Controls Engineer

PAR Systems; Shoreview (MN); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

PAR Systems is seeking a Controls Engineer with Siemens SINUMERIK experience to join our Advanced Manufacturing team. Our systems support aerospace and defense applications, including precision cutting, drilling, robotic fixtures, and friction stir welding.

You will develop and integrate CNC, PLC, motion, and operator-interface functionality for custom machines, from requirements through testing, commissioning, and customer acceptance. Strong SINUMERIK ONE/840D background is highly valued.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a related field.
• 5+ years of controls, CNC integration, or machine commissioning experience.
• Hands-on experience with Siemens SINUMERIK ONE or 840D SL.
• Experience configuring CNC axes and machine parameters; integrate CNC and PLC functionality.
• Proficiency in Siemens PLC programming using TIA Portal and/or STEP 7.
• Experience commissioning servo systems and diagnosing drive, encoder, and motion issues.
• Familiarity with NC programming, coordinate systems, tool/work offsets, and multi-axis movement.
• Ability to read electrical schematics and troubleshoot software-electrical-mechanical interactions.
• Strong communication, ownership of issues, and willingness to travel for installations.

Responsibilities

• Translate customer and machine requirements into CNC and controls architectures, software designs, and test plans.
• Configure and commission SINUMERIK ONE systems, including CNC axes, channels, machine data, and interfaces.
• Develop Siemens PLC software in TIA Portal and integrate machine sequences with the SINUMERIK CNC.
• Implement CNC/PLC coordination, including axis enables, program control, interlocks, alarms, and recovery sequences.
• Configure and commission SINAMICS servo drives, motors, and feedback systems; tune motion with engineers.
• Develop and troubleshoot NC programs and machine-specific cycles for coordinated motion.
• Integrate probing, tooling, process heads, instrumentation, and auxiliary equipment.
• Configure SINUMERIK Operate functionality and machine-specific interfaces.
• Assist with machine safety validation and project team collaboration.
• Use simulation/virtual commissioning to test machine behavior before hardware is available.
• Support power-up, I/O checkout, motion testing, Factory Acceptance Testing, and commissioning.
• Troubleshoot issues across CNC, PLC, drives, and electrical/mechanical interfaces.
• Maintain software/archives and documentation; share SINUMERIK knowledge and mentor others.

Skills

CNC integration

Controls engineering

Siemens SINUMERIK

Troubleshooting

Mentoring

Travel willingness

Requirements analysis

Education

Bachelor’s degree in electrical/mechanical/computer engineering or mechatronics

Equivalent education/experience

Tools

SINUMERIK ONE

SINUMERIK 840D sl

TIA Portal

STEP 7

Structured Text/SCL

Job description

PAR Systems is seeking a Controls Engineer with SiemensSINUMERIK experience to join our Advanced Manufacturing team. Our systems support demanding aerospace and defense applications, including precision cutting and trimming, drilling, robotic and configurable fixtures, and friction stir welding.

In this role, you will develop and integrate CNC, PLC, motion, and operator-interface functionality for custom machines. You will work from requirements and system architecture through software development, testing, commissioning, and customer acceptance.

SINUMERIK ONE experience is strongly preferred. Engineers with substantial SINUMERIK 840D development and commissioning experience are also encouraged to apply. We welcome candidates at the Advanced or Senior Engineer level. Placement will reflect your technical depth, independence, project ownership, and ability to guide others.

What you’ll do

• Translate customer and machine requirements into CNC and controls architectures, software designs, and test plans.
• Configure and commission SINUMERIK ONE systems, including CNC axes, channels, machine data, operating modes, and interfaces.
• Develop Siemens PLC software in TIA Portal and integrate machine sequences with the SINUMERIK CNC.
• Implement CNC/PLC coordination, including axis enables, program control, auxiliary functions, interlocks, alarms, and recovery sequences.
• Configure and commission SINAMICS servo drives, motors, and feedback systems. Tune motion performance in collaboration with mechanical and process engineers.
• Develop and troubleshoot NC programs, subprograms, and machine-specific cycles for coordinated motion and manufacturing processes.
• Integrate probing, tooling, process heads, instrumentation, and auxiliary equipment.
• Configure SINUMERIK Operate functionality and collaborate on machine-specific operator interfaces and diagnostics.
• Participate in machine safety implementation and validation with the project team.
• Use simulation and virtual commissioning to test machine behavior before physical equipment is available.
• Support machine power-up, electrical and I/O checkout, motion testing, process development, Factory Acceptance Testing, and customer-site commissioning.
• Troubleshoot issues across CNC configuration, PLC logic, drives, communications, electrical hardware, and machine mechanics.
• Maintain software, commissioning archives, configuration records, and technical documentation.
• Contribute reusable software, commissioning procedures, and engineering standards. Share SINUMERIK knowledge and mentor other engineers.

What you bring

• A bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, computer engineering, mechatronics, or a related field; equivalent relevant education and experience will also be considered.
• Typically five or more years of controls, CNC integration, or machine commissioning experience.
• Substantial hands-on experience developing, integrating, or commissioning machines using Siemens SINUMERIK ONE or 840D sl.
• Experience configuring CNC axes and machine parameters, integrating CNC and PLC functionality, and resolving commissioning issues.
• Siemens PLC programming experience using TIA Portal and/or STEP 7, with proficiency in Structured Text/SCL, ladder logic, or related languages.
• Practical experience commissioning servo systems and diagnosing drive, encoder, and motion performance issues.
• Working knowledge of NC programming, coordinate systems, tool and work offsets, and coordinated multi-axis movement.
• Ability to read electrical schematics and troubleshoot interactions between software, electrical hardware, and mechanical equipment.
• Clear communication, sound engineering judgment, and ownership of technical issues through resolution.
• Willingness to travel for installation and commissioning.

Experience that would strengthen your application

• Direct SINUMERIK ONE project delivery experience, including TIA Portal and the integrated S7-1500 PLC.
• SINAMICS S120 commissioning, tuning, and DRIVE-CLiQ diagnostics.
• Five-axis machining, gantry systems, rotary axes, or other complex machine configurations.
• Kinematic transformations, tool-center-point control, machine calibration, and compensation.
• SINUMERIK Safety Integrated and Siemens fail-safe PLC programming.
• Create MyVirtual Machine or other virtual commissioning and machine simulation tools.
• SINUMERIK Operate customization and integration with external PC applications.
• Probing, tool measurement, automatic tool changing, or process-specific CNC cycles.
• Closed-loop process control, force control, or manufacturing data acquisition.
• Software version control, reusable libraries, structured testing, and engineering change management.
• Experience with custom aerospace manufacturing equipment.
• AutoCAD Electrical, EPLAN, or similar electrical design tools.

You do not need experience with every preferred technology to apply. We are particularly interested in engineers who combine strong SINUMERIK fundamentals with practical troubleshooting skills and demonstrated responsibility for delivering working machines.