Controls and Automation Engineer

Shearer's Foods; Burlington (IA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Shearer’s Foods, Inc. is seeking a Controls and Automation Engineer to maintain and advance the controls and automation systems across its manufacturing network. You will troubleshoot PLC/HMI programs, back up code, and upgrade systems in a fast-paced food production environment.

You will collaborate with safety, quality, engineering, and production teams; mentor maintenance staff and help implement standardized electrical controls across facilities to drive reliability and performance.

Qualifications

• Associate degree in a technical field with Electrical Engineering content.
• Minimum of five years in industrial automation engineering.
• Food/Beverage manufacturing experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and troubleshoot controls and automation equipment.
• Provide technical guidance to maintenance and cross-functional teams.
• Back up PLC/HMI programs and ensure safety and quality standards are met.
• Keep electrical prints up-to-date across facilities.
• Improve cycle times and reduce downtime through system improvements.

Skills

PLC programming

HMI programming

Electrical schematics

Rockwell automation

Auto-Cad

Education

Associate degree in electrical/technical field

Tools

RSLogix 500/5000

Studio 5000

CCW

FactoryTalk View

PanelView

PowerFlex

AutoCAD

Job description

Overview

Shearer’s Foods, founded in 1974 and headquartered in Massillon, OH, is a leading manufacturer of salty snacks, cookies, and crackers. Specializing in private label and co-manufacturing, Shearer’s is the largest supplier of private brand salty snacks and second-largest supplier of private brand cookies and crackers.

With a strong focus on innovation, service, quality, and sustainability, Shearer’s has been awarded the food industry’s highest award for environmental sustainability, as well as multiple Supplier of the Year awards.

Operating 16 locations across North America and employing more than 5000 team members, Shearer’s is driven by its core values of People, Grow, Impact and Win. The company mission is to deliver exceptional products and services that make snacking a time to celebrate for our customers, colleagues, and community.

At Shearer’s Foods, we believe in a skills-first approach to recruitment and employment. This means focusing on what you can do and how you can grow, rather than traditional metrics alone. We are committed to adhering to anti-exclusion practices, removing barriers to access, and enhancing opportunities for all individuals based on merit and potential. Your skills, experience, and perspective are valuable—and we want to empower you to make your mark here with us.

Responsibilities

The Controls and Automation Engineer is responsible for upkeep and maintenance of the controls and automation equipment which includes troubleshooting, preforming program backups, and system upgrades. Direct involvement with cross-functional team that include safety, quality, engineering, and production. This position will provide technical guidance to other members of the maintenance team and other technical members of Shearers to develop higher controls capabilities across the network.

• Execute in a safe manner. Embrace and help to develop a people safety first culture.
• Preform advanced troubleshooting functions by using the PLC and HMI code to diagnose issues that are causing downtime.
• Ownership of regular program backups and ensure that all program changes adhere to Shearer’s safety and quality standards.
• Ensure that all machines have up-to-date electrical prints.
• Develop and train maintenance personnel on control systems and functions.
• Continue to find ways to improve cycle times; reduce scrap and upgrade components for cost/performance improvement being sure to communicate these changes to the wider controls team and the Proactive Maintenance central function.
• Provide recommendations to engineering team for new equipment to avoid obsolescence and design issues in the future.
• Assist the corporate controls team in creating electrical and controls standards and implement them in each facility.
• Continually improve knowledge base regarding advances in parts, equipment and processes to keep abreast of changes and innovations in equipment selection.
• Active Safety Committee Participation
• Assist in the development of base line safe work performance expectations and work practices. Identify and correct any unsafe condition and identify and unsafe action observed. Participates in RCAs.
• Ability to make changes to existing PLC and HMI programs to improve the process.
• Perform the above duties in a food safe manner adhering to all GMP’s (Good Manufacturing Practices. Knowledge, skills, and abilities
• Full familiarity with computer programs such as Auto-Cad, Microsoft Office, etc.
• Full familiarity with Rockwell PLC software and can design, write and troubleshoot same.
• RS Logix 500
• RS Logix 5000
• Studio 5000
• Connected Components Workbench (CCW) o FactoryTalk View Studio
• Full familiarity with Rockwell hardware and can design, write and troubleshoot same.
• o SLC 500 o MicroLogix
• o CompactLogix
• o ControlLogix
• o Panelview
• o Power Flex
• Familiarity with high-speed manufacturing and packaging processes, operations and associated machinery.
• Ability to read and interpret electrical, hydraulic, and mechanical prints.
• ABB & Fanuc Robot programming (and others)

Qualifications

• Minimum of associate's degree in technical field including Electrical Engineering
• Five years of industrial automation engineering.
• Food /Beverage Manufacturing experience preferred.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.