Controls Engineering Supervisor

Eaton; Grand Rapids (MI); On-site; USD 97,000 - 143,000; Full time

Job summary

Eaton’s IS AER FMC division seeks a Controls Engineering Supervisor for a Full Time on-site role at our Grand Rapids, MI plant. You will lead automation initiatives and manage production test equipment, balancing hands-on work with people leadership.

Relocation benefits are available. The salary range is $97,000–$143,000 annually, commensurate with experience and qualifications. Emphasis on safety, manufacturing readiness, and timely results at the site.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or computer science from an accredited institution.
• 5+ years of experience within a manufacturing environment.
• 3+ years of experience in manufacturing, sustaining, and/or test engineering.
• Must be able to work in the United States without corporate sponsorship now and in the future.

Responsibilities

• Lead controls engineering and automation for new and existing products.
• Develop and implement process control architecture and reduce manual touch time.
• Evaluate and direct production/test automation to improve reliability and throughput.
• Provide hands-on test leadership for all production test equipment at the site.
• Manage design, build, and verification of production test equipment with suppliers.
• Ensure test equipment updates from change orders are implemented timely.

Skills

Automation leadership

Electrical troubleshooting

Test equipment management

Project leadership

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or computer science

Tools

LabVIEW (NI)

CATIA / ProE

Production test equipment development

Job description

Eaton’s IS AER FMC division is currently seeking a Controls Engineering Supervisor. This is a Full Time (M‑F Daylight) onsite role based at our Aerospace Manufacturing plant in Grand Rapids, MI. Relocation benefits are available from within the United States.

The expected annual salary range for this role is $97,000 – $143,000 a year. Salaries are based upon candidate skills, experience, and qualifications, as well as market and business considerations.

What You’ll Do

The Controls Engineering Supervisor is responsible for driving technical and process excellence while providing strong people leadership and delivering timely results at Eaton’s Grand Rapids site. This role leads automation and test equipment initiatives supporting electro‑mechanical actuator products, including actuators, controllers, motors, locking mechanisms and related components. The position balances hands‑on technical contribution with supervisory responsibility, ensuring production test systems are robust, compliant, and aligned with manufacturing readiness goals.

Job Responsibilities

• Provide controls engineering and automation leadership to improve Manufacturing Readiness Levels (MRL) for new and existing products.
• Identify, develop, and implement automation solutions to support the build‑up of new production lines, with primary accountability for process control architecture, implementation, and reduction of manual touch time.
• Evaluate existing production and test automation solutions and provide technical direction, recommendations, and implementation support to improve test effectiveness, reliability, throughput, and scalability.
• Provide hands‑on test leadership for all production test equipment at the site.
• Manage the design, build, and verification of production test equipment through external and internal suppliers for capital projects.
• Ensure test equipment update requirements from manufacturing change orders are implemented in a timely manner.
• Promote continuous improvement mindset with testing plans and test equipment consolidation ideas in line with developing a five‑year CAPEX plan.
• Manage test engineer(s) and technicians in test equipment troubleshooting and repair. Manage purchasing and maintaining spares for equipment and parts. Provide technical advice and guidance to this team. Create opportunities for growth and development for team members. Performance‑manage and coach high and low performers on the team effectively. Develop organizational capability, capacity, and engineering/technical skills among staff to support the site and organization operating unit strategy. Maintain appropriate training programs to assure continuous learning.
• Create and release drawings and schematics as updates are needed.
• Perform troubleshooting and repair of test equipment.
• Perform hands‑on testing as required.
• Comply with Eaton’s high expectations for a safe work environment.

Qualifications

Required (Basic) Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or computer science fields from an accredited institution.
• 5+ years of experience within a manufacturing environment.
• 3+ years of experience in manufacturing, sustaining, and/or test engineering.
• Must be able to work in the United States without corporate sponsorship now and within the future.
• This position requires use of information or access to hardware which is subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). All applicants must be U.S. persons within the meaning of ITAR. ITAR defines a U.S. person as a U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident (i.e., Green Card Holder), Political Asylee, or Refugee.

Preferred Criteria

• Bachelor’s Degree in Controls, Mechanical, Electrical, or Aerospace Engineering.
• Experience with testing electrical systems.
• Experience writing test procedures and reports.
• Knowledge and experience with DO‑160 or MIL‑STD testing requirements.
• Experience with developing and debugging test equipment, executable software, and code using LabVIEW (NI).
• Demonstrated experience in leadership.
• Project management experience.

Skills

• Knowledge of algorithm design and programming logic.
• Familiarity with root cause analysis (RCA) and corrective action (CA) methodologies.
• Experience working with automation, control, and monitoring systems and software.
• Ability to install, configure, troubleshoot, and maintain mechanical systems and electrical equipment.
• Understanding of standard operating procedures, engineering documentation, and electrical diagrams.
• Experience with automated test equipment and implementation.
• Knowledge of Catia, ProE, or other 3D design tools.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent facilitation skills, project management skills, and drive for results.
• Ability to communicate effectively with all levels of the organization, from production associates to the leadership team.

All positions may require participation in video and in‑person interviews as part of the hiring process. All candidates will be evaluated based on job‑related competencies, and all candidates’ privacy rights and data security will be protected in accordance with applicable laws.

We are committed to ensuring equal employment opportunities for all job applicants and employees. Employment decisions are based upon job‑related reasons regardless of an applicant’s race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, marital status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by law.

Eaton believes in second‑chance employment. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction history will be considered regardless of their arrest or conviction history, consistent with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, the California Fair Chance Act and other local laws.

You do not need to disclose your conviction history or participate in a background check until a conditional job offer is made to you. After making a conditional offer and running a background check, if Eaton is concerned about conviction that is directly related to the job, you will be given the chance to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide mitigating evidence, or challenge the accuracy of the background report.

To request a disability‑related reasonable accommodation to assist you in your job search, application, or interview process, please call us at 1-800-836-6345 to discuss your specific need. Only accommodation requests will be accepted by this phone number.

We know that good benefit programs are important to employees and their families. Eaton provides various Health and Welfare benefits as well as Retirement benefits, and several programs that provide for paid and unpaid time away from work. Click here for more detail: Eaton Benefits Overview. Please note that specific programs and options available to an employee may depend on eligibility factors such as geographic location, date of hire, and the applicability of collective bargaining agreements.