Automation Engineer - Defense Tech with Growth & Equity

Mach Industries; Huntington Beach (CA); On-site; USD 115,000 - 195,000; Full time

Job summary

Mach Industries is seeking an Automation Engineer, Controls to design, program, and commission automated manufacturing equipment across our factories in the United States. You will develop PLC software, integrate sensors, motion systems, robotics, vision, and safety devices, and troubleshoot automation systems during production ramp.

This is a hands-on role requiring collaboration with OEMs and systems integrators to move equipment from concept to production, with a focus on reliability, OEE,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Mechatronics, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related discipline.
• 2+ years of experience developing industrial automation, controls, or automated manufacturing equipment.
• Hands-on PLC programming experience.
• Experience integrating sensors, actuators, distributed I/O, instrumentation, or motion-control systems.
• Understanding of industrial electrical and controls systems including 24 VDC I/O, relays, contactors, drives, motors, and industrial networks.
• Experience developing machine sequences, interlocks, alarms, fault handling, and recovery logic.
• Experience commissioning or troubleshooting automated equipment.
• Ability to read electrical schematics and troubleshoot electrical and controls systems directly on manufacturing equipment.
• Strong hands-on problem-solving skills and willingness to support equipment installation, commissioning, and production ramp.

Responsibilities

• Design, program, integrate, and commission controls systems for automated manufacturing equipment.
• Develop PLC software using Beckhoff TwinCAT and Mach's standardized controls architecture and software libraries.
• Configure Beckhoff IPCs, EtherCAT I/O, servo drives, instrumentation, sensors, and industrial communication networks.
• Develop machine sequences, state machines, interlocks, alarms, fault handling, diagnostics, and recovery logic.
• Integrate PLC-controlled equipment with industrial robots, machine vision, motion systems, test equipment, and process instrumentation.
• Implement machine-safety systems including safety PLC logic, interlocks, guarding, emergency stops, and safe motion.
• Develop HMIs and operator interfaces for equipment operation, diagnostics, maintenance, and fault recovery.
• Support electrical design, controls architecture, I/O definition, device selection, and equipment documentation.
• Develop and execute controls test plans and equipment acceptance criteria.
• Work directly with equipment OEMs and systems integrators to review and debug controls systems.
• Support FAT, SAT, installation, commissioning, and production launch.
• Troubleshoot electrical, PLC, motion, robotics, vision, networking, and safety issues directly on manufacturing equipment.
• Optimize machine sequences, cycle time, fault recovery, reliability, and OEE during production ramp.
• Maintain controls documentation, software version control, backups, and equipment configuration.
• Support manufacturing equipment through achievement of Run at Rate and transition to production operations.

Skills

PLC programming

Sensors integration

Industrial networks

Reading schematics

Troubleshooting

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related

Tools

Beckhoff TwinCAT 3

Beckhoff IPCs

EtherCAT

TwinSAFE

OPC UA

Job description

Mach Industries is seeking an Automation Engineer, Controls to design, program, and commission automated manufacturing equipment across our factories in the United States. You will develop PLC software, integrate sensors, motion systems, robotics, vision, and safety devices, and troubleshoot automation systems during production ramp.

This is a hands-on role requiring collaboration with OEMs and systems integrators to move equipment from concept to production, with a focus on reliability, OEE,