Contract Controls Engineer

First Call Direct Hire Services; Franklin (IN); On-site; USD 62,000 - 69,000; Full time

Job summary

First Call Direct Hire Services is seeking a Contract Controls Engineer for a 90–180 day project in Franklin, Indiana. The role focuses on automation, PLC and HMI programming, troubleshooting, and optimization of manufacturing processes in a high-volume automotive environment.

Candidates should have hands-on experience with PLCs (Omron preferred), robotics integration, servo controllers, VFDs, and vision systems, with a track record of debugging fast-paced production lines.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in Electrical/Controls/Automation Engineering.
• Proven experience as a Controls Engineer in automotive/high-volume manufacturing.
• Strong PLC and HMI programming experience.
• OMRON PLC experience strongly preferred.
• Robotics integration and troubleshooting experience.
• Experience with servo controllers, VFDs, and vision systems.
• Ability to troubleshoot automation issues in fast-paced environments.

Responsibilities

• Provide controls engineering support for automated manufacturing equipment.
• Program, troubleshoot, and modify PLC and HMI systems to improve performance and reliability.
• Support robotic automation systems used in production processes.
• Diagnose and resolve issues with servo controllers, VFDs, and vision systems.
• Collaborate with maintenance, engineering, and production teams to implement solutions.
• Assist with startup, commissioning, and optimization of automated equipment.
• Implement improvements to increase efficiency, uptime, and safety.

Skills

PLC programming

HMI programming

Robotics integration

OMRON PLC

Servo drives

Vision systems

Troubleshooting

Electrical engineering

Education

Bachelors in Electrical/Controls/Automation Engineering

Job description

Job Description

Job Description Contract Controls Engineer (90–180 Day Project) $45.00-$50.00 hourly Franklin, Indiana | Automotive Manufacturing | Contract We are seeking an experienced Controls Engineer to support a 90–120 day contract project at a leading automotive manufacturing facility in Franklin, Indiana. This role will focus on supporting automation systems, troubleshooting equipment, and optimizing manufacturing processes involving PLC-controlled machinery and robotics. The ideal candidate has strong hands-on experience with PLC programming, automation systems, robotics, and HMI development within a high-volume manufacturing environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide controls engineering support for automated manufacturing equipment.
• Program, troubleshoot, and modify PLC and HMI systems to improve equipment performance and reliability.
• Support robotic automation systems used in production processes.
• Diagnose and resolve issues related to servo controllers, VFDs, and machine vision systems.
• Collaborate with maintenance, engineering, and production teams to identify root causes and implement solutions.
• Assist with startup, commissioning, and optimization of automated equipment.
• Implement improvements to increase efficiency, uptime, and safety.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Automation Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• Proven experience as a Controls Engineer in an automotive or high-volume manufacturing environment.
• Strong experience with PLC and HMI programming.
• OMRON PLC experience strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with robotics integration and troubleshooting.
• Experience working with servo controllers, VFDs, and vision systems.
• Ability to quickly troubleshoot and resolve automation and controls issues in a fast-paced production environment.

Contract Details

• Duration: 90–180 days
• Location: Franklin, Indiana
• Industry: Automotive Manufacturing
• Start: Immediate / ASAP

This is an excellent opportunity for a controls engineer who enjoys hands-on troubleshooting and short-term project work in a highly automated manufacturing environment.