Controls Engineer

Appvion, Inc.; Appleton (WI); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Appvion, Inc. seeks a Controls Engineer to apply hands-on controls expertise in a manufacturing environment, improving safety, reliability, quality, and performance at our Appleton facility.

You will design and upgrade control systems, troubleshoot complex equipment, and support automation upgrades while partnering with skilled trades, operations, and engineering teams on site. This role suits engineers who value practical problem-solving and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering or equivalent.
• Four or more years of experience programming PLCs, HMIs, and variable-speed drives.
• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot industrial electrical controls and support manufacturing operations.

Responsibilities

• Build and sustain a safe work environment by supporting practices that reduce risk and prevent workforce incidents and injuries.
• Design, engineer, and implement control system changes and upgrades that improve manufacturing performance and equipment reliability.
• Partner with electrical shop, maintenance, operations, and engineering teams to troubleshoot PLCs, drives, three‑phase starters, instrumentation, and field sensors.
• Program and troubleshoot automation systems, including Rockwell ControlLogix, Rockwell PLC-5, Reliance AutoMax PLCs and drives, Rockwell 1336 drives, Rockwell PowerFlex drives, ABB drives, Rockwell Batch, Rockwell PanelView, Rockwell FactoryTalk View, and Wonderware HMI.
• Support and troubleshoot control hardware communication protocols, including Ethernet, Rockwell Remote I/O, Data Highway Plus, ControlNet, Reliance DCS-Net, and Reliance R-Net.
• Create, revise, and maintain electrical and P&ID AutoCAD drawings that keep technical documentation accurate and useful.
• Upgrade control system servers and resolve server‑related issues that affect uptime, reliability, and plant operations.

Skills

PLCs programming

HMIs programming

Variable-speed drives

Troubleshooting electrical controls

Electrical safety awareness

Education

Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Rockwell ControlLogix

Rockwell PLC-5

Reliance AutoMax PLCs

Rockwell PanelView

Wonderware HMI

ABB drives

Rockwell FactoryTalk View

Job description

Appvion is seeking a Controls Engineer to apply hands‑on controls expertise in a manufacturing environment where strong technical judgment can improve safety, reliability, quality, and performance every day. Our sustainable specialty coating solutions are used in everyday products such as tickets, tags, labels, and packaging, giving your work a direct connection to products people depend on.

This role is well suited for an Electrical or Controls Engineer who enjoys solving real production challenges, partnering with skilled trades and operations teams, and seeing the results of their work on the plant floor. You will design and improve control systems, troubleshoot complex equipment issues, support automation upgrades, and help modernize critical systems across our Appleton facility.

If you are energized by practical engineering, continuous improvement, and the opportunity to make equipment run safer and more reliably, this role offers meaningful work, technical variety, and strong cross‑functional partnership.

What You’ll Do

• Help build and sustain a safe work environment by supporting practices that reduce risk and prevent workforce incidents and injuries.
• Design, engineer, and implement control system changes and upgrades that improve manufacturing performance and equipment reliability.
• Partner with electrical shop, maintenance, operations, and engineering teams to troubleshoot PLCs, drives, three‑phase starters, instrumentation, and field sensors.
• Program and troubleshoot automation systems, including Rockwell ControlLogix, Rockwell PLC-5, Reliance AutoMax PLCs and drives, Rockwell 1336 drives, Rockwell PowerFlex drives, ABB drives, Rockwell Batch, Rockwell PanelView, Rockwell FactoryTalk View, and Wonderware HMI.
• Support and troubleshoot control hardware communication protocols, including Ethernet, Rockwell Remote I/O, Data Highway Plus, ControlNet, Reliance DCS-Net, and Reliance R-Net.
• Create, revise, and maintain electrical and P&ID AutoCAD drawings that keep technical documentation accurate and useful.
• Upgrade control system servers and resolve server‑related issues that affect uptime, reliability, and plant operations.

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering or equivalent related experience.
• Four or more years of experience programming PLCs, HMIs, and variable‑speed drives.
• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot industrial electrical controls and support manufacturing operations.

What Will Help You Succeed

• A self‑directed approach with the ability to engage, influence, and collaborate across teams.
• A sense of urgency and a positive communication style when supporting production needs and improvement initiatives.
• Sound judgment, strong prioritization, and the ability to stay effective when priorities change.
• A commitment to safety, Operational Excellence, and continuous improvement in a manufacturing environment.

*LI-MD1

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
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