Controls Engineering Manager

Sterling Engineering; Buffalo Grove (IL); On-site; USD 140,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Sterling Engineering in Buffalo Grove, IL is seeking a hands-on Controls Engineering Manager to lead a team of controls engineers for a high-volume manufacturing operation. The role blends technical leadership with hands-on involvement in automation projects to keep equipment reliable and performing at peak levels.

The ideal candidate has a strong background in industrial automation and will mentor the team while serving as the technical expert for controls systems, troubleshooting, root cause

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related field.
• 6+ years in industrial controls or automation.
• 2+ years engineering leadership.
• Hands-on PLC/HMI experience.
• Strong communication with cross-functional teams.
• Experience with downtime reduction and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Controls Engineers, providing technical guidance and performance management.
• Provide hands-on support for complex controls issues during downtime events.
• Collaborate with production, maintenance, quality, and operations to improve equipment reliability.
• Develop and implement controls upgrades and automation improvements with customers.
• Coordinate with OEMs and vendors to resolve technical challenges and create long-term solutions.
• Lead capital projects from concept through implementation.
• Drive root cause investigations and permanent corrective actions to improve uptime.
• Establish and maintain controls engineering standards and documentation.
• Support PLC, HMI, industrial networking, robotics, motion control, and MES.

Skills

PLC programming

HMI development

Industrial automation

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Troubleshooting

Root cause analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

SCADA

MES

Robotics

Job description

Salary: $140,000- $160,000 base salary + 10-20% annual bonus (10% guaranteed)

Position Overview

We are seeking a hands-on Controls Engineering Manager to lead a team of Controls Engineers supporting a high-volume manufacturing operation. This role combines technical leadership with day-to-day involvement in automation and controls projects, ensuring production equipment remains reliable, efficient, and operating at peak performance.

The ideal candidate has a strong background in industrial automation and understands the urgency of supporting manufacturing environments where equipment downtime directly impacts production. This individual will mentor and develop the engineering team while serving as the technical expert for controls systems, troubleshooting, root cause analysis, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Controls Engineers, providing technical guidance, coaching, and performance management.
• Provide hands-on support for complex controls issues, equipment troubleshooting, and production-critical downtime events.
• Partner with production, maintenance, quality, and operations teams to improve equipment reliability and manufacturing performance.
• Work directly with customers to develop and implement controls upgrades and automation improvements.
• Collaborate with OEMs and equipment vendors to resolve technical challenges and develop long-term automation solutions.
• Lead controls-related capital projects, equipment upgrades, and new automation initiatives from concept through implementation.
• Drive root cause investigations and implement permanent corrective actions to improve equipment uptime and reliability.
• Establish and maintain controls engineering standards, documentation, and best practices.
• Support PLC, HMI, industrial networking, robotics, motion control, and automated manufacturing systems.
• Identify opportunities to improve Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), reduce downtime, and increase manufacturing efficiency.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement through Lean manufacturing principles and data-driven decision-making.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Automation Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 6+ years of industrial controls or automation engineering experience.
• 2+ years of engineering leadership or supervisory experience.
• Strong hands-on experience with PLC programming, HMIs, industrial automation, and manufacturing equipment.
• Ability to troubleshoot complex controls issues and provide technical leadership during production-critical events.
• Experience managing projects, coordinating with cross-functional teams, and driving continuous improvement initiatives.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to work effectively with operations, maintenance, customers, and equipment manufacturers.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in food, pharmaceutical, medical device, or other highly regulated manufacturing environments.
• Experience supporting high-volume manufacturing operations where minimizing downtime is critical.
• Knowledge of robotics, vision systems, motion control, SCADA, MES, or industrial networking.
• Experience working with OEM equipment suppliers and system integrators.
• Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or other continuous improvement experience is a plus.

What We’re Looking For

We’re looking for a leader who enjoys staying close to the technology rather than managing strictly from behind a desk. The ideal candidate understands what it takes to diagnose equipment issues, estimate repair efforts, support engineers through technical challenges, and develop long-term solutions that improve manufacturing reliability. If you thrive in fast-paced production environments and enjoy leading teams while remaining technically involved, we’d love to hear from you.