Controls Engineer

Milwaukee Succeeds; Racine, Northern (WI, KY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401k with company match

Health Savings Account

Job summary

Modine Manufacturing Company - Coatings is seeking an Automation and Controls Engineer to lead Industry 4.0 initiatives across four global facilities, driving the automation roadmap, standardizing technologies, and integrating smart manufacturing systems. The role requires hands-on PLC programming, Ignition development, and strong electrical standards knowledge.

You will collaborate with IT/OT and maintain drawings, specifications, and vendor relationships.

Qualifications

• BSEE required.
• 5+ years of Automation and Controls Engineer experience in manufacturing.
• Experience with AutoCAD Electrical.
• Experience with PLCs (Allen-Bradley, Emerson, Siemens) and Ignition development.
• Experience with IT/OT communication protocols and best practices.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain an Automation/Industry 4.0 roadmap aligned with strategic business goals.
• Identify components and technologies to standardize across facilities.
• Develop engineering specifications for electrical control systems.
• Recommend and initiate improvements or replacement of equipment that fails to meet standards.
• Partner with IT to ensure OT networks are secure and compliant with cybersecurity policies.
• Drive continuous plant improvement by modifying PLC logic and optimizing robotics in Ignition.
• Act as escalation point for plant maintenance to diagnose complex electrical and programming issues.
• Apply Industry 4.0 and predictive maintenance to improve monitoring and uptime.
• Oversee safety assessments and ensure compliance with standards.
• Maintain electrical drawings and documentation for equipment.
• Manage spare parts inventory for max utilization.
• Assist in installing new control equipment and train maintenance teams.

Skills

Project management

Leadership

Communication

IT/OT knowledge

Troubleshooting

Education

BSEE

Tools

AutoCAD Electrical

Ignition

PLC programming (Allen-Bradley, Emerson, Siemens)

Vision systems

Robot programming (Fanuc)

SQL

Job description

For more than 100 years, Modine has solved the toughest thermal management challenges for mission-critical applications. Our purpose of Engineering a Cleaner, Healthier World means we are always evolving our portfolio of technologies to provide the latest heating, cooling, and ventilation solutions. Through the hard work of more than 11,000 employees worldwide, our Climate Solutions and Performance Technologies segments advance our purpose with systems that improve air quality, reduce energy and water consumption, lower harmful emissions, enable cleaner running vehicles, and use environmentally friendly refrigerants. Modine is a global company headquartered in Racine, Wisconsin (U.S.), with operations in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. For more information about Modine, visit modine.com.

Position Description

Modine Manufacturing Company - Coatings is seeking an Automation and Controls Engineer to lead the organization's Industry 4.0 and automation journey. Serving as the critical link between strategic vision and tactical execution, this role will drive the corporate automation roadmap, standardize technologies, and integrate smart manufacturing systems. The position will support four global facilities, focusing on continuous plant improvement and the end-to-end execution of Capital automation projects. The ideal candidate will bring strong, hands-on experience in PLC programming, SCADA/Ignition development, complex system troubleshooting, and electrical industry standards.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain an Automation/Industry 4.0 roadmap aligned with strategic business goals
• Identify components and technologies to standardize across facilities
• Develop engineering specifications for electrical control systems and equipment modifications.
• Recommend and initiate improvements or replacement of equipment which fails to meet operating standards.
• Partner with the IT department to ensure OT networks and connected manufacturing equipment are secure and adhere to corporate cybersecurity policies.

Tactical Responsibilities

Plant Support

• Drive continuous improvement by modifying existing PLC logic, optimizing vision-guided robotics and motion control systems, and developing within Ignition to visualize plant data.
• Act as the technical escalation point for plant maintenance to diagnose and resolve complex electrical and programming malfunctions.
• Apply Industry 4.0 and predictive maintenance techniques to enhance real-time monitoring, machine learning diagnostics, and overall equipment uptime.
• Oversee machine safety risk assessments and ensure all control systems comply with industry and company safety standards.
• Maintain accurate electrical drawings, schematics, and documentation for all production and plant equipment.
• Guide the electrical spare parts inventory to ensure maximum machine utilization.
• Assist in installing new electrical control equipment and provide ongoing training to maintenance teams on machine control and motor controller diagnostics.

CAPEX

• Assist in developing cost estimates, calculating ROI, and preparing funding requests for automation projects.
• Create comprehensive electrical and control system specifications (PLC, HMI, SCADA, instrumentation) for new equipment.
• Manage third-party system integrators and equipment vendors, including conducting Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) and Site Acceptance Testing (SAT).
• Facilitate the end-to-end execution of automation projects, encompassing sequence of operations, schematic design, logic programming, installation, onsite commissioning, and validation.
• Integrate new smart manufacturing systems, including robotic arms, motion control, and machine vision systems.

Required Education & Qualifications

• BSEE required
• 5+ years of experience as Automation and Controls Engineer in Manufacturing Environment
• Experience with AutoCAD Electrical
• Experience with troubleshooting and program modifications on PLCs, specifically Allen Bradley, Emerson, and Siemens
• Experience with development within Ignition (e.g. setting up tags, dashboards, historizing data, communication between equipment and MES)
• Experience with IT/OT communication protocols and best practices
• Strong project management and cross-functional leadership skills. Ability to communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders (Operations, EHS, Management).
• Desired - Familiar with Industry Standards UL and CE
• Desired - experience with Vision System programming, Robot programming (e.g. Fanuc), and with SQL

Why Choose Modine?

Health & Well-being

• Day One
• Competitive health, dental & vision insurance coverage
• Employee Assistance Program
• After 90 days of continuous employment
• Maternity Leave (12 weeks at 100% pay)
• 8 weeks of short term disability leave paid at 100%
• 4 weeks of paid parental leave paid at 100%
• Paternity Leave (4 weeks at 100% pay)

Financial Benefits

• 401k Retirement plan and company paid match
• Life Insurance
• Health Savings Account (HSA) with employer contribution
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Short Term Disability (company paid)
• Long Term Disability

Work-Life Balance

• Competitive time-off policies
• Tuition Reimbursement

To view full benefits information:MyModine Benefits

Modine is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Modine provides a competitive benefit package, which could include paid vacation, short term disability, 401(k), health, dental, vision, life insurance, flex spending benefits, tuition reimbursement, Health Savings Account and much more. Human Resources will provide more detail upon your hiring.

The salary range for this position is estimated in good faith to be [minimum amount - maximum amount]. The specific offer will depend on the candidate's qualifications, experience, and other job-related considerations but will be within the stated range.Where required by applicable law, a general description of benefits and other compensation offered for this role is also provided or made available.

This position is not eligible for any form of sponsorship (e.g. OPT or H1B visa status) now or in the future. Only individuals authorized to work in the United States now and for the foreseeable future will be considered for this position.

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