Controls Engineer

Actalent; Traverse City (MI); On-site; USD 55,000 - 69,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Travel premiums

Employee ownership

Great culture

All travel expenses covered

Job summary

Actalent in Traverse City, MI is hiring a Controls Project Engineer to lead automation systems design, development, and commissioning for custom machinery. You will own the full controls project lifecycle, work with customers, and support startups and production launches.

The role requires hands-on Siemens-based engineering, travel, and strong troubleshooting. Eligible candidates should have 3+ years PLC programming with Rockwell and enjoy a collaborative, fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of PLC programming experience (Rockwell).
• Cradle-to-grave controls project experience.
• Strong troubleshooting in controls, electrical, and automation.
• Ability to work independently with customer-facing responsibilities.
• Willingness to travel, with Midwest focus and pre-planned trips.

Responsibilities

• Gather customer requirements and project specs.
• Design Siemens-based control systems, including PLCs, HMIs, I/O, safety, networking.
• Create, review, and update electrical schematics.
• Develop BOMs balancing performance, budget, timelines.
• Program and troubleshoot Siemens PLC/HMI using TIA Portal.
• Perform system testing, validation, and acceptance testing.
• Support startup, commissioning, installation, and production launch.
• Coordinate activities with customers and vendors.
• Organize project documentation and backups.
• Develop commissioning procedures and automation best practices.
• Act as a self-sufficient, customer-facing engineer.

Skills

PLC programming

Cradle to grave

Troubleshooting

Independent work

Tools

Siemens PLC

TIA Portal

Job description

Job Title: Controls Project EngineerJob Description

This role offers an opportunity for a hands on Controls Engineer to lead the design, development, and implementation of automation systems for custom machinery. You will be supporting machine installations, startups, commissioning and customer acceptance testing.

You will own the full controls project lifecycle, from cradle to grave, working closely with other engineering teams and customers.

Professional engineering setting, with modern automation tools and equipment.

• Great work culture

• Smaller company that takes care of their employees

• Additional travel related premiums and employee ownership benefits

Travel 2030%

• 12 days on the road is typical

• Most travel concentrated in the Midwest (including states such as Michigan, Wisconsin, and Illinois) and occasional trips to other regions.

• All travel is planned well in advance

• All expenses covered + Per Diem

Responsibilities

• Gather customer requirements, project specs

• Design Siemens based control systems, including PLCs, HMIs, distributed I/O, safety controls, industrial networking, variable speed drives, and integration with robotics and machine vision systems.

• Create, review, and update electrical documentation such as schematics

• Select appropriate controls hardware and develop bills of material, balancing performance, maintainability, budget constraints, and project timelines.

• Program, configure, and troubleshoot Siemens PLC and HMI applications using TIA Portal and related software platforms

• Perform system testing, I/O verification, machine debugging, validation, and formal acceptance testing

• Support machine startup, commissioning, installation, and production launch activities at customer facilities

• Coordinate technical activities and deliverables with customers and vendors

• Organized project documentation: software backups, training materials, and final deliverables

• Develop and follow commissioning procedures and automation best practices

• Act as a self sufficient, customer facing engineer

Essential Skills

• 3+ years of PLC programming - Rockwell

• Cradle to grave controls projects

• Strong troubleshooting skills; controls, electrical, and automation issues

• Ability to work independently with little guidance, including comfort with customer facing responsibilities.

"Nice to have" Skills & Qualifications

• Industrial robot integration and programming experience (Fanuc / ABB)

• Experience integrating machine vision systems into automated machinery and production lines.

• SAT FAT

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Traverse City, MI.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $40.00 - $50.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: Medical, dental & vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan Pre‑tax and Roth post‑tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) Short and long‑term disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Traverse City,MI.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 14, 2026.

About Actalent

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.