Controls Systems Engineer

Hershey Company; Lancaster (Lancaster County); On-site; USD 90,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health & Wellness benefits

401(k) with company match

Paid time off

Job summary

The Hershey Company’s Lancaster Y&S plant seeks a Controls Systems Engineer to provide technical leadership and advanced control expertise for installation, maintenance, and optimization of plant electrical and automation systems.

You will diagnose complex issues, guide corrective actions, and ensure safe, reliable operation of processing and packaging systems, power distribution, motor controls, and industrial networks in a 2nd shift role at our Lancaster facility.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related field.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership and support to Operations and Maintenance teams in troubleshooting, root cause analysis, problem resolution, and optimization of electrical controls, instrumentation, networking, power systems, PLCs, HMIs, servo systems, controls networks, safety systems, industrial computers, motor controls, distributed control systems, and other automation technologies.
• Perform and guide complex installation, repair, maintenance, and calibration activities across manufacturing and utility systems, using specifications, technical drawings, data, and advanced diagnostic tools to ensure accurate and reliable work.
• Plan, organize, and coordinate technical activities involving multiple teams or functions, sequencing work to minimize production impact and support safe, effective execution.
• Define root causes, develop corrective action plans, and implement sustainable solutions that reduce recurring problems and improve equipment performance and operational reliability.
• Own technical processes and lead controls‑related projects of defined scope, including planning, monitoring, contractor coordination, equipment checkout, startup support, engineering design, and implementation.
• Support plant Maintenance functions and lead or participate in continuous improvement efforts that improve safety, reliability, efficiency, and throughput.
• Ensure plant electrical drawings, controls documentation, and software are securely maintained and kept current.
• Provide technical analysis, including cost estimates, feasibility reviews, specifications, interpretation of requirements, alternatives, and recommendations for capital solutions.
• Coordinate with equipment vendors, engineering personnel, manufacturing supervision, production employees, supplier companies, and internal customers to design and implement technical solutions.
• Apply and promote safety, quality, and technical standards, identify risks, and drive corrective actions, including adherence to applicable electrical and food-industry practices, standards, and codes.

Skills

Technical Leadership

Troubleshooting

Root Cause Analysis

PLC

HMI

Servo Systems

Control Networks

Safety Systems

Industrial Computers

Motor Controls

Distributed Control Systems

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

PLC programming

SCADA/HMI

Electrical drawings

Job description

Select how often (in days) to receive an alert:

Note:If you apply for a role at Hershey through our career’s website, we may use technologies that use automation to filter your candidacy based on objective criteria. We also use AI-enabled tools that help us facilitate the selection of our future Hershey talent. These tools may help with activities such as matching and scoring candidates to roles based on requirements and scheduling interviews. These systems process only the information you provide in your application, including your resume, work history, education, and responses to screening questions. While these technologies assist with certain steps in our recruitment process and may provide recommendations, all final decisions, including those affecting whether candidates advance to subsequent stages in the applicant process, are made by our talent acquisition teams with meaningful human review and independent judgment. Depending on your location and the specific role you apply for, additional disclosures about our use of AI in recruitment may be provided to you separately.

Why Hershey:

At The Hershey Company, our culture is rooted in purpose and inspired by Milton Hershey’s enduring vision that business should create opportunity for others. Through our commitment to corporate philanthropy, we create positive impact by supporting communities, helping children thrive, and operating as a business for good. This includes our deep and long standing partnership with Milton Hershey School, where we invest in education, workforce readiness, and hands on engagement to help students succeed beyond the classroom. Supported by strategic grantmaking, product donations, cross brand collaboration, and strong employee volunteerism, Hershey offers a place to work where making a difference—locally and globally—is part of how we do business every day.

ϋ>Job Location: Lancaster, PA

Please note that this is a 2nd shift position.

ϋ>About the Hershey Company and the Lancaster Plant

The Hershey Company’s Lancaster Y&S plant is a non-union facility producing licorice products such as Twizzlers, Nibs, and Pull & Peel in a high-speed, complex manufacturing environment.

ϋ>How You Will Fit in the Big Picture

The Controls Systems Engineer provides technical leadership and advanced control expertise to support the installation, maintenance, troubleshooting, and optimization of plant electrical and control systems. The role applies advanced diagnostics to resolve complex, non-obvious issues, implements corrective actions, and helps ensure safe, reliable operation of processing and packaging systems, power distribution, motor control equipment, industrial networks, and related automation technologies.

Working across Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, vendors, and external technical resources, this position coordinates complex technical work and projects while promoting safety, quality, and technical standards. The role strengthens equipment performance, reduces recurring issues, and supports long‑term operational reliability.

ϋ>What You Will Do

• Provide technical leadership and support to Operations and Maintenance teams in troubleshooting, root cause analysis, problem resolution, and optimization of electrical controls, instrumentation, networking, power systems, PLCs, HMIs, servo systems, controls networks, safety systems, industrial computers, motor controls, distributed control systems, and other automation technologies.
• Perform and guide complex installation, repair, maintenance, and calibration activities across manufacturing and utility systems, using specifications, technical drawings, data, and advanced diagnostic tools to ensure accurate and reliable work.
• Plan, organize, and coordinate technical activities involving multiple teams or functions, sequencing work to minimize production impact and support safe, effective execution.
• Define root causes, develop corrective action plans, and implement sustainable solutions that reduce recurring problems and improve equipment performance and operational reliability.
• Own technical processes and lead controls‑related projects of defined scope, including planning, monitoring, contractor coordination, equipment checkout, startup support, engineering design, and implementation.
• Support plant Maintenance functions and lead or participate in continuous improvement efforts that improve safety, reliability, efficiency, and throughput.
• Ensure plant electrical drawings, controls documentation, and software are securely maintained and kept current.
• Provide technical analysis, including cost estimates, feasibility reviews, specifications, interpretation of requirements, alternatives, and recommendations for capital solutions.
• Coordinate with equipment vendors, engineering personnel, manufacturing supervision, production employees, supplier companies, and internal customers to design and implement technical solutions.
• Apply and promote safety, quality, and technical standards, identify risks, and drive corrective actions, including adherence to applicable electrical and food-industry practices, standards, and codes.
• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Engineering Technology with an electrical or mechatronics focus, or an equivalent combination of education and work experience.
• 3 or more years of relevant experience in Operations, Engineering, controls, automation, maintenance, or a related field.
• Experience diagnosing and resolving complex equipment or system issues in a manufacturing environment.
• Breadth of experience with manufacturing equipment and related operations, including processing equipment, packaging systems, controls, and mechanical or electrical systems.
• Ability to coordinate cross-functional technical work, communicate problem resolutions and learning points, and provide technical support to internal and external partners.
• Ability to develop and implement creative technical solutions for existing manufacturing systems and newly installed equipment while meeting manufacturing requirements.
• Working knowledge of project management requirements such as purchase requisitioning, contractor time monitoring, internal orders, and project timelines.
• Willingness to occasionally work shifts other than the primary 2nd Shift assignment.

ϋ>Benefits and Perks

At Hershey, we offer competitive pay and a comprehensive total rewards package designed to support your wellbeing, financial security, and life outside of work.

• ϋ>Health & Wellbeing: Medical, dental, and vision coverage, plus wellness programs that support your physical and mental health.
• ϋ>Financial Security: Competitive pay, annual incentive opportunities, and a 401(k) with company match.
• ϋ>Time Off & Flexibility: Paid time off, company holidays, and flexible ways of working where applicable.
• ϋ>Growth & Development: Career development programs, learning opportunities, and internal mobility.

Benefits may vary based on role, location, and eligibility.

ϋ>The Hershey Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer

The Hershey Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The policy of The Hershey Company is to extend opportunities to qualified applicants and employees on an equal basis regardless of an individual's race, color, gender, age, national origin, religion, citizenship status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other categories protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.

The Hershey Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer - Minority/Female/Disabled/Protected Veterans.

You may request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our online application process as a result of a disability.

You can request an accommodation via phone or email.

To request an accommodation via phone, please call [phone] and leave a voicemail with your contact information. You may also email a request for accommodation to [e-mail]. Please be sure to include "Accommodation Needed" in the subject line. This will ensure that your email is routed to the appropriate contact who will handle your request.