Controls Engineer

OptiCool; Town of Webster (NY); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

OptiCool is seeking a Controls Engineer to lead the design and development of control systems for innovative cooling solutions. You will work from concept through post-sale support, developing software, wiring diagrams, and BOMs while ensuring safety and regulatory compliance.

You will collaborate with project managers, electrical and mechanical engineers, and software teams to define requirements and build robust, manufacturable products. Travel to supplier and customer sites will be required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering or related field.
• 5+ years of industry experience in system design and development of PLC programming.
• Proficiency in CAD software for control design (SolidWorks Electrical preferred).
• Experience programming control systems on Allen-Bradley and Carel platforms.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop new products and electrical components in a hands-on collaborative environment.
• Create and maintain electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, and BOMs.
• Develop and implement control software for R&D and commercial products.
• Collaborate with project managers and other engineers to define requirements and specs.
• Develop advanced PID, fault-tolerant, redundant, and self-learning control systems.
• Create control narratives, process diagrams, and interface documentation.
• Test and validate PLC systems for reliability and performance.
• Maintain controls hardware and software libraries across product lifecycle.
• Enhance designs for performance, reliability, serviceability, and manufacturability.
• Provide technical assistance to Service, Installation, and Applications teams.
• Occasional travel to supplier and customer sites.

Skills

PLC programming

Ladder logic

Structured text

Modbus

BACnet

SNMP

Manufacturability

Technical documentation

Data analysis

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in electrical or computer engineering

Tools

SolidWorks Electrical

Allen-Bradley

Carel platforms

Job description

OptiCool is positioned at the intersection of advanced thermal management, data center infrastructure, and liquid cooling technology. This role provides an opportunity to work on technically complex projects supporting the rapidly evolving data center industry while collaborating with applications, sales and manufacturing.

Join our collaborative engineering team as a Controls Engineer, where you will play a key role in the design and development of control systems for innovative cooling systems. From concept to post-sale support, you will contribute to the design, programming, documentation, and continuous improvement of products and components. You will also provide cross-functional support and be a key contributor to Opticool’s quality-first mantra.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Design and develop new products and electrical components in a hands-on collaborative environment, ensuring alignment with project goals and technical requirements.
• Create and maintain accurate and detailed electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, and Bills of Materials (BOMs).
• Develop and implement control software for both R&D and commercialized products, ensuring functionality, safety, and regulatory compliance.
• Collaborate with project managers, mechanical engineers, software engineers to create project requirements and specifications
• Develop advanced PID, fault tolerant, redundant, and self-learning control systems.
• Develop detailed control narratives, process shutdown keys, process flow charts and interface control documentation to provide a comprehensive overview of the system functionality and interactions.
• Conduct thorough testing and validation of PLC systems to ensure reliability and performance.
• Maintain the controls hardware and software library to support all phases of the product lifecycle — from R&D through obsolescence.
• Enhance existing product designs to improve performance, reliability, serviceability, and manufacturability.
• Provide technical assistance and troubleshooting to Service, Installation, and Applications teams.
• Travel occasionally to supplier and customer sites to support development, testing, or deployment activities.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS (Education, Experience, Knowledge, & Skills)

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering or related field
• 5+ years of industry experience in system design, and development of PLC programming
• Proficient in developing control system design packages using CAD software (SolidWorks Electrical preferred)
• Experienced in programming control systems; Allen-Bradley and Carel platforms highly desired.
• Proficiency in programming languages commonly used in PLC systems (e.g., ladder logic, structured text).
• Familiar with industrial communication protocols such as Modbus, BACnet, and SNMP
• Strong focus on designing for manufacturability and serviceability.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with strong attention to detail
• Skilled in problem-solving, technical documentation, and data analysis
• Knowledge of refrigerants, refrigeration components, or equipment-based cooling systems is a strong plus.