Controls Engineer

Actalent; Houston (TX); Remote; USD 41,000 - 76,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Daily per diem

Travel expense reimbursement

Benefits package

Job summary

Actalent is seeking a Controls Engineer in the Houston area to design and develop PLC programs for material handling and warehouse automation. You will participate in all product development phases, address site changes, and support equipment installations with reliable automation solutions.

The role requires a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or related field and 3+ years in controls engineering for warehousing.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or Electrical Engineering Technology.
• 3+ years of controls engineering experience in material handling or warehouse automation.
• Proficiency in PLC programming for material handling equipment.
• Hands-on experience with Allen-Bradley and Rockwell PLC platforms.
• Experience using Studio 5000 and Rockwell RSLogix or similar tools.
• Strong understanding of automation systems and conveyors.
• Ability to travel approximately 60-70% of the time.
• Effective communication with internal teams and customers.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop PLC programs for material handling equipment and conveyors.
• Collaborate with engineering teams and project management to define system requirements.
• Gather and refine customer requirements and ensure solutions meet needs.
• Support electrical installation activities and provide technical guidance.
• Debug installations of controls and motor components.
• Design, implement, and test control systems throughout development lifecycle.
• Provide on-site support during installation, commissioning, and start-up.
• Travel to client sites to support installations and improvements.
• Document control system designs and changes for maintenance.

Skills

PLC programming

Allen-Bradley

Rockwell RSLogix/Studio 5000

Automation systems

Travel readiness

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or Electrical Engineering Technology

Tools

Studio 5000

RSLogix/Logix

Rockwell PLC platforms

Job description

Job Title: Controls Engineer

Job Description

The Controls Engineer designs and develops PLC programs for material handling and warehouse automation equipment. This role participates in all phases of the product development lifecycle, including analysis, design, electrical design, installation support, debugging, and collaboration with other engineering staff focused on electrical hardware. The Controls Engineer works independently to address site requirement changes and supports the successful completion of equipment installations while delivering reliable and efficient automation solutions.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop PLC programs for material handling equipment, including conveyors and other warehouse automation systems.
• Collaborate closely with internal engineering teams and project management to understand and define system requirements.
• Work directly with customers to gather, clarify, and refine system requirements and ensure controls solutions meet their operational needs.
• Support electrical installation activities by interfacing with electrical installers and providing technical guidance.
• Debug electrical installations for controls and motor components to ensure proper operation and system performance.
• Participate in the analysis, design, and implementation of control systems throughout the product development lifecycle.
• Provide on-site support during equipment installation, commissioning, and start-up at customer locations.
• Independently resolve site requirement changes and implement necessary modifications to controls programs and electrical designs.
• Collaborate with other engineering staff responsible for electrical hardware to ensure integrated and robust system designs.
• Use Rockwell/Allen-Bradley tools, including Studio 5000 and related platforms, to program, test, and troubleshoot PLC-based control systems.
• Document control system designs, configurations, and changes to support maintenance, troubleshooting, and future upgrades.
• Travel to client sites across the country to support installation, commissioning, and ongoing system improvements.

Essential Skills

• Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering or Electrical Engineering Technology.
• At least 3 years of experience in controls engineering within material handling or warehouse automation environments.
• Proficiency in PLC programming for material handling and automation equipment.
• Hands-on experience with Allen-Bradley and Rockwell PLC platforms.
• Experience using Studio 5000 and Rockwell RSLogix or similar Rockwell software tools.
• Strong understanding of automation systems, including conveyors and other material handling equipment.
• Ability to support and debug electrical installations for controls and motor components.
• Ability to work independently to resolve site requirement changes and implement control system modifications.
• Willingness and ability to travel approximately 6070% of the time to customer sites.
• Effective communication skills for working with internal engineering teams, project management, electrical installers, and customers.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience working with warehouse automation systems and diversified client environments.
• Familiarity with state-of-the-art automation software and tools.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to troubleshoot complex control system issues on-site.
• Comfort working in fast-growing organizations with expanding project demands.
• Ability to document designs, changes, and troubleshooting steps clearly and accurately.

Work Environment

This role is heavily travel-based, with approximately 6070% of time spent at client sites across the country. Typical travel schedules may include up to 10 consecutive days on the job site followed by 4 days off. The work environment centers on warehouse automation and material handling facilities, where you will work with conveyors, control panels, and other automation equipment. You will use technologies such as Allen-Bradley and Rockwell PLCs, Studio 5000, and Rockwell RSLogix to design, program, and troubleshoot control systems. While traveling, you receive a daily per diem and reimbursement for eligible travel expenses. The position involves working in active industrial and warehouse settings, which may require adherence to site-specific safety procedures and appropriate attire as defined by each facility.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Houston, TX.

Pay And Benefits

The pay range for this position is $30.00 - $55.00/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)

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Nov 11, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a fully remote position.

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.