Automation & Controls Software Engineer – Rockwell PLCs & Servo Motion

The Keystone Distinction Group; Town of Germantown (WI); On-site; USD 99,000 - 121,000; Full time

Job summary

The Keystone Distinction Group in the Greater Milwaukee area seeks an Automation & Controls Software Engineer with Rockwell PLCs and servo motion expertise to design, program, and commission advanced automation systems.

You will build from ground up using Studio 5000, RSLogix, and FactoryTalk View, integrating EtherNet/IP, multi-axis servo control, and vision/robotics where needed. Expect domestic travel and a dynamic, growth-focused lab environment.

Qualifications

• Ground-Up Allen-Bradley depth; design, build, and program controls from scratch.
• Technical education in Automation or related field.
• Willingness to travel domestically 25% to 50%.
• Residence within 45-minute drive of Greater Milwaukee/Washington County.

Responsibilities

• Architect Ground-Up PLC/HMI software for complex automated machinery using Studio 5000 and FactoryTalk View.
• Engineer high-level interfaces with Visual Studio, C#, and relational databases for data tracking.
• Audit control schematics in AutoCAD to align with BOMs and safety standards.
• Configure EtherNet/IP networks and motion systems; troubleshoot servo drives and vision systems.
• Lead on-site client commissioning and ensure final system sign-offs.

Skills

PLC programming

HMI design

Multi-axis servo motion control

Robotics integration

C#

SQL

Education

Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Automation Technology / Electrical Engineering / Computer Science

Tools

Studio 5000 / RSLogix

FactoryTalk View

AutoCAD

EtherNet/IP

Job description

Automation & Controls Software Engineer – Rockwell PLCs & Servo Motion

Up to $110,000 Base Salary + Profit Sharing Greater Milwaukee Area Travel Flex Direct-Hire

• Compensation & Incentives: Up to $110,000 starting base salary (calibrated for Junior, Mid, and Senior experience depth) + profit sharing + comprehensive corporate benefits package.
• Work Schedule: Flexible day shift in the engineering lab with 25%–50% domestic travel for commissioning, featuring guaranteed, immediate comp days for weekend startup work.
• Work Environment: High-tech engineering lab in the Greater Milwaukee / Washington County corridor; anti-monotony, zero-bureaucracy culture with direct access to project leadership.
• Experience & Tech Stack: 2+ years of controls depth; ground-up Allen-Bradley / Rockwell (Studio 5000, RSLogix, FactoryTalk View) programming; EtherNet/IP, multi-axis servo motion control, and AutoCAD schematics.
• Requirements & Compliance: U.S. Citizen or Green Card holder; degree in Automation, EE, CS, or related engineering discipline; local residence within a 45-minute commute of Washington County / Greater Milwaukee.

If you are looking for the ultimate antidote to career burnout, this custom systems integration role offers the ideal escape from repetitive plant maintenance loops and rigid corporate templates. Operating out of a collaborative engineering facility in the Greater Milwaukee / Washington County corridor, this rapidly expanding firm functions with an engineering philosophy centered around custom, ground-up innovation. Every project is unique—ranging from high-speed sortation networks to robotic welding cells and complex multi-axis servo systems.

Your time and dedication are protected aggressively here. Recognizing that field commissioning takes energy, a non-negotiable travel-balancing policy is strictly enforced: if a customer startup requires weekend work, you are immediately awarded comp time so you return home to a full four-day weekend. With zero corporate bureaucracy, massive technical variety, and full ownership from design to startup, this environment is built for engineers who take pride in seeing their custom software drive heavy industrial machinery.

What You Will Be Doing (Daily Responsibilities)

• Architect Ground-Up PLC/HMI Software: Develop robust PLC programs and intuitive HMI interfaces completely from scratch for complex automated machinery, robotic cells, and specialized sorting systems using Studio 5000 and FactoryTalk View.
• Engineer High-Level Interfaces: Integrate operator interfaces and explore advanced system capabilities using Visual Studio, C#, and relational databases for enterprise-level data tracking.
• Audit Control Schematics: Review, verify, and validate detailed electrical panel layouts and control schematics in AutoCAD to align with Bills of Materials (BOMs) and safety compliance standards.
• Configure Industrial Networks & Motion: Set up, calibrate, and troubleshoot EtherNet/IP communications, multi-axis servo drives, machine vision systems, and safety PLCs.
• Lead On-Site Client Commissioning: Serve as the primary technical authority during client field deployments, supervising installations and executing final system sign-offs.

What We Are Looking For (Requirements & Qualifications)

• Ground-Up Allen-Bradley Depth: 2+ years of professional experience designing, building, and programming controls software from scratch using Rockwell / Allen-Bradley platforms (Studio 5000 / RSLogix), beyond simple code troubleshooting.
• Technical Engineering Education: Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Automation Technology, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a closely related technical discipline.
• Field Mobility & Travel Readiness: Willingness to travel domestically 25% to 50% to champion custom integration rollouts, backed by guaranteed weekend comp days.
• Career Reliability: Proven professional stability demonstrating tenure, accountability, and long-term commitment with prior engineering teams.
• Local Commute: Residence within a comfortable 45-minute driving radius of the Greater Milwaukee / Washington County area.
• Legal Authorization: Must be a United States Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident (Green Card holder).

Preferred Technical Assets (Bonus Skills)

• Vision & Motion Integration: Hands-on setup of multi-axis servo motion systems or industrial vision platforms (Cognex, Keyence).
• Advanced Language Coding: High-level programming fluency in C#, VB.NET, or SQL database structures.
• Robotics Experience: Direct path teaching, programming, or integration experience with FANUC or similar industrial robotics.