Controls Engineer

Actalent; Cincinnati (OH); Hybrid; USD 76,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental & Vision

Critical Illness

Accident

401(k) Retirement Plan

Pre-tax and Roth post-tax

Life Insurance

Disability

HSA

Transportation benefits

Employee Assistance Program

Time Off/Leave

Job summary

Actalent is seeking a Controls Engineer in Cincinnati, OH for a contract role focused on automation and control systems in material handling, high-speed packaging, and manufacturing environments.

You will evaluate and enhance PLC code, drive standardization across sites, and collaborate with vendors and internal teams to deliver high-quality projects. Travel ~25–50% to multiple sites may be required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial or Electrical Engineering.
• 4+ years in controls/electrical/process engineering.
• Experience with Allen-Bradley PLCs and PLC programming.
• Experience leading automation projects and coordinating vendors.
• Strong communication for design reviews and stakeholder updates.

Responsibilities

• Deliver cross-functional automation and controls projects with internal and external teams.
• Define priorities with project managers and vendors.
• Review and refine technical documentation for control systems.
• Represent designs to customers and teams.
• Review PLC code and support implementation to improve performance and standardization.
• Analyze data from multiple locations to identify standardization opportunities.
• Maintain and reuse control system templates across facilities.
• Collaborate with material handling sites to foster innovation in automation and controls.
• Communicate project status, risks, and key updates to leadership.
• Develop and maintain relationships with vendors, engineers, operations, and stakeholders.
• Participate in design reviews and support from concept through commissioning.
• Develop test plans to verify vendor system performance.

Skills

PLC programming

Allen-Bradley PLC

Control systems

Vendor management

HMI development

Electrical standards

Material handling

Project management

MS Office

Education

Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering or Electrical Engineering

Tools

SCADA

HMI development

Vendor coordination tools

Job description

Job Title: Controls Engineer

Job Description

This role offers an opportunity for a dedicated Controls Engineer to drive continuous improvement across control systems in multiple centers. You will evaluate and enhance existing automation and control solutions, review and refine PLC code, and identify opportunities to standardize systems and reduce rework. By analyzing data from various locations, you will help develop reusable control system templates and support innovation in automation and material handling environments. You will serve as a key technical representative, collaborating with internal teams and external vendors to deliver high-quality, cross-functional projects.

Responsibilities

• Work independently with internal and external engineering teams to deliver high-quality, cross-functional automation and controls projects.
• Partner with project managers and external vendors to define project priorities, establish milestones, and ensure deadlines are met.
• Influence, review, and refine technical documentation, including system layouts and proposed solutions for control systems.
• Represent system and equipment designs to customers and internal teams, clearly explaining technical concepts and design decisions.
• Review PLC code, suggest modifications, and support implementation to improve performance, reliability, and standardization.
• Analyze data from multiple locations to identify opportunities for standardization, root causes of rework, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Support the creation and maintenance of control system templates that can be reused across multiple facilities.
• Collaborate with material handling sites to foster innovation in automation and controls, ensuring solutions align with operational needs.
• Communicate project status, risks, and key updates to leadership, providing clear summaries and recommendations.
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with vendors, engineers, operations teams, business stakeholders, and peers.
• Participate in design reviews, focusing on electrical and controls layouts, and support the execution of projects from concept through commissioning.
• Develop quality and performance test plans with internal teams to verify vendor system performance and ensure compliance with requirements.
• Identify, lead, and support process improvement initiatives for operations teams, leveraging automation and control system enhancements.
• Manage outside vendors, review their control system deliverables against specifications, and provide feedback to ensure quality and adherence to standards.
• Travel to various sites (approximately 2550%, typically 23 days per trip) to support project implementation, testing, and troubleshooting.

Essential Skills

• Proficiency in PLC programming, including the ability to program PLCs from scratch.
• Hands-on experience with Allen-Bradley PLC systems.
• Experience improving and modifying control systems to drive process improvements and operational efficiency.
• Ability to manage outside vendors and review control systems against technical specifications and project requirements.
• Experience with PLCs, HMIs, electrical codes, electrical standards, and material handling systems.
• Bachelors degree in Industrial Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related STEM field.
• 4+ years of experience in controls engineering, electrical engineering, process engineering, project management, or a closely related occupation.
• Experience managing material handling or automation projects from design through implementation.
• Design and implementation experience in the electrical and controls aspects of integrated automation solutions, such as material handling systems, high-speed packaging lines, or manufacturing lines.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools, including Excel and Project, for documentation, scheduling, and reporting.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience with SCADA and HMI development and implementation.
• Experience developing and executing quality and performance test plans for vendor-supplied systems.
• Experience working in environments with integrated automation solutions, including material handling, high-speed packaging, or manufacturing operations.
• Strong communication skills to present technical information clearly to leadership, customers, and cross-functional teams.
• Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with leadership, operations teams, vendors, and business stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to lead or support process improvement initiatives within operations or engineering environments.

Work Environment

The role focuses on automation and control systems within material handling, high-speed packaging, and manufacturing environments. You will work closely with engineering teams, operations staff, and external vendors to design, implement, and optimize PLC-based control systems, HMIs, and integrated automation solutions. The position involves regular use of tools such as Allen-Bradley PLC platforms and Microsoft Office applications, including Excel and Project. Travel is required approximately 2550% of the time, typically for 23 days per trip, to support projects across multiple sites. The work environment combines office-based tasks, such as documentation and design work, with time spent on-site in operational facilities where you will participate in design reviews, testing, commissioning, and troubleshooting of automation and control systems.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Cincinnati, OH.

Pay And Benefits

The pay range for this position is $55.00 - $65.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms.

If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:

• Medical
• dental & vision
• Critical Illness
• Accident
• and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan
• Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Cincinnati, OH.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Nov 6, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a hybrid position in Cincinnati,OH.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance:

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector:

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):

We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.