Controls Engineer – Automation, PLC & IT Interfaces

Materion Corporation

Buffalo (AL)

On-site

USD 79,000 - 119,000

Full time

11 days ago

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Job summary

Materion Corporation is seeking a Controls Engineer to support daily plant operations by ensuring reliable automation and control systems. You will bridge Operations, Engineering, Maintenance, and IT to translate production needs into robust, safe solutions while maintaining documentation and standards.

Responsibilities include collaborating on new equipment, developing PLC/HMI designs, and driving preventive strategies with maintenance teams.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Automation, or related field.
2–5 years in industrial controls or automation.
Experience with PLCs, HMIs, and industrial networks (Allen-Bradley, Siemens, or similar).
Knowledge of industrial protocols (EtherNet/IP, Profinet, OPC, etc.).
Strong troubleshooting and communication; cross-functional collaboration.
Exposure to IT/OT networking is a plus.

Responsibilities

Partner with Operations to translate production requirements into control functionality.
Monitor automation performance; identify bottlenecks and implement throughput improvements.
Provide real-time troubleshooting for production-critical controls issues.
Collaborate with Engineering on equipment installations and upgrades.
Design and review PLC logic, HMI screens, and networking for projects.
Document changes; ensure validation and internal standards.
Support Maintenance with root-cause analysis and SOPs for controls.
Coordinate with IT for secure interfaces between plant controls and enterprise systems.
Maintain plant control documentation, backups, and version control.
Lead automation upgrades, migrations, and standardization across facilities.