Controls Engineer

hireneXus; Shelbyville (KY); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

hireneXus in Shelbyville, Kentucky is seeking a Controls Engineer to design, implement, and optimize electrical control systems for manufacturing equipment. You will program PLCs, HMIs, and motion controls while supporting startup and commissioning of new lines.

The ideal candidate has 2+ years of controls experience, strong troubleshooting skills, and can work on the manufacturing floor alongside maintenance and production teams. This onsite role includes travel to other facilities as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related field.
• 2+ years of controls, automation, or manufacturing engineering experience.
• Experience supporting manufacturing equipment in an industrial setting.
• Strong troubleshooting skills with PLCs, HMIs, drives, sensors.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, troubleshoot, and improve electrical control systems for manufacturing equipment.
• Program, modify, and support PLCs, HMIs, motion control, and automation equipment.
• Lead controls projects from concept through startup and commissioning.
• Collaborate with maintenance and production to diagnose complex issues.

Skills

Troubleshooting

PLC & automation

On-floor support

Cross-functional teamwork

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Allen-Bradley PLCs

FactoryTalk

Kinetix servo drives

VFDs

Ethernet/IP

Beckhoff

AutoCAD Electrical

SQL databases

Job description

Join a Leading Manufacturing Organization

Our client, a well-established global manufacturer, is seeking a Controls Engineer to join its engineering team in Shelbyville, Kentucky. This role offers the opportunity to work on advanced manufacturing equipment, automation systems, and continuous improvement projects while collaborating with maintenance, production, and engineering teams across multiple facilities.

This position is ideal for an engineer who enjoys balancing hands-on troubleshooting with project-based controls design and automation improvements in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, troubleshoot, and improve electrical control systems for manufacturing equipment.


• Program, modify, and support PLCs, HMIs, motion control systems, and industrial automation equipment.


• Lead electrical controls projects from concept through implementation and startup.


• Support maintenance and production teams by diagnosing complex machine and automation issues.


• Develop controls solutions that improve equipment reliability, safety, quality, and production efficiency.


• Coordinate machine startups, commissioning, and system testing.


• Create and maintain electrical documentation, drawings, and project records.


• Work with equipment vendors, contractors, and internal engineering teams on new equipment and system upgrades.


• Recommend and implement continuous improvement initiatives and emerging automation technologies.


• Support multiple manufacturing locations as needed with occasional travel.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering preferred. Mechanical or Industrial Engineering degrees will also be considered with applicable controls experience.


• 2+ years of controls, automation, or manufacturing engineering experience.


• Experience supporting manufacturing equipment in an industrial environment.


• Strong troubleshooting skills involving PLCs, HMIs, drives, sensors, and automation systems.


• Comfortable working directly on the manufacturing floor to support production and maintenance operations.

Preferred Technical Experience

Experience with several of the following technologies is highly desired:

• Allen-Bradley ControlLogix or CompactLogix PLCs


• FactoryTalk and PanelView HMIs


• Kinetix Servo Drives


• Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs)


• Ethernet/IP, DeviceNet, or other industrial communication networks


• Beckhoff automation systems


• Motion control systems


• AutoCAD or AutoCAD Electrical


• Microsoft Project


• SQL databases or programming languages


• Machine startup and commissioning

Preferred Industry Experience

Candidates with experience supporting automated manufacturing processes involving any of the following are encouraged to apply:

• Metal manufacturing


• Heavy industrial equipment


• Automated production lines


• Competitive salary: $90,000-$120,000, depending on experience


• Opportunity to work with a collaborative engineering team


• Career growth within a stable, global manufacturing organization

This is an onsite position based in Shelbyville, Kentucky, with approximately 10% travel to support additional manufacturing facilities. Candidates should either reside within commuting distance or be willing to relocate.