Automation Project Manager (Industrial Controls)

Sterling Engineering; Salt Lake City (UT); On-site; USD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Sterling Engineering in Salt Lake City, UT area seeks an experienced Automation Project Manager to lead industrial automation and controls projects across food, beverage, dairy, pharmaceutical, cosmetics and brewing industries.

This highly technical PM role combines leadership with hands-on PLC/HMI expertise, overseeing projects from proposal through programming, integration, FAT, installation, commissioning, startup and final handoff.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Automation Engineering, or related discipline.
• 5+ years in industrial automation and controls.
• Experience leading automation/controls projects or moving to project leadership.
• Experience in Food & Beverage, Dairy, Pharmaceutical, Cosmetics, Brewing, or similar.
• Hands-on PLC programming and troubleshooting.
• Strong experience with Rockwell/Allen-Bradley PLCs; Siemens/Schneider/Modicon helpful.
• Experience with HMI/SCADA platforms (FactoryTalk, Wonderware/InTouch, iFIX, WinCC).

Responsibilities

• Lead automation and controls projects from proposal to customer acceptance.
• Manage scope, schedule, budget, resources, quality, safety, and performance.
• Develop schedules, monitor milestones, identify risks, implement corrective actions.
• Coordinate automation engineers, electrical engineers, programmers, vendors, and customers.
• Review P&IDs and electrical drawings to align with process design.
• Plan FAT, SAT, commissioning, startup, and field troubleshooting.
• Coordinate onsite installation and integration of automation systems.
• Maintain risk registers, issue logs, KPIs, and closeout documentation.

Skills

Hands-on PLC programming

HMI/SCADA experience

Rockwell/Allen-Bradley PLCs

Industrial networking

Project leadership

Client communication

Problem solving

Microsoft Office

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related

Tools

Rockwell Studio 5000

FactoryTalk

Siemens/ Schneider/ Modicon

Job description

Location: Salt Lake City, UT area

Travel: Up to 30%

Company Overview:

Our client is a global industrial engineering and construction company that designs and delivers process and automation systems for the food, beverage, dairy, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and brewing industries.

Job Summary:

We are seeking an experienced Automation Project Manager to lead industrial automation and controls projects for customers across the food, beverage, dairy, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and brewing industries.

This is a highly technical project management role for an automation/controls professional who has progressed into project leadership while maintaining strong hands-on technical knowledge. The position is responsible for leading automation projects from proposal and design through programming, integration, FAT, installation, commissioning, startup, and final customer handoff.

The ideal candidate combines project management expertise with hands-on experience programming and troubleshooting PLC/HMI systems and working with control architecture, I/O, electrical drawings, process equipment, P&IDs, industrial networks, vendors, contractors, and customers.

Job Duties:

• Lead industrial automation and controls projects from proposal through final completion and customer acceptance.
• Manage project scope, schedule, budget, resources, quality, safety, and overall project performance.
• Develop project schedules, monitor critical milestones, identify risks, and implement corrective actions.
• Manage project budgets, forecasts, change orders, and overall project financial performance.
• Prepare and support quotations, proposals, technical alignments, and project kickoff activities.
• Lead automation design and execution for process manufacturing projects.
• Develop and review control architectures, I/O lists, functional descriptions, control narratives, and electrical drawings.
• Lead PLC, HMI, SCADA, and industrial control system development and integration activities.
• Work with Rockwell/Allen-Bradley, Siemens, Schneider/Modicon, or similar PLC platforms.
• Support and troubleshoot PLC/HMI systems and controls during testing, commissioning, and startup.
• Coordinate automation engineers, electrical engineers, programmers, vendors, contractors, and customer representatives.
• Manage customer communication and expectations throughout the project lifecycle.
• Coordinate equipment vendors, systems integrators, electrical contractors, and other project resources.
• Support equipment selection, control panel requirements, instrumentation, electrical interfaces, and industrial communications.
• Review P&IDs and engineering documentation to ensure automation and controls align with the overall process design.
• Plan and support FAT, SAT, commissioning, startup, and field troubleshooting activities.
• Coordinate onsite installation and integration of automation and controls systems.
• Maintain project risk registers, issue logs, KPIs, non-conformities, and action plans.
• Manage project punch lists, customer handoff, acceptance documentation, and final closeout.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Automation Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 5+ years of industrial automation and controls experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading automation/controls projects or progressing from an engineering role into project leadership.
• Experience within Food & Beverage, Dairy, Pharmaceutical, Cosmetics, Brewing, or another process manufacturing environment.
• Hands-on experience with PLC programming and troubleshooting.
• Strong experience with Rockwell/Allen-Bradley PLCs; Siemens or Schneider/Modicon experience is also valuable.
• Experience with HMI/SCADA platforms such as FactoryTalk, Wonderware/InTouch, iFIX, WinCC, or similar systems.
• Working knowledge of I/O lists, control architectures, functional descriptions, electrical drawings, and P&IDs.
• Experience with industrial networking and communications, electrical panels, instrumentation, and automation system integration.
• Experience managing project scope, schedules, budgets, resources, vendors, contractors, and customer communication.
• Experience with FAT, SAT, commissioning, startup, and field troubleshooting.
• Strong customer-facing communication, leadership, organization, and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.
• Ability to travel up to 30%.

Preferred Experience:

• Rockwell Studio 5000 and FactoryTalk.
• Food, dairy, beverage, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, or brewery automation projects.
• Sanitary/hygienic process manufacturing.
• Process equipment, skids, tanks, pumps, piping, and instrumentation.
• Electrical control panels and industrial networking.
• Systems integration, OEM, EPC, or design/build project environments.
• Customer-facing project ownership from proposal through commissioning and final handoff.
• Experience leading multi-disciplinary automation and process engineering projects.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information.