Automation & Controls Engineer (SCADA)

Divergent; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 106,000 - 194,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity plan

Paid vacation

Paid parental leave

Health insurance

Learning & development reimbursements

Job summary

Divergent is redefining the industrial age from Los Angeles, building advanced systems for aerospace, defense, and automotive sectors. The Automation Controls Engineer (SCADA) will own the Ignition SCADA platform, manage factory data and telemetry, and help scale data architecture for the Divergent Adaptive Production System (DAPS).

The role blends industrial automation with software and data skills, with growth into PLCs, robotics, motion control, and electrical systems as opportunities arise.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related discipline or relevant automation & controls experience.
• Experience with Ignition SCADA and related tooling is preferred.
• Knowledge of industrial data architectures and data quality practices.

Responsibilities

• Own, develop, and maintain the Ignition SCADA platform for factory data and telemetry.
• Design and deploy SCADA apps, dashboards, trends, alarms, and reports for production and engineering teams.
• Integrate PLCs, equipment, and facility systems into a scalable factory data architecture.
• Maintain data structures, tag standards, naming conventions, and interfaces for accessible data.
• Support reliability and performance of the SCADA environment and troubleshoot issues.
• Collaborate with manufacturing, facilities, IT, and other teams to translate needs into data solutions.
• Contribute to broader automation development and new DAPS modules and R&D systems.

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or relevant discipline

Tools

Ignition (Perspective) / Gateway administration

Tags, scripting, alarming

OPC UA

MQTT / Sparkplug B

SQL / Historians and dashboards

Industrial networking / connectivity

Git version control

IEC 61131-3 PLC languages

Beckhoff TwinCAT

Electrical schematic tools (EPLAN/AutoCAD Electrical)

Job description

Divergent is building the new industrial age. Every day, our teams design, manufacture, and assemble advanced systems for some of the world’s most demanding industries. Our integrated engineering and manufacturing platform transforms complex designs into production-ready solutions, helping customers move faster, build smarter, and deliver critical systems when they matter most. Divergent is a qualified Tier 1 supplier to global automotive OEMs and supports leading U.S. aerospace and defense companies.

Join us and help push the boundaries of what can be built.

Purpose

The Automation Controls Engineer (SCADA) will support the development and operation of flexible robotic manufacturing systems core to the Divergent Adaptive Production System (DAPS). This role will be primarily responsible for managing factory data, facility data, and industrial telemetry through the Ignition SCADA platform, making operational information reliable, accessible, and useful across the business.

The ideal candidate combines industrial automation knowledge with a hands-on software and data mindset and can deliver practical solutions in a fast-changing environment. While the initial focus is SCADA and factory data systems, this role will offer opportunities to grow into the full range of automation engineering disciplines, including PLC controls, robotics, motion control, and electrical systems.

The Role

• Own, develop, and maintain the Ignition SCADA platform used to manage factory, facility, and equipment data and telemetry.
• Design and deploy SCADA applications, operator interfaces, dashboards, trends, alarms, and reporting tools for production and engineering teams.
• Integrate PLCs, manufacturing equipment, facility systems, and other industrial data sources into a reliable, scalable factory data architecture.
• Establish and maintain consistent data structures, tag standards, naming conventions, and interfaces that make operational data accessible across the business.
• Support the reliability and performance of the SCADA environment, troubleshooting communications, data quality, and application issues.
• Work closely with manufacturing, facilities, automation, IT, and other technical teams to translate operational needs into effective data and visualization solutions.
• Contribute to broader automation controls development and commissioning activities as opportunities arise, including new DAPS factory modules and R&D systems.

Basic Qualifications

• Ability to lawfully access information and technology that is subject to US export controls.
• Bachelor’s degree in an engineering or relevant discipline, or relevant automation & controls experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands-on experience with Inductive Automation Ignition (Perspective, Gateway administration, tags, scripting, and alarming).
• Experience integrating industrial equipment and facility systems using OPC UA, MQTT/Sparkplug B, or other industrial communications protocols.
• Experience with industrial databases, SQL, historians, reporting, and operational dashboards.
• Knowledge of industrial networking, connectivity, and troubleshooting.
• Experience with sound software engineering practices, version control (Git), testing, and maintainable code.
• Experience with PLC programming using IEC 61131-3 languages; Beckhoff TwinCAT experience is a plus.
• Exposure to industrial automation hardware, fieldbus interfaces, and motion control.
• Experience with industrial robotics, controls commissioning, or R&D systems.
• Familiarity with electrical schematic tools (EPLAN or AutoCAD Electrical), applicable NEC/NFPA 79/UL 508A standards, and industrial safety principles.

Work Environment

• Office and factory environment
• 100% onsite
• Minimal travel
• Work near moving mechanical parts

Compensation

At Divergent, our pay range is based on the level of the job. For this role, we will consider candidates at levels Engineer I - Senior Engineer as evaluated through our interview process.

• E03 / Engineer I: $105,980 - $145,730
• E04 / Engineer II: $122,430 - $168,340
• E05 / Senior Engineer: $141,380 - $194,390

Pay Range: $105,980 USD - $194,390 USD

What We Offer

• Holistic Compensation Package: Enjoy a world-class compensation package that includes a competitive salary, equity plan, and discretionary results-based incentive bonus opportunities, ensuring you're truly valued for your contributions.
• Wellness and Time Off: Embrace a healthy lifestyle with paid vacation, sick time, and company holidays, including a year-end shutdown to recharge. We support growing families with paid parental leave, recognizing the importance of bonding time.
• Comprehensive Health and Wellness: Prioritize your well-being with our comprehensive health and wellness benefits, offering both HMO and Premium PPO options. Additionally, benefit from company-sponsored life insurance and short and long-term disability coverage for peace of mind.
• Investment in Growth: We're committed to your professional development. Take advantage of reimbursement opportunities for learning and development initiatives, empowering you to continuously expand your skill set and reach peak performance.
• Collaborative and High-Performing Environment: Join our collaborative, dynamic, and high-performing team within a fast-paced, mission-driven company. Together, we're disrupting the traditional manufacturing industry, fostering innovation, and integrating people and technology to reduce our footprint.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Divergent is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any other applicable state or federal protected characteristic. Divergent provides affirmative action in employment for qualified Individuals with Disabilities and Protected Veterans in compliance with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act.

EEO Poster

In order to adjust to changes in our business, it may become necessary to add, remove or modify certain duties and responsibilities, or to reassign you to another job position. From time to time you may be asked to work on special projects or to assist with other work. Your cooperation and assistance in performing such additional work is expected.

E-Verify: Right to Work

Our company participates in E-Verify. E-Verify is a program that electronically confirms a candidate’s eligibility to work in the United States after completing the Employment Eligibility Verification (Form I-9). The information provided on the Form I-9 is compared to the records contained in the Social Security Administration and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) databases. This helps employers verify the identity and employment eligibility of newly hired employees.

Eligibility to Work Poster (English) | Eligibility to Work Poster (Spanish)

Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance (FCIHO)

Pursuant to the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance (FCIHO), we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.