Controls Automation Engineering Lead

Engtal; Holland (MI); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Engtal is seeking a hands-on Automation Engineering Lead to join our established industrial automation and systems integration team. This player-coach role blends technical leadership with hands-on project work across controls and integration.

You will guide technical direction, review PLC/HMI designs, support project readiness, and mentor engineers while remaining active on automation projects from engineering through field execution.

Qualifications

• Strong PLC and HMI design, programming, commissioning, and troubleshooting experience.
• Experience with custom automation, systems integration, or engineer-to-order projects.
• Strong understanding of controls architecture and industrial automation.
• Knowledge of electrical documentation, industrial networks, and machine safety.
• Ability to review technical work and make sound controls decisions.
• Demonstrated experience leading technical work through influence.
• Strong communication and cross-functional coordination skills.
• Experience coaching, mentoring, delegating, or developing other engineers.
• Comfortable working hands-on while providing technical leadership.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical direction and coordination for automation projects.
• Review PLC/HMI designs, programming, and engineering deliverables.
• Support controls architecture, electrical documentation, industrial networks, and machine safety.
• Perform PLC/HMI programming, commissioning, troubleshooting, and debugging.
• Support project readiness checks and identify technical risks before commissioning.
• Coach and develop engineers through technical guidance and feedback.
• Help engineers take greater ownership of their work and decisions.
• Coordinate with Project Owners, engineering teams, assembly, commissioning, and customers.
• Identify project risks and provide practical recommendations for recovery.
• Support customer-facing technical communication when needed.
• Make timely technical decisions while appropriately escalating significant project risks.

Skills

PLC design

HMI programming

Troubleshooting

Technical leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Job description

About the Role

We are seeking a hands-on Automation Engineering Lead to join an established industrial automation and systems integration team.

This is a player-coach role for an experienced controls/automation engineer who wants to combine strong technical work with leadership. You will provide technical direction, review engineering work, support project execution, and help develop other engineers while remaining hands-on with automation projects.

Formal direct-report management experience is not required. We are looking for someone who has demonstrated leadership through technical guidance, coaching, delegation, and helping others succeed.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical direction and coordination for automation projects
• Review PLC/HMI designs, programming, and engineering deliverables
• Support controls architecture, electrical documentation, industrial networks, and machine safety
• Perform PLC/HMI programming, commissioning, troubleshooting, and debugging
• Support project readiness checks and identify technical risks before commissioning
• Coach and develop engineers through technical guidance and feedback
• Help engineers take greater ownership of their work and decisions
• Coordinate with Project Owners, engineering teams, assembly, commissioning, and customers
• Identify project risks and provide practical recommendations for recovery
• Support customer-facing technical communication when needed
• Make timely technical decisions while appropriately escalating significant project risks

What We're Looking For

• Strong PLC and HMI design, programming, commissioning, and troubleshooting experience
• Experience with custom automation, systems integration, or engineer-to-order projects
• Strong understanding of controls architecture and industrial automation
• Knowledge of electrical documentation, industrial networks, and machine safety
• Ability to review technical work and make sound controls decisions
• Demonstrated experience leading technical work through influence
• Strong communication and cross-functional coordination skills
• Experience coaching, mentoring, delegating, or developing other engineers
• Comfortable working hands-on while providing technical leadership

Why This Opportunity?

This is an opportunity to step into a technical leadership role without immediately moving away from engineering. You will have the ability to influence project execution, develop other engineers, and help improve how automation projects are delivered from engineering through assembly, commissioning, and field execution.