code, panel design, on-floor commissioning, and handoff to production.

You’ll collaborate with manufacturing, tooling, and software teams to take cells from concept to run-off under tight timelines; high-performers grow into Staff Controls

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a STEM field (electro-mechanical preferred) or equivalent experience.
• 6-10+ years delivering automated cells end-to-end in industrial manufacturing.
• PLCs & motion — Production experience with Beckhoff and/or Siemens, plus hands-on servo / VFD tuning and commissioning.
• Robotics — Programmed a major ecosystem (ABB, Fanuc, Kuka, etc.); comfortable simulating cells before hardware exists.
• Electrical & networks — Cabinet / panel design to NFPA 79 and UL 508A; fluent across EtherCAT, PROFINET, and OPC UA
• Commissioning — On-the-floor execution with root-cause analysis and practical problem-solving.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; collaboration with ME, tooling, and software partners

Responsibilities

• Own controls design for new robotic, CNC, and tooling cells from concept through run-off.
• Write and deploy PLC applications on Siemens or other hardware, with reusable libraries and standards.
• Tune and commission multi-axis motion as needed — servos, VFDs, and steppers — and integrate sensors and safety devices.
• Spec and design electrical panels, architect industrial networks (EtherCAT, PROFINET, OPC UA) that tie cells and lines together.
• Build operator HMIs and lead risk assessments.
• Commission on the floor and drive structured root-cause analysis to solve issues.
• Mentor engineers and technicians; codify best practices into libraries and playbooks

Skills

Controls design

PLC programming

Motion control

Robotics programming

Electrical networks

Safety risk assessment

Commissioning

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor's degree in STEM (electro-mechanical preferred)

Tools

Siemens PLC

Beckhoff PLC

Robot vendors (ABB/Fanuc/Kuka)

Job description

Hadrian - Manufacturing the Future

Hadrian is building autonomous factories to reindustrialize America. By combining AI, advanced software, robotics, and full-stack manufacturing, we help aerospace and defense companies build rockets, satellites, aircraft, ships, and other mission-critical systems up to 10x faster and at significantly lower cost.

Following our $1.37B Series D at a $7.87B valuation, Hadrian is rapidly expanding our manufacturing footprint, launching new capabilities across welding, casting, forging, electronics, additive manufacturing, and more, while scaling our Factory-as-a-Service platform to transform how critical products are built.

Backed by leading investors including JPMorgan Chase, Valor Equity Partners, Andreessen Horowitz, Founders Fund, 137 Ventures, Lux Capital, T. Rowe Price, and Morgan Stanley, we’re building the future of American manufacturing—and looking for exceptional people to help make it happen.

If you’re ready to take on the most challenging and rewarding work of your career while helping create American manufacturing jobs for generations to come, you’re exactly who we’re looking for.

The Role

We are hiring a generalist Automation Controls Engineer to join Hadrian's Special Projects team, standing up customer production lines that span custom tooling, robotic cells, and integrated machine vision. This is an end-to-end role: you will own controls architecture from requirements through PLC / robot / HMI code, panel design, commissioning on the floor, and handoff to production.

You’ll work directly with manufacturing engineers, tooling engineers, software engineers, and program managers to take new cells from concept to run-off against aggressive customer timelines. High performers grow into Staff Controls Engineer / Tech-Lead roles, setting architecture across multi-cell programs.

What You'll Do

• Own controls design for new robotic, CNC, and tooling cells from concept through run-off

• Write and deploy PLC applications on Siemens or other hardware, with reusable libraries and standards

• Tune and commission multi-axis motion as needed — servos, VFDs, and steppers — and integrate the sensors and safety devices that make it reliable

• Spec and Design electrical panels, architect the industrial networks (EtherCAT, PROFINET, OPC UA) that tie cells and lines together

• Build operator HMIs and lead risk assessments

• Commission on the floor and drive structured root-cause analysis to solve issues

• Mentor engineers and technicians; codify what works into shared libraries and playbooks

What We're Looking For

• Bachelor's degree in a STEM field (electro-mechanical preferred) or equivalent experience

• 6-10+ years delivering automated cells end-to-end in industrial manufacturing

• PLCs & motion — Production experience with Beckhoff and/or Siemens, plus hands‑on servo / VFD tuning and commissioning

• Robotics — Programmed a major ecosystem (ABB, Fanuc, Kuka, etc.); comfortable simulating cells before hardware exists

• Electrical & networks — Cabinet / panel design to NFPA 79 and UL 508A; fluent across EtherCAT, PROFINET, and OPC UA

• Sensors & safety — Confident selecting and integrating digital/analog sensors and safety devices; can run a risk assessment and defend a PL rating against ISO 13849

• Commissioning — Strong practical skills on the floor: wrenching, reading schematics, tracing variables, and finding root cause fast

• Excellent written and verbal communication; works well with ME, tooling, and software partners

Nice to Have

• High-level programming (C# or Python) to close platform gaps

• Machine vision experience (Cognex, Keyence, Zivid, LMI)

• HMI development in Ignition or WinCC

• MES / API integration (REST, MQTT, OPC UA)

Compensation

For this role, the target salary range is $154,000-$266,000 (actual range may vary based on experience). This is the lowest to highest salary we reasonably and in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range, and the range may be modified in the future. An employee's pay position within the salary range will be based on several factors, including, but not limited to, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, performance, and business or organizational needs.

Benefits for Full-time Employees

• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans for employees

• 401k

• Relocation support may be provided for certain situations, based on business need.

• Flexible vacation policy

• Equity

ITAR Requirements

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.

Use of AI in hiring

Hadrian uses AI-assisted tools in our recruiting and hiring processes to help our team work more efficiently. This may include tools that help organize and analyze recruiting data, as well as an AI-powered notetaker that can record and transcribe interviews and help coordinate feedback. These tools support our team and are not used to make hiring decisions. All candidate evaluations and hiring decisions are performed by humans. If an interview will be recorded, you will be notified in advance and may opt out at any time with no impact on your candidacy. Candidate data processed through these tools is subject to the same protections described in our Privacy Policy.

Consideration of Criminal History

Hadrian will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of all applicable laws. We do not ask about criminal history on our application, and we do not consider criminal history before making a conditional offer of employment.

Hadrian Is An Equal Opportunity Employer

It is the Company’s policy to provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. The Company does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race inclusive of traits historically associated with race (including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles, such as braids, locks and twists), color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, national origin (including, in California, possession of a drivers license), ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, height or weight, medical condition, family care status, military or veteran status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, exercise of reproductive rights, any other basis protected by local, state, or federal laws, or any combination of the above characteristics. When necessary, the Company also makes reasonable accommodations for disabled candidates and employees, including for candidates or employees who are disabled by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.