Automation Controls Engineer II — Systems Design & Debugging

Jobtailor

Alabama

On-site

USD 70,000 - 110,000

Full time

14 days+

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Job summary

Jobtailor seeks a Controls Engineer to design and support control system architectures for automated manufacturing equipment in Alabama. You will collaborate with applications engineers to input controls architecture from concept through detailed design and help implement robust safety systems and PLC/HMI programming.

You will develop offline simulations, assist online debugging and commissioning, and produce comprehensive controls documentation.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree or higher in Electrical, Mechanical, Mechatronics, Controls, or related engineering field.
Minimum 2 years of hands‑on experience developing or integrating industrial controls and automation systems, including PLC and HMI programming as core competencies.
Exposure to one or more industrial automation platforms such as robots, material handling systems (gantries, AGVs, conveyors), CNC machine integration, NDT, assembly, testing, or process tools (torque, welding, grinding, or similar)
Demonstrated ability to interpret and review electrical and mechanical drawings
Experience with industrial safety system design including functional safety devices, safety PLCs, and safety‑rated circuits
Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with applications engineers on conceptual automated manufacturing equipment, contributing controls architecture input from concept through detailed design.
Design and support control system architectures including network topology, I/O distribution, safety systems, and communication protocols.
Participate in the industrial controls and electrical design of bespoke automation systems.
Apply engineering first principles to analyze system behavior, identify root causes, and develop technically sound solutions to novel automation challenges.
Develop offline simulations of automated systems to validate control logic, robot paths, cycle times, and system behavior prior to hardware availability.
Support and execute online debugging and commissioning of PLC, HMI, robot, and similar industrial controls programs.
Integrate auxiliary equipment, machines, and tools into unified control systems.
Work with panel fabricators and field installation teams; provide technical support during system integration and commissioning.
Support and lead factory and site acceptance testing, and contribute to the build, installation, commissioning, and start-up of automated manufacturing systems.
Create controls documentation packages including sequence of operations, I/O lists, network diagrams, and program documentation.