Automation Controls Engineer: PLC & HMI Innovator

Contec Inc.; Spartanburg (SC); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Contec Inc. is seeking an Electrical/Automation Controls Engineer to support manufacturing processes and facility equipment in our Spartanburg, SC facility.

This role focuses on automating equipment, developing PLC/HMI applications, and ensuring compliance with NEC, CE, OSHA, and quality standards. The candidate will expand the SCADA system, collaborate with production and process engineering, and troubleshoot to improve reliability and performance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or Computer Science; minimum five years in a similar role.
• Experience with PLCs and motion controls, programming and architecture; industrial HMI design (Allen Bradley, Red Lion preferred).
• Working knowledge of RSLogix 5000; familiarity with robotics, vision, barcode, RFID systems and Schneider Electric platforms.

Responsibilities

• Applies standard engineering techniques to design, develop, and maintain instrumentation, equipment, and facility controls systems.
• Automates manufacturing process equipment using controls for lean elements like Jidoka, Autonomation, Andons, and OEE.
• Develops and modifies PLC or HMI applications, interfaces, or embedded controls; participates in design reviews and commissioning of new equipment.
• Troubleshoots and resolves control system malfunctions and recommends reliability improvements.
• Documents and maintains PLC programs, HMI screens, and parameter files for equipment.

Skills

Learning Agility

Problem Solving

Innovation & Creativity

Being Resilient

Supports Core Values

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or Computer Science

Tools

RSLogix 5000

Allen-Bradley

Red Lion HMI

Schneider Electric systems

Robotics

Vision systems

Barcode systems

RFID systems

Job description

Overview

The primary purpose of this position is to provide electrical/automation controls engineering support for implementation of, maintenance of, and improvement of manufacturing process and facility equipment.

Responsibilities

• Applies standard engineering techniques to designing, developing, and maintaining instrumentation, equipment, and facility controls systems.
• Automates manufacturing process equipment, using controls systems to provide; lean elements such as Jidoka, Autonomation, Andon’s, OEE indications/gains, etc..
• Develops new and modifying existing PLC or HMI applications, interfaces, or embedded controls.
• Participates in the specification of, design review of, testing of, and commissioning of new production and/or facility equipment.
• Assists in the troubleshooting of and resolution of equipment or control system malfunctions, and making recommendations that will improve reliability and prevent reoccurring malfunction.
• Documents and maintains all PLC programs, HMI screen files, other parameter files for all manufacturing and/or facility equipment.
• Maintains software interface programs and necessary hardware for legacy and up-to-date versions as needed to modify/maintain all machine controls.
• Interfaces with machine providers to require adherence to Contec requirements for machine control components, spare parts, etc.
• Understands and ensures compliance to all relevant national and international safety regulations, quality standards, and internal and external customer requirements. (NEC, CE, OSHA, etc.)
• Expands, as needed/as requested, Contec’s SCADA system, providing additional functional capabilities for the monitoring and where appropriate, control of critical facility systems (HVAC, compressed air, boiler, etc.).
• Assists all functional areas, Production, Process Engineering, Facility Engineering, Quality, Maintenance, etc. as needed with technical expertise.
• Participates and works within ISO 9001 quality standards guidelines in accordance with Contec’s quality goals.
• Others may be assigned.

Competencies

To be successful in their essential duties, the individual is also expected to have general knowledge of and stay current in developments in the following areas:

Learning Agility: Actively learning through experimentation when tackling new problems, using both successes and failures as seeds for future learning.

Problem Solving: Making sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems.

Innovation & Creativity: Creating new and better ways for the organization to be successful.

Being Resilient: Rebounding from setbacks and adversity when facing difficult situations.

Supports Core Values: Able to demonstrate support and adherence to Contec’s core values: respect for others, doing “whatever it takes” within Contec’s core values, vision and strategic direction, exhibiting integrity, having a tolerance for risk, understanding there is life outside of work, enjoying the ride.

Qualifications/Requirements

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

Bachelor's degree (B.S.) in Electrical Engineering or (B.S) in Computer Science from four-year college or university. Minimum of five (5) years of experience in an equivalent role.

• Experience with PLCs and motion controls, programming and architecture, Industrial HMI design [Allen Bradley, Red Lion (preferred), etc.], machine level troubleshooting and debugging.

• Working knowledge of RSLOGIX 5000.

• Experience with robotics, vision systems, barcode systems, RFID systems, ad Schneider Electric systems (preferred).

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business

correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

Ability to apply advanced mathematical concepts such as exponents, logarithms, quadratic equations, and permutations. Ability to apply mathematical operations to such tasks as frequency distribution, determination of test reliability and validity, analysis of variance, correlation techniques, sampling theory, and factor analysis.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to a wide range of intellectual and practical problems. Ability to deal with nonverbal symbolism (formulas, scientific equations, graphs, musical notes, etc.,) in its most difficult phases. Ability to deal with a variety of abstract and concrete variables.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an associate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the associate is frequently required to remain stationary while working and communicate and converse with others. The associate is occasionally required to position self to move, traverse, retrieve, ascend, descend and work atop equipment or structures. The associate must occasionally retrieve, move and place up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that an associate encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the associate is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions; moving mechanical parts; high, precarious places; toxic or caustic chemicals; outside weather conditions; and risk of electrical shock. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.