Control Engineer

Extol, Inc.; Zeeland (MI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

ESOP

Profit sharing

Medical benefits

401k

HSA contributions

Education reimbursement

Travel incentive

Job summary

Extol, Inc. is seeking an experienced Controls Engineer to own projects from debug through customer installation and production ramp‑up. You will lead programming and debugging of PLC, motion, and electrical systems while coordinating with customers and internal teams.

You will travel to customer sites, on average 1–5 day trips, to install, commission, and optimize automated equipment. A bachelor’s degree in engineering and 5+ years of experience are required, with familiarity in

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering (computer or electrical) or equivalent training/experience.
• 5+ years of experience designing and debugging custom automation controls.
• Proven ability to write complex PLC programs (Allen-Bradley and/or Siemens).
• Hands‑on experience with motion systems; robotics experience (Fanuc/ABB) preferred.

Responsibilities

• Owns machine controls from debug through customer installation and production ramp‑up.
• Designs, debugs, and optimizes PLC, motion, and electrical systems.
• Communicates effectively with customers and internal teams, building trust through professionalism and problem‑solving.
• Travels up to 50% to customer sites to install and commission equipment.

Skills

PLC programming

Motion systems

Troubleshooting

Customer communication

Independent with teamwork

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering

Tools

Allen-Bradley PLC

Siemens PLC

Fanuc robotics

ABB robotics

Job description

Are you an experienced controls engineer who thrives on solving complex problems and seeing your work come to life on customer production floors? Do you want to accelerate your career by gaining exposure to a wide variety of projects, technologies, and customers?

At Extol, we’re looking for a driven, hands-on Controls Engineer to directly support the implementation and installation of custom automation equipment. This role is unique, giving you the chance to own projects from debug through production launch while still having a good work life balance. Because of the variety of projects and technologies you’ll encounter, this role provides a unique opportunity to advance your skills and experience more rapidly than in most engineering environments.

The Ideal Candidate

• Takes ownership of machine controls from debug through customer installation and production ramp-up.
• Excels at programming, debugging, and optimizing PLC, motion, and electrical systems.
• Communicate effectively with customers and internal teams, building trust through professionalism and problem-solving.
• Thrives in fast-paced situations with exposure to a wide variety of machines and technologies.
• Works independently with confidence, while still collaborating seamlessly with teammates.
• Adapts quickly, scales solutions appropriately, and maintains accountability to project timelines and budgets.

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering (computer or electrical) or equivalent training/experience.
• 5+ years of experience designing and debugging custom automation controls.
• Proven ability to write complex PLC programs (Allen-Bradley and/or Siemens).
• Hands‑on experience with motion systems; robotics experience (Fanuc/ABB) preferred.
• Strong skills in troubleshooting, problem-solving, and risk assessment.
• Willingness and ability to travel ~25% to 50% to customer sites (typically 1-5 day trips, weekends would be exception based).

What We Offer:

• Paid Community Impact –Employer paid time off to volunteer and positively impact community (Significant Impact).
• Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) - employees gain ownership interest in the company.
• Profit Sharing - a portion of the company profits are distributed to employees each quarter the target profit level is reached.
• 100% Employer Paid Dental, Vision, Group Life Insurances, Short-term and Long-term Disability, and Employee Assistance Program
• Annual Employer H.S.A. Contributions and 3 Medical Insurance Plan Options (one of which is 100% employer paid!)
• Generous Paid Time Off - Vacation, sick time off, and nine paid holidays.
• Travel Incentive – Daily incentive pay for overnight stays
• In Addition - Voluntary Life Insurance Options, Pet Discount Program, Accident & Critical Illness plans, 401k, and Educational Reimbursement Program.

About Extol, Inc.:

Extol is an innovative manufacturing technology company striving to improve plastic products through engineering, plastic assembly technology, custom automation, and 3D printing.

We strive to build a customer-centric, values-driven organization that grows profitably by solving customers' challenges with a delightful experience.

If you have passion to work collaboratively and be part of a team that wants to win together, To learn more about Extol, please visit us at www.extolinc.com.

Stewardship | Empathy | Humility | Trust | Winning Together