Controls Engineer: PLCs, HMIs & Drives Specialist

Columbus McKinnon; Menomonee Falls (WI); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

FALL CREEK FARM & NURSERY in Menomonee Falls, WI is seeking a Controls Engineer to design and develop controls and electrical specifications for new and existing equipment. You will work on PLCs, HMIs, and VFDs, and translate requirements into reliable control code and drawings.

This role focuses on seamless integration with engineering and production, adherence to safety and electrical codes, and hands-on startup at customer sites up to 30% travel.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or related field.
• 2+ years’ experience with electrical systems or manufacturing.
• 2+ years’ experience working with CAD Electrical.

Responsibilities

• Design and interpret PLC code for customized material handling applications.
• Specify and verify controls requirements on new equipment and retrofits including maintenance of accurate controls drawings and documentation.
• Perform PLC programming, maintenance, and troubleshooting.
• Partner with engineers regarding project accuracy, design, standards, and design documentation.
• Complete project responsibilities within scope, budget, and schedule.
• Create bills of materials that include control enclosure, components, and wire.
• Act as a technical resource for internal and external customers.
• Participate on cross-functional teams to ensure continuous improvement of processes, methods, productivity, and quality, while reducing costs.
• Create drawings from written and verbal specifications.
• Partner with production as a technical resource.
• Inspect shop panels for correct wiring and setup.
• Resolve engineering issues as they arise in fabrication, assembly, and service.
• Observe safety procedures and meet electrical codes.
• Travel to customer sites to start up automated systems, to include adjustment/set-up of drives and control devices, point-to-point wire check out, check out of PLC code, etc. Travel up to 30%.

Skills

PLC programming

HMI development

Electrical systems

CAD Electrical

SolidWorks

AutoCAD

ERP systems

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field

Tools

CAD Electrical

SolidWorks

AutoCAD

ERP systems

Job description

Requisition ID3379-Posted09/18/2026-Menomonee Falls WI

The Controls Engineer supports and develops controls and electrical specifications for all new and existing equipment. This position is responsible for creating, modifying, and supporting PLC’s, HMI’s, and VFD’s.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Design and interpret PLC code for customized material handling applications.
• Specify and verify controls requirements on new equipment and existing equipment retrofits including maintenance of accurate controls drawings and documentation.
• Perform PLC programming, maintenance, and troubleshooting.
• Partner with engineers regarding project accuracy, design, standards, and design documentation.
• Complete project responsibilities within scope, budget, and schedule.
• Create bills of materials that include control enclosure, components, and wire.
• Act as a technical resource for internal and external customers.
• Participate on cross-functional teams to ensure the continuous, on-going improvement of processes, methods, productivity, and quality, while reducing costs.
• Create drawings from written and verbal specifications.
• Partner with production as a technical resource.
• Inspect shop panels for correct wiring and set up.
• Resolve any engineering issues as they arise in fabrication, assembly, and service.
• Observe safety procedures and meet electrical codes.
• Travel to customer sites to start up automated systems, to include adjustment/set-up of drives and control devices, point-to-point wire check out, check out of PLC code, etc. Travel up to 30%.

Knowledge, Skills, Competencies, and Abilities

• A team player that seeks input from others and contributes to the team effort to achieve a common goal.
• Attention to detail. Achieves thoroughness and accuracy when accomplishing a task through concern for all areas involved.
• Ability to build relationships both internally and externally to support customer needs.
• Practice good housekeeping and appropriate measures to increase efficiency in a lean manufacturing environment as well as prevent negative impacts on the equipment.
• Ability to organize, prioritize, and approach tasks with a sense of urgency.
• Experience with SolidWorks, AutoCAD and Enterprise Resource planning systems

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field required.
• 2+ years’ experience with electrical systems or manufacturing experience required.
• 2+ years’ experience working with CAD Electrical required.