Controls Engineer

Actalent; Tennessee; On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vis

401(k) retirement plans with company

Life and disability insurance

Job summary

Actalent is seeking a Controls Engineer for a permanent, on-site role in Kingsport, TN. The engineer will design, program, and maintain industrial control systems, focusing on PLCs, HMIs, drives, and safety-compliant automation projects.

Responsibilities include debugging Allen-Bradley and Siemens platforms, developing SCADA/HMI solutions, and coordinating with maintenance and production teams to improve reliability and uptime.

Qualifications

• Experience leading or assisting automation upgrades and retrofits.
• Familiar with industrial safety and quality standards.
• Strong collaboration with maintenance, production, and drafting teams.
• Detail-oriented documentation of control strategies and wiring diagrams.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop hardware and software for new automation projects.
• Program PLCs, HMIs, drives; troubleshoot Allen-Bradley and Siemens systems.
• Support SCADA/HMI systems to monitor production processes.
• Lead or assist in automation upgrades and retrofits.
• Maintain spare parts lists and prepare maintenance instructions.

Skills

Automation upgrades

Safety standards compliance

Cross-functional collaboration

Control strategy documentation

Project coordination

AC/DC drive systems

CAD layouts

Tools

AutoCAD

Job description

Job Description

Job Description

Controls Engineer

Job Description

The Controls Engineer designs, programs, and maintains industrial control and automation systems, ensuring reliable operation of manufacturing equipment and processes. This role focuses on troubleshooting and design for PLCs, HMIs, drives, and related electrical systems, while applying sound engineering principles to new projects, maintenance activities, and equipment upgrades. The Controls Engineer collaborates closely with maintenance and production teams to improve system reliability, uptime, and safety, and provides technical leadership on automation upgrades, retrofits, and new equipment integration.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop hardware and software solutions for new automation projects and maintenance repairs using sound engineering principles.
• Perform hardware and software design for PLCs, HMIs, AC and DC drives, and related control systems.
• Design, program, and troubleshoot Allen-Bradley PLCs, including ControlLogix, CompactLogix, and RSLogix 5000 platforms.
• Support, maintain, and optimize Siemens automation systems used in manufacturing operations.
• Develop, configure, and maintain SCADA and HMI systems to monitor, control, and visualize production processes.
• Collaborate with maintenance and production teams to improve system reliability, increase uptime, and resolve control-related issues.
• Lead or assist in automation upgrades, retrofits, and integration of new equipment into existing control architectures.
• Ensure all control systems comply with applicable safety and quality standards and best practices.
• Document control strategies, wiring diagrams, system configurations, and updates for new and existing equipment.
• Manage and schedule maintenance personnel and outside contractors to complete projects and maintain equipment effectively.
• Interface with drafters or personally create and update electrical drawings and CAD layouts for projects and existing equipment.
• Set up, verify, and maintain spare parts lists required for new and existing equipment to support ongoing maintenance.
• Write and update preventative maintenance instructions for equipment and control systems.
• Apply strong knowledge of medium-voltage power systems to support design, operation, and maintenance of electrical infrastructure.
• Maintain, upgrade, and archive software used in the manufacturing process to ensure version control and system integrity.
• Perform or support arc flash analysis to enhance electrical safety and ensure proper labeling and documentation.

Skills & Qualifications

• Experience leading or assisting with automation upgrades, retrofits, and integration of new equipment.
• Familiarity with safety and quality standards relevant to industrial control systems.
• Strong collaboration skills to work effectively with maintenance, production, and drafting teams.
• Attention to detail in documenting control strategies, wiring diagrams, and system configurations.
• Organizational skills for coordinating multiple projects, maintenance activities, and contractor schedules.
• Comfort working with both AC and DC drive systems in industrial applications.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Kingsport, TN.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $80000.00 - $110000.00/yr.

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Health savings accounts (HSA) or flexible spending accounts (FSA)
• Employee assistance programs (EAP) for mental health and counseling
• On-site wellness programs or fitness incentives
• 401(k) retirement plans with company matching
• Life and disability insurance

• Paid time off (PTO), including vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• Parental leave and family care support
• Training and certification programs
• Opportunities for advancement and internal mobility

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Kingsport,TN.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Aug 19, 2026.

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.

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