Controls Engineer

General Motors; Alabama; On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation benefits available

Job summary

General Motors in Alabama is seeking a Manufacturing Controls Engineer to support, improve, and sustain automation and plant-floor control systems in a stamping operation. You’ll troubleshoot complex controls issues, lead improvements, and enable reliable data collection across plant-floor systems.

You will collaborate with Production, Maintenance, Quality, and IT teams to ensure safe, reliable, and efficient production, while aligning with GM standards and plant-change processes.

Qualifications

• 3+ years in manufacturing ops, controls eng, automation, or similar field.
• Hands-on troubleshooting of PLC-based automation in production.
• Knowledge of PLC programming, HMI, and industrial controls hardware.
• Experience with industrial Ethernet/fieldbus networks (Ethernet/IP, DeviceNet, ProfiBus).

Responsibilities

• Owns controls systems for stamping presses, conveyors, and automation cells.
• Troubleshoot equipment, controls, and integration issues; perform root-cause analysis.
• Develop, test, document PLC/HMI/motion/safety changes per GM standards.
• Support uptime, quality, safety, and cost objectives through controls improvements.
• Lead or support controls activities for launches, upgrades, and plant changes.
• Collaborate with Maintenance, trades, suppliers, and IT for troubleshooting guides and spare-parts strategies.

Skills

PLC programming

HMI development

Industrial automation

Electrical engineering knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical/ Electronics/ Computer/ Mechanical/ Manufacturing Engineering

Tools

Fanuc

Rockwell

Siemens

Job description

Job Description

The Manufacturing Controls Engineer is responsible for supporting, improving, and sustaining automation and plant-floor control systems within a stamping operation. The role partners closely with Production, Maintenance, Quality, Manufacturing Engineering, IT, skilled trades, suppliers, and central controls teams to maintain safe, reliable, and efficient production.

This engineer will troubleshoot complex controls issues; lead equipment, software, and process improvements; support launches and major changes; and apply standardized controls solutions across stamping operations. The role also contributes to the plant’s digital-manufacturing evolution by enabling reliable device-level data collection.

What you’ll do

Core controls and plant support

• Provide technical ownership for controls systems supporting stamping presses, material-handling equipment, conveyors, die-transfer systems, automation cells, safety circuits, HMIs, industrial networks, and related plant-floor applications.
• Troubleshoot complex equipment, controls, communications, and integration issues; lead root-cause analysis and permanent corrective actions.
• Develop, modify, test, validate, and document PLC, HMI, motion, safety, and related controls changes in accordance with GM standards and plant change-management processes.
• Support production uptime, quality, safety, throughput, and cost objectives through controls improvements and problem solving.
• Lead or support controls activities for new programs, equipment installations, launches, upgrades, model changes, and plant shutdown work.
• Collaborate with Maintenance and skilled trades to create effective troubleshooting guides, standardized work, training, recovery plans, and spare-parts strategies.
• Coordinate technical work with equipment suppliers, integrators, contractors, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, and IT partners.
• Ensure controls designs and modifications meet applicable safety, cybersecurity, reliability, quality, and manufacturing standards.
• Maintain accurate technical documentation, including electrical drawings, network layouts, control narratives, backup/recovery information, revision history, and lessons learned.
• Share best practices and recurring-issue learnings with plant and central engineering teams.

Required qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related discipline; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
• 3+ years of experience in manufacturing operations, controls engineering, industrial automation, or a related technical field.
• Hands-on experience troubleshooting and supporting PLC-based industrial automation systems in a production environment.
• Working knowledge of PLC programming, HMI development or configuration, industrial controls hardware, electrical systems, and machine safety.
• Experience with industrial Ethernet and fieldbus networks, such as Ethernet/IP, DeviceNet, ProfiBus, or comparable technologies.
• Demonstrated ability to diagnose complex equipment or process issues, lead root-cause analysis, and implement sustainable corrective actions.
• Ability to work effectively with Production, Maintenance, Quality, skilled trades, suppliers, and engineering partners.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain technical issues and risk clearly to varied audiences.
• Independent judgment, sound prioritization, and a continuous-improvement mindset in a fast-paced production environment.
• Ability to meet onsite and schedule-flexibility requirements for plant operations.

Preferred qualifications

• Experience supporting stamping, press, material handling, die-transfer, coil-feed, conveyor, robotics, or comparable high-volume automation systems.
• Knowledge of GM controls architecture, common controls hardware/software, Plant Floor Systems, manufacturing networks, and applicable engineering standards.
• Experience with Fanuc, Rockwell, Siemens, or comparable controls and automation platforms.
• Experience supporting program launches, equipment installation, commissioning, software updates, or plant shutdown work.
• Familiarity with manufacturing cybersecurity principles, network segmentation, industrial asset inventory, and controlled software changes.
• Experience with quality systems, process monitoring, predictive maintenance, reliability engineering, or manufacturing analytics.
• Lean, Six Sigma, or structured problem-solving experience

GM does not provide immigration-related sponsorship for this role. Do not apply for this role if you will need GM immigration sponsorship now or in the future. This includes direct company sponsorship, entry of GM as the immigration employer of record on a government form, and any work authorization requiring a written submission or other immigration support from the company (e.g., H1-B, OPT, STEM OPT, CPT, TN, J-1, etc).This role is categorized as onsite. This means the selected candidate is expected to report to a specific location on a full-time basis.Relocation benefits are available for candidates who qualify under company policy.

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