Controls Engineer | 0-5% Travel

Engtal; Dayton (OH); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Engtal in Dayton, OH seeks a Controls Engineer to own controls design and software for custom machinery, with 70-80% PLC/software work and 20-30% electrical design. Travel is 0-5% as field work is handled by dedicated teams.

You’ll contribute from design through FAT, coordinating with mechanical, electrical and manufacturing teams. The role emphasizes hands-on programming, debugging, and testing on Allen-Bradley/Rockwell platforms, plus HMI development and system integration.

Qualifications

• Hands-on experience with Allen-Bradley PLC programming and Studio 5000/RSLogix.
• Proficiency in HMI development and programming.
• Experience designing electrical controls and schematics for industrial equipment.

Responsibilities

• Develop PLC programs for custom machinery.
• Design and program HMIs.
• Create electrical schematics and panel layouts.
• Debug and test controls on equipment before shipment.
• Collaborate with mechanical, electrical and manufacturing teams.

Skills

Allen-Bradley PLC

Studio 5000/RSLogix

HMI development

Electrical schematics

Systems integration

Debugging & testing

Pneumatics & hydraulics

Tools

Studio 5000

RSLogix

AutoCAD/EPLAN

SCADA/HMI tools

Job description

If you enjoy custom automation but don’t enjoy spending half your life on the road, this is a pretty unique opportunity.

We’re working with a long-established custom machine builder in the Dayton area looking to add a Controls Engineer to their team. You’ll get the technical variety and full-project ownership that comes with custom equipment, while traveling very little. The company has dedicated field service teams that handle the majority of customer‑site work, keeping Controls Engineering travel around 0-5%.

The role is roughly 70-80% controls/software and 20-30% electrical design, working primarily with Allen-Bradley/Rockwell. You’ll be involved throughout the project lifecycle, from controls design and programming through equipment build, debugging, testing and FAT.

What you’ll be working on

• Allen-Bradley PLC programming using Studio 5000 / RSLogix
• HMI development and programming
• Electrical controls design, schematics, panel layouts and I/O
• Debugging and testing custom machinery before it leaves the facility
• VFDs, motors, instrumentation and industrial networking
• Equipment involving pumps, valves, pressure, flow, temperature and other fluid/process controls
• New equipment as well as rebuilds, upgrades and custom applications
• Working alongside mechanical, electrical and manufacturing teams from design through finished equipment

Why this one is different

Beyond the 0-5% travel, the team generally operates around a normal 40-hour workweek and offers flexibility around when you start and finish your day.

There’s also a genuine longer-term growth opportunity here. As the engineering team evolves over the next several years, there is potential for the right person to move toward Controls Engineering leadership/management. That isn’t a requirement for the role — someone who wants to remain a strong hands‑on engineer can do that as well.

What they’re looking for

The biggest thing is someone with a solid industrial controls foundation who can contribute beyond maintenance and troubleshooting. Ideally, you’ll have:

• Hands‑on Allen-Bradley/Rockwell PLC programming experience
• HMI programming/development
• Experience with electrical controls design and schematics
• Background with custom machinery, automated equipment, systems integration or similar
• Experience taking controls projects through programming, debugging and testing
• Exposure to process controls, instrumentation, pneumatics, hydraulics or fluid‑handling equipment is a plus

You do not need to check every box. They’re open to different industry backgrounds if you have strong PLC/HMI fundamentals, understand the electrical side of controls, and enjoy figuring out how machinery actually works.