Controls Engineer - Production Support

ZENITH INFOTEK LLC; North Carolina; On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Zenith Infotek LLC in Columbus, Ohio seeks a hands-on Controls Engineer to support production operations. You will maintain, troubleshoot, and optimize Siemens PLC/NC systems to maximize uptime and efficiency.

Ideal candidates have 3+ years in Siemens PLC/NC controls, with Step7 and TIA Portal experience in manufacturing. On-site role with cross-functional collaboration across Operations, Maintenance, and IT/OT.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3+ years in industrial controls engineering.
• Strong experience with Siemens PLC/NC systems.
• Proficient with Step7 and TIA Portal; S7-300/400/1200/1500 preferred.

Responsibilities

• Production Support & Troubleshooting for Siemens PLC/NC equipment.
• Diagnose and resolve automation, controls, and machine-related issues.
• Perform root cause analysis for recurring failures.
• Collaborate with Operations and Maintenance to minimize downtime.
• Utilize Siemens Step7 and TIA Portal for diagnostics and modifications.
• Support machine commissioning, upgrades, and control enhancements.

Skills

Siemens PLC

NC/CNC controls

Step7

TIA Portal

Troubleshooting

HMI systems

Cross-functional

Production support

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Engineering

Tools

Siemens Step7

TIA Portal

Job description

Job Description

Controls Engineer - Production Support

Location: Columbus, Ohio, USA

Experience: 3-8 Years

Domain: Industrial Automation / Manufacturing Operations / Controls Engineering

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Controls Engineer to join our Production Support team supporting critical manufacturing operations. The ideal candidate will possess hands-on experience with Siemens automation platforms including PLC and NC systems, with strong troubleshooting and support capabilities in a production environment. This role will be responsible for maintaining, troubleshooting, optimizing, and supporting manufacturing control systems to ensure maximum equipment uptime, operational efficiency, and production continuity. The candidate will collaborate closely with Operations, Maintenance, Manufacturing Engineering, OEMs, and IT/OT teams to resolve control system issues and implement continuous improvements.

Key Responsibilities

• Production Support & Troubleshooting
• Provide day-to-day production support for Siemens PLC and NC-controlled manufacturing equipment.
• Diagnose and resolve automation, controls, and machine-related issues impacting production.
• Perform root cause analysis (RCA) for recurring system, machine, and process failures.
• Work closely with manufacturing and maintenance teams to minimize equipment downtime.
• Troubleshoot field devices, drives, motors, HMI systems, sensors, communication networks, and machine interfaces.
• Siemens PLC Programming & Support
• Support, modify, troubleshoot, and optimize Siemens PLC applications.
• Work on Siemens S7-based control systems including:
• o S7-300
• o S7-400
• o S7-1200
• o S7-1500
• Analyze PLC logic and implement approved modifications.
• Support machine commissioning, upgrades, and control system enhancements.
• Siemens NC Systems Support
• Support Siemens CNC/NC platforms used in manufacturing operations.
• Troubleshoot NC program execution issues, machine communication problems, and control system errors.
• Work with machine builders and maintenance teams to optimize machine performance.
• Support machine parameterization, diagnostics, and recovery activities.
• Engineering Tool Support
• Utilize Siemens Step7 and TIA Portal for:
• o Program troubleshooting
• o Online diagnostics
• o Program backups and restores
• o Software modifications
• o Hardware configuration
• o Commissioning activities
• Maintain PLC source code repositories and version control practices.
• Continuous Improvement
• Identify opportunities for automation improvements.
• Support productivity, quality, and OEE improvement initiatives.
• Participate in machine modernization and upgrade projects.
• Recommend improvement opportunities to improve reliability and maintainability.

Documentation & Compliance

• Maintain technical documentation including:
• o PLC backups
• o Functional specifications
• o Network diagrams
• o Change records
• o Troubleshooting guides
• Support change management and validation activities where required.
• Ensure compliance with plant safety standards and engineering procedures.

Cross Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with:
• o Operations Team
• o Maintenance Team
• o Manufacturing Engineers
• o Quality Team
• o OEM Vendors
• o IT/OT Support Teams
• Participate in on-call support and emergency troubleshooting when required.

Required Technical Skills

Mandatory Skills

• Minimum 3+ years of hands-on experience in industrial controls engineering.
• Strong experience with Siemens PLC systems.
• Practical experience with Siemens NC/CNC controls.
• Hands-on experience using:
• o Siemens Step7
• o Siemens TIA Portal
• PLC troubleshooting and logic modification experience.
• Understanding of industrial automation architectures.
• Experience supporting manufacturing equipment in a production environment.

Industrial Communication Protocols

• Knowledge of one or more:
• Profinet
• Profibus
• Ethernet/IP
• OPC UA
• Modbus TCP
• Control Systems Experience

Exposure to:

• PLC Programming
• HMI Systems
• Servo Systems
• VFDs
• Industrial Networks
• Motion Control Systems

Preferred Skills

• Experience in automotive, packaging, consumer products, metal processing, or industrial manufacturing industries.
• Experience with Siemens SINUMERIK controls.
• Exposure to SCADA systems.
• Knowledge of Industrial IoT and Industry 4.0 initiatives.
• Basic understanding of SQL databases.
• Experience with MES integrations.
• Familiarity with OT cybersecurity concepts.

Education

• Bachelor’s Degree in:
• o Electrical Engineering
• o Electronics Engineering
• o Mechatronics Engineering
• o Automation Engineering
• o Industrial Engineering
• o Related Engineering Discipline

Required Competencies

• Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills.
• Excellent problem-solving mindset.
• Ability to perform under production-critical situations.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively across functions.
• Customer-focused and result-oriented approach.
• Ability to prioritize multiple activities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Candidate Profile Summary

The ideal candidate is a hands-on Controls Engineer who has supported Siemens PLC and NC systems in live manufacturing operations, possesses strong troubleshooting capabilities in Step7 and TIA Portal environments, and can quickly resolve production issues while contributing to operational excellence and continuous improvement initiatives.

Flexible work from home options available.