Controls Engineer I

Generac; Sussex (WI); On-site; USD 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive benefits

Job summary

Generac is seeking a Controls Engineer I to join our product development team in the United States. This role interfaces with engineering, operations, sourcing, quality, service, and marketing to design and validate control systems for generators and power tools.

You will develop control algorithms, build simulation models, and support product development plans, while collaborating to optimize designs for manufacturability and performance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering or related engineering discipline.
• At least 3 months of relevant work experience.
• Experience with MATLAB/Simulink and developing/tuning control algorithms preferred.
• Familiarity with power system applications including energy storage.

Responsibilities

• Design, validate and bring new products to market.
• Provide development support across generator or power tool areas including control algorithms and simulation models.
• Specify functional requirements and evaluate design cost, reliability and safety.
• Develop tests and validation plans for standard products and components; create tuning files.
• Collaborate with internal teams to optimize designs for manufacturability.
• Apply model-based design to develop and validate new designs with detailed simulation results.
• Assist more senior engineers and support product development plans as needed.

Skills

Modeling tools

Control algorithms

Power systems

Communication skills

Detail-oriented

Education

Bachelor of Science in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering

Tools

MATLAB/Simulink

Job description

The Controls Engineer I is responsible for providing engineering input to the product development projects assigned to them, including interfacing with the cross‑functional team consisting of engineering, operations (industrial engineering, production, and material procurement), sourcing, quality, service, and marketing.

Major Responsibilities

• Design, validate and bring new products to market.
• Provide new product development support in the Industrial, Commercial, Residential, and/or Retail generator or Power Tool product areas, including creating and maintaining control algorithms and simulation models, supporting product development plans (schedule, product cost, meeting design inputs), interfacing with internal company personnel, and providing technical support for assigned projects.
• Specify precise new product functional requirements; design, test and integrate standard, less complex components to produce final designs; evaluate the design’s overall effectiveness, cost (including cost/benefit analysis), reliability (risk analysis), and safety.
• Design, develop, execute and evaluate fitness‑for‑use testing, product specifications and process validation plans for standard products and/or components; create and review product configuration and tuning files.
• Collaborate with internal partners, designers and product specialists to optimize basic designs for manufacturability.
• Apply model‑based design methodologies to develop and validate new designs, producing detailed simulation results.
• Other duties may include supporting product development plans (schedule, product cost, meeting design inputs) and acting as a resource to more experienced engineers.

Minimum Job Requirements

• Bachelor of Science in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering or related engineering discipline.
• At least 3 months of relevant work experience.

Preferred Requirements

• Experience with modeling tools such as MATLAB/Simulink.
• Familiarity with developing and tuning control algorithms.
• Familiarity with power system applications, including battery energy storage systems.
• Ability to perform detail‑oriented work with a high degree of accuracy.
• Ability to translate technical information to all audiences.
• Uses basic engineering knowledge to improve products or services.
• Able to solve basic engineering problems and make good decisions.
• Proficient oral and written communication skills.