Controls Engineer

Liberty Personnel Services, Inc.; Newark (DE); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

401K with employer match

FSA or HSA with employer contribution

Paid vacation and holidays

Sick time

Job summary

Liberty Personnel Services, Inc. seeks a Controls Engineer to own end-to-end automation projects on-site in Newark, DE, designing, implementing, testing, and commissioning control systems across chemicals, pharma, and manufacturing sectors with direct client interaction.

You’ll lead project teams, mentor engineers, and translate complex requirements into robust PLC/HMI/SCADA/DCS/MES solutions while ensuring safe, reliable, and well-documented operations.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience with control systems in manufacturing industries.
• Hands-on experience configuring PLC, HMI, SCADA, DCS, and MES applications.
• Understanding of process control or other manufacturing processes.
• Proven track record delivering automation projects to successful completion.
• Ability to manage a project through its entire lifecycle.
• Strong written and oral communication skills for complex technical concepts.
• MS Office proficiency for documentation and reporting.
• Willingness to work off-hours when required.
• Valid driver’s license and willingness to complete background checks.

Responsibilities

• Designing, developing, and documenting control systems that meet customer requirements.
• Leading project teams to ensure quality deliverables and on-time completion.
• Configuring PLC, HMI, SCADA, DCS, and/or MES applications for manufacturing customers.
• Communicating directly with customers in the office and on-site to present work and refine solutions.
• Traveling to customer sites to implement, test, and commission project deliverables.
• Meeting with project managers, subject matter experts, and business leadership to assess project status.

Skills

Project lifecycle management

Customer-facing communication

Mentoring engineers

MS Office proficiency

Process control understanding

Education

PE or EIT certification (optional)

Tools

PLC

HMI/SCADA/DCS/MES configuration

Job description

Controls Engineer - Own the full project, not just a piece

Newark, DE

You’re not looking to babysit someone else’s code or stare at a screen all day. You want to design, build, test, and see your control systems driving real manufacturing operations.

In this role, you’ll be the go-to Controls Engineer on automation projects for a mix of manufacturers across chemicals, pharma, industrial gases, and discrete products. You’ll shape the control strategy, lead pieces of the project team, and be the face of the solution on-site with the customer.

You’ll own the lifecycle – from requirements to commissioning – and work directly with project managers, subject matter experts, and business leadership to get projects over the finish line.

This is a place where controls engineers grow into technical leaders, project managers, sales engineers, and engineering managers – all under leadership that has walked the same path.

If you’ve delivered controls projects in manufacturing and want more ownership, we want to talk to you.

What You'll Work On

You’ll work across a range of automation projects for manufacturing customers, with exposure to multiple industries and platforms.

• Process control systems for chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing
• Automation for industrial gases production facilities
• Control systems for discrete manufactured products
• PLC-based machine and process control
• HMI and SCADA visualization and control layers
• DCS implementations and upgrades
• MES-related control and integration work
• Energy efficiency and productivity-focused automation solutions

You’ll be configuring and integrating PLC, HMI, SCADA, DCS, and MES applications to meet specific customer requirements.

The core challenge: turning complex manufacturing requirements into clean, reliable, fully documented control systems that run safely and efficiently.

What You'll Be Doing

• Designing, developing, and documenting control systems that meet customer requirements
• Leading project teams to ensure quality deliverables and on-time completion
• Configuring PLC, HMI, SCADA, DCS, and/or MES applications for manufacturing customers
• Communicating directly with customers in the office and on-site to present work and refine solutions
• Traveling to customer sites to implement, test, and commission project deliverablesMeeting with project managers, subject matter experts, and business leadership to assess project status
• Determining effective approaches to keep projects on track to successful completion
• Handling projects through the entire lifecycle from concept through startup
• Mentoring fellow engineers on control concepts and project methodologies
• Using business application software (MS Office) to manage documentation, reporting, and communication
• Adjusting to off-hours work when required to support implementations and customer needs
• Maintaining a positive, professional, and cooperative working style with customers and teammates

What We're Looking For

• Three or more years of experience with control systems in manufacturing industries
• Hands‑on experience configuring PLC, HMI, SCADA, DCS, and/or MES applications
• Understanding of process control or other manufacturing processes
• Proven track record delivering automation projects to successful completion
• Ability to manage a project through its entire lifecycle
• Strong written and oral communication skills for complex technical concepts
• Thorough knowledge of MS Office business application software
• Positive, professional demeanor with a flexible and cooperative working style
• Willingness to work off‑hours when required
• Valid driver’s license and willingness to complete required drug testing and background checks

The Experience That Will Really Get Our Attention

You’ve owned control system projects end‑to‑end in a manufacturing setting, comfortably bridging plant‑floor realities with automation best practices. You’re as confident in front of a customer as you are in front of a programming screen, and you enjoy mentoring other engineers on how to think about control strategy and project execution.

Maybe you’ve formalized your expertise with a PE or EIT, or picked up certifications from automation technology partners. You’re serious about the craft of controls engineering and interested in growing toward technical leadership, project management, sales engineering, or engineering management.

Why This Opportunity?

You’ll be part of an engineering‑driven organization where the company is managed and owned by engineers who have all worked as process control system engineers. The people steering the ship understand exactly what you do.

There’s a clear path to grow: technical leadership, project management, sales engineering, and engineering management are all on the table, with real professional development opportunities across departments.

You’ll be well taken care of with medical, dental, vision, life insurance, 401K with employer match, FSA or HSA with employer contribution (depending on medical plan), plus paid vacation, sick time, and company holidays.

Compensation is competitive and commensurate with experience, with a strong preference for promoting from within.

Must possess a valid driver’s license.

Must be willing to submit to drug testing and background checks as required for employment and customer contracts.

Must be willing to work off‑hours when required.

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