Control Systems Engineer - PLC

KNAPP North America; Stockton (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, vision, life insurance

401k with employer match

Paid vacation & holidays

Profit sharing

Parental leave

Tuition reimbursement

Subsidized daycare

Pet insurance

Job summary

KNAPP North America is seeking a Control Systems Engineer - PLC to support and optimize automated warehouse systems. The role focuses on monitoring Storage, Conveyor and Sorter PLC-controlled equipment, triaging incidents, and guiding on-site and remote resources to restore service efficiently.

The ideal candidate has a Bachelor’s degree in electrical/automation fields, 3+ years’ experience in intralogistics automation, and strong PLC/ITIL knowledge.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical/automation/mechatronics or related field required.
• Strong incident communication, documentation, and cross-team coordination skills.
• 3+ years of experience supporting intralogistics automation, including storage systems and conveyors.
• Ability to diagnose faults across PLCs, HMIs, sensors/actuators, drives/VFDs, and industrial networks; analyze alarms.
• Disciplined change-control practices with backups, testing, and documentation.

Responsibilities

• Monitor and support PLC-controlled automation to maintain stable warehouse operations and minimize downtime.
• Respond to and triage control-system incidents; diagnose faults across PLC logic, HMIs, sensors/actuators, drives/VFDs, and networks.
• Coordinate with on-site maintenance/controls resources and remote support teams; escalate when needed.
• Communicate system status and incident updates to stakeholders; provide clear shift handovers.
• Maintain accurate tickets and technical documentation; contribute to trend analysis and improvements.

Skills

PLC troubleshooting

Cross-team coordination

ITIL processes

Troubleshooting mindset

Independent work

Education

Bachelor’s degree in electrical/automation/mechatronics

Tools

Siemens PLC

Beckhoff PLC

Job description

Who We Are

KNAPP brings new technology to warehouse automation. The KNAPP Group is a global provider of intelligent automation solutions for intralogistics and manufacturing, specializing in the sectors healthcare, fashion/apparel, general retail, food retail, industry and service. We live and breathe automation. We – more than 8,000 employees of the KNAPP Group in over 60 locations worldwide, shaping the future-oriented industry of intralogistics are dedicated to making complexity simple.

One of KNAPP’s primary goals is to use continuous innovation to drive warehouse automation forward, always with the specific needs of the customers in mind. KNAPP Group’s unrelenting development activity is evident in everything from automated order picking systems and continuing refinement of container handling technology to its state-of-the-art, industry leading software solutions.

What You Get To Do

The Control Systems Engineer - PLC provides control-system focused support to keep the Customer’s automated warehouse stable and running. The role monitors and troubleshoots Storage, Conveyor and Sorter PLC-controlled equipment, triages incidents, restores service where possible through structured troubleshooting and approved actions, and coordinates resolution by guiding on-site resources and escalating to the Service Desk, controls development, and other subject matter experts when required.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

• Monitor and support Storage, Conveyor and Sorter PLC-controlled automation to maintain stable warehouse operations and minimize downtime.
• Respond to and triage control-system incidents; diagnose faults across PLC logic, HMIs, sensors/actuators, drives/VFDs, and industrial networks (e.g., PROFINET) within defined scope.
• Restore service by resolving the root cause or applying an approved workaround; initiate and follow Change Request / Problem Management processes for recurring issues or permanent fixes.
• Coordinate with on-site maintenance/controls resources and remote support teams; escort internally when resolution cannot be achieved within operational scope or SLA timelines.
• Communicate system status and incident updates to stakeholders and customer; provide clear shift handovers, including risk, current mitigations, and next actions.
• Maintain accurate tickets and technical documentation (actions taken, backups, versions, and test results) and contribute to trend analysis and continuous improvement measures.

What You Have

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, automation engineering, mechatronics, controls engineering, or a related technical field required
• Strong incident communication, documentation, and cross-team coordination skills (operations/control-room style support).
• Very good Siemens & Beckhoff PLC knowledge (e.g., troubleshooting, online diagnostics, reading/modifying code within approved procedures).
• 3+ years of experience supporting intralogistics automation, including storage systems and conveyor equipment.
• Ability to diagnose faults across PLCs, HMIs, sensors/actuators, drives/VFDs, and industrial networks; comfortable analyzing alarms and tracing issues in PLC logic.
• Good general IT skills and familiarity with ticketing/ITIL-style incident and problem management processes.
• Disciplined approach to change control: backups before changes, approvals, testing prior to production use, documentation, and version control; no unauthorized changes and no safety bypasses.
• Ability to work independently and under pressure in a shift-based environment; strong troubleshooting mindset and hands‑on approach.

Working Conditions and Environment

• Authorization to work in the U.S.
• Passport or ability to obtain passport
• Professional office etiquette is required at all times
• Travel required 30%
• Overtime as required by work
• Physical requirements: sitting for long periods of time, standing, walking, climbing a ladder, speaking, visual acuity, finger dexterity, listening, reaching at arm’s length, and lifting up to 30 pounds

What You Will Get

• Industry competitive compensation
• Great benefits with better than average employer contributions, including health, dental, vision, life insurance, Flexible Spending Accounts, Short & Long Term Disability and more!
• 401k with a very generous employer match and no vesting!
• Paid Vacation & Holidays
• Profit Sharing
• Paid Parental Leave
• Subsidized Daycare
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Pet Insurance

KNAPP is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to a work environment that supports, inspires, and respects all individuals without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, veteran, disability status or any other basis protected by law.

Due to the safety‑sensitive nature of this position, strict adherence to KNAPP’s drug‑free workplace policy is required. All candidates will be subject to drug‑screening in accordance with the policy and will be expected to remain drug‑free during their employment. There will be no exception if recreational or medical use of marijuana is permitted in the location of employment and/or residence or if use of marijuana is only during “off‑hours.”