Automation Controls Engineer Lead – Automotive Manufacturing

IAC Group; United States; Remote; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

IAC Group in the United States seeks a Senior Controls Engineer to design, develop, implement, and optimize manufacturing control systems for automotive production. You will lead capital equipment projects from concept through launch, ensuring safety, quality, and productivity targets are met.

Responsibilities include PLC/HMI/robotics programming, commissioning, debugging, and documenting controls. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams, perform PFMEA reviews, and drive continuous

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Controls/Mechatronics or related field.
• 7–10 years of controls engineering experience in manufacturing.
• Automotive Tier 1 experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, programming, commissioning, and validation of automated manufacturing equipment and control systems.
• Develop and modify PLC, HMI, servo, vision, and robotic control programs.
• Support new program launches by ensuring controls meet timing, quality, and production requirements.
• Establish process parameters, equipment controls, and monitoring systems to maintain quality and performance.
• Troubleshoot and resolve electrical, controls, automation, and process issues.
• Collaborate with manufacturing, quality, maintenance, and suppliers to improve performance.
• Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions for downtime and quality concerns.
• Document controls: schematics, network architecture, backups, control plans, equipment standards.
• Participate in PFMEA and feasibility reviews.
• Support sourcing, installation, validation, and startup of capital equipment.
• Train maintenance and production on operation, troubleshooting, and PM.
• Drive CI initiatives: OEE, scrap reduction, cycle-time, cost savings, expansion.
• Ensure safety, environmental, and customer requirement compliance.

Skills

PLC programming

Robotics integration

Industrial networks

Safety systems

Digital twins/simulation

AMRs/AGCs

Vision systems

Python / C# / C++

SQL/OPC UA

OT cybersecurity

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Controls/Mechatronics

Tools

Allen-Bradley (ControlLogix/CompactLogix)

Siemens S7 / TIA Portal

Beckhoff TwinCAT

Vidi Cognex Vision

Ignition

PowerBI

Job description

IAC Group in the United States seeks a Senior Controls Engineer to design, develop, implement, and optimize manufacturing control systems for automotive production. You will lead capital equipment projects from concept through launch, ensuring safety, quality, and productivity targets are met.

Responsibilities include PLC/HMI/robotics programming, commissioning, debugging, and documenting controls. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams, perform PFMEA reviews, and drive continuous