Automation Controls Engineer - Lead Projects & PLC Expert

Judge Direct Placement; Little Rock (AR); On-site; USD 145,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

STD & LTD

Paid vacation

401(k) match

Quarterly bonus

Job summary

Judge Direct Placement is seeking a hands-on Automation Engineer to install and support equipment in a high-volume plant. You will lead automation projects from concept to finish, coordinate external vendors, and oversee control system design, programming, and startup support.

You will implement changes per change control, troubleshoot with operations and maintenance, and drive cross-functional collaboration.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in Electrical/Industrial/Manufacturing/Controls Engineering or CS.
• Minimum 5 years of experience with automated control systems in a high-volume manufacturing environment.
• Strong expertise in PLCs, HMIs, and SCADA systems.
• Experience with Siemens S5/S7 and Allen-Bradley ControlLogix/RSView/FactoryTalk SE/ME, Rockwell Historians, VantagePoint.
• Proven experience in project management, costing, commissioning, and contractor supervision.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a hands-on engineer, actively installing and supporting new equipment throughout the plant.
• Lead automation projects from concept through completion, ensuring delivery on time, within scope, and within budget.
• Manage and coordinate external automation vendors and contractors.
• Oversee control system design, specification, programming, testing, and startup support.
• Implement code changes per change control processes.
• Investigate issues and provide technical expertise to production, maintenance, and engineering teams.
• Support operations by addressing technical inquiries and troubleshooting challenges.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to deliver projects.
• Develop machine control systems, including servo motion and high-speed device integration.
• Maintain day-to-day automation system performance, reliability, and new project integration.
• Support automation data collection, reporting systems, network infrastructure, and system security.
• Stay current with emerging technologies to address obsolescence.
• Identify and implement production efficiency improvements through system and equipment design.
• Remove operational barriers and support continuous improvement initiatives.
• Complete required training as assigned.
• Adhere to safety policies and company procedures.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Project management

Process engineering

System specification

Cost tracking

Scheduling

Contractor supervision

Spare parts management

Communication skills

Continuous improvement

Variation reduction

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Industrial/Manufacturing Controls/CS

Tools

Siemens S5/S7

Allen-Bradley ControlLogix

RSView

FactoryTalk SE/ME

Rockwell Historians

Rockwell VantagePoint

SQL

C/C++

Servo systems

VFDs

Job description

Judge Direct Placement is seeking a hands-on Automation Engineer to install and support equipment in a high-volume plant. You will lead automation projects from concept to finish, coordinate external vendors, and oversee control system design, programming, and startup support.

You will implement changes per change control, troubleshoot with operations and maintenance, and drive cross-functional collaboration.