Controls Engineer

TFC Poultry LLC; Ashby (MN); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

TFC Poultry LLC seeks a Controls Engineer to design, support, and continuously improve industrial automation across manufacturing. You will partner with operations, maintenance, IT/OT, and vendors to boost reliability, safety, and data visibility.

Responsibilities include developing PLC/HMI/SCADA systems, maintaining documentation, and supporting capital projects from design through turnover. Strong PLC/SCADA experience and cross-functional collaboration are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Controls Engineering or related field.
• 5+ years hands-on with PLCs, HMIs, SCADA, and automation equipment.
• Experience with Rockwell/AB platforms; Ignition or similar SCADA preferred.
• Ability to read/update electrical schematics, P&IDs, and control narratives.
• Knowledge of industrial Ethernet, cybersecurity basics, and change-control practices.

Responsibilities

• Develop, troubleshoot, and maintain PLC, HMI, SCADA, and historian systems.
• Create and maintain control narratives, drawings, I/O lists, and documentation.
• Support design, commissioning, FAT/SAT, startup, validation, and turnover.
• Reduce downtime via root cause analysis, alarm rationalization, preventive controls.
• Implement safe, reliable control solutions for sanitation and quality.
• Assist with data collection, dashboards, OEE/downtime reporting, historian tags.
• Support standardization, part selection, lifecycle planning, obsolescence risk.
• Collaborate with vendors and internal teams to meet standards.
• Provide technical support for production issues and continuous improvement.

Skills

PLC programming

HMI/SCADA

Industrial networking

Electrical schematics

Root cause analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Data visibility

Change control

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Controls Engineering

Tools

Rockwell/Allen-Bradley

Ignition

Job description

Title

Controls Engineer

Reports to: Technology Team Leader

Job Purpose

Designs, supports, and continuously improves industrial automation and control systems across manufacturing operations. Partners with operations, maintenance, engineering, IT/OT, and vendors to improve reliability, safety, data visibility, process capability, and equipment performance.

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities

• Develop, troubleshoot, and maintain PLC, HMI, SCADA, historian, and industrial network systems supporting production and utilities operations
• Create and maintain control narratives, electrical drawings, I/O lists, panel documentation, program backups, change logs, and technical standards
• Support automation design, programming, commissioning, FAT/SAT execution, startup, validation, and turnover for capital projects and plant improvement work
• Partner with maintenance and operations to reduce automation-related downtime through root cause analysis, corrective actions, alarm rationalization, and preventive controls practices
• Implement safe, reliable, and maintainable control solutions that support workforce usability, sanitation, food safety, production quality, and equipment reliability
• Support data collection, dashboards, OEE/downtime reporting, historian tags, and integration between floor-level controls and business systems
• Assist with control platform standardization, approved component selection, spare parts strategy, lifecycle planning, and obsolescence risk reduction
• Work with vendors, OEMs, contractors, and internal stakeholders to specify, review, test, and implement automation solutions that meet company standards
• Provide technical support for production issues, utilities systems, process improvements, safety upgrades, and continuous improvement initiatives
• Promote a professional company image through clear communication, strong ownership, safe work practices, and effective collaboration with plant and corporate teams

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Automation Engineering, Mechatronics, or related technical field preferred; equivalent industrial controls experience may be considered
• 5+ years of hands-on experience supporting PLCs, HMIs, SCADA systems, industrial instrumentation, motor controls, VFDs, sensors, and automated production equipment
• Experience with Rockwell/Allen-Bradley controls platforms preferred; experience with Ignition or similar SCADA/historian platforms strongly preferred
• Ability to read, interpret, and update electrical schematics, panel layouts, P&IDs, network diagrams, control narratives, and equipment documentation
• Working knowledge of industrial Ethernet, control networks, cybersecurity basics, backup/version management, and safe change-control practices
• Strong troubleshooting, root cause analysis, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills
• Ability to support occasional off-hours troubleshooting, project startups, plant shutdown work, and vendor/OEM commissioning activities as business needs require
• Manufacturing, food processing, packaging, utilities, refrigeration, or regulated-industry experience preferred

Salary Band: $90,000 to $120,000 depending on experience