Electrical Control Engineer

ASTEC; Eugene (OR); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Astec is seeking an Electrical Engineer to join a team developing control/automation systems for heavy construction equipment. You will design 24VDC control of motors, valves, pumps, and sensors, and work on PLCs, embedded controllers and HMI displays.

Travel up to 30% is possible; a BS in Electrical Engineering and 3+ years of relevant experience are required. The role emphasizes Design for Reliability, safety standards, and coordination with cross-functional teams to deliver reliable,

Qualifications

• BS in Electrical Engineering from an accredited institution.
• Minimum of three years designing and developing controls for industrial/mobile equipment.

Responsibilities

• Develop electrical hardware and software control systems for heavy construction equipment.
• Create product requirements, design calculations, schematics, PCB layouts, and wiring harness routes.
• Lead electrical design reviews and ensure Design for Manufacturability and Reliability.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including sales, manufacturing and service.

Skills

Structured design

Design for Reliability

Safety standards

CAD software

CAN

Ethernet

Wireless

Electrical drawings

D/C controls

A/C controls

CodeSys

C/C++

EPLAN

PCB design

Education

Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering

Tools

CodeSys

EPLAN

PCB design

Job description

Astec is a global, environmentally focused infrastructure and manufacturing company of asphalt road building and aggregate processing. Our mission is to design and build the most innovative products for the industries we serve. Leveraging innovative solutions and technologies, we serve customers all over the world.

Location: Eugene, Oregon with 30% travel.

ABOUT THE POSITION

At Astec, we are building a world-class electrical hardware and controls software engineering team. A team that values free thought for innovative idea generation and disciplined engineering for the realization of those ideas to drive solutions for our customers. By freeing our creative minds, we bring solutions our customers haven't even realized they need yet. Through disciplined engineering we ensure the solutions we provide are effective, simple to use, reliable, and cost effective.

The Electrical Engineer will be a part of a dynamic team of engineers working on the development of control/automation systems for heavy construction equipment, ranging from road pavers, road mills, woodchippers, wood grinders, etc. The engineer will be involved in the creation of product requirements, decomposition to electrical hardware and software requirements, design calculations, schematic generation, PCB designs, junction box designs, wiring harness routings and designs, and electrical design reviews of the same; all with an eye toward Design for Reliability (DfR). The engineer may also work on structured software decomposition, code development, software design reviews, and software unit and integration testing. The engineer will move from project to project as required and may be working on multiple projects within a given timeframe. All project work will be scheduled by the New Product Development Manager(s) and the Continuous Improvement Manager(s) such that the engineer will not be over allocated but will have definite deadlines and visibility into upcoming work.

Electrical designs will be based on embedded controller and HMI displays. The designs will predominately be composed of 24VDC control of motors, valves, pumps, actuators, relays, etc. with sensor inputs in the same or similar range. Control outputs may be DC voltage or current, PWM, or PID control loop signals. Some designs will require AC power control using VFDs, soft starters, etc.

Software will be developed on PLCs, embedded controllers, and HMI displays. Some legacy systems are coded in Ladder Logic, but all new systems will be coded in either CodeSys or C/C++. The Control Software Engineer will work with the Electrical Engineer(s) on a project to map I/O, define necessary configurations, understand sensor input requirements as well as device output drive requirements. The Electrical and Control Software Engineers will work cooperatively with the Mechanical Engineer(s) to develop the appropriate control controls hardware design as well as controls algorithms to produce the equipment functionality required by the customer and Product Management.

The Electrical Engineer will also work with other cross-functional teams, including but not limited to sales, manufacturing, purchasing, and service to ensure the successful completion of projects and launch of equipment.

Electrical Engineer may at times be asked to travel for project testing and system integration testing, as well as to develop business relationships with customers, dealers, and suppliers. They may also participate in product focus groups to gain critical customer application and design suggestions to assist in the development of product lines. Travel may also be required at times to troubleshoot and resolve customer equipment issues in the field.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES (may include but not limited to)

• Works with the cross-functional Product Management Team to produce a complete and well-defined Product Functional Specification before product design is started.
• Follow Structured System Design techniques to decompose the product function requirements into an effective control strategy for heavy construction equipment.
• Uses knowledge of sensor technologies, control device technologies and process automation techniques to advance the simplicity of operation and troubleshooting of equipment to maximize productivity by enhancing operator functionality and the minimization of equipment downtime.
• Uses knowledge of domestic as well as international electrical standards to design equipment with the widest market breadth without redesigning to minimize the number of models required to be manufactured.
• Apply Design for Reliability processes and principles to realize desired equipment reliability and Total Cost of Ownership requirements.
• Uses structured system design techniques to produce electrical hardware designs that are modular in nature, easy to test, easy to diagnose and simple to replace should field service repairs be required.
• Develops and executes bench tests with the Controls Software Engineer on design modules and code units to ensure proper functionality before integration into the complete equipment design to ensure project success.
• Uses computer-aided engineering design software and equipment to develop electrical / electronic design drawings and schematics.
• Develop PCB layout designs for panels.
• Develops 3D Junction Box designs with plug-and-play functionality that allow manufacturing to simply plug in all harnesses and requires no landing of conductors in equipment assembly.
• Create 3D routed wiring harnesses for all wires and cables required for a system design. All harnesses shall be terminated in a connector to allow for a plug-and-play assembly.
• Develops detailed drawings for new designs and modifications to existing designs.
• Leads cross-functional electrical design reviews, including Design for Manufacturability and Design for Reliability.

MINIMUM EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

• Bachelor of Science (4-year) degree in Electrical Engineering from an accredited institution.
• Minimum of three (3) years of experience in the design and development of industrial or mobile equipment controls.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIRED

Job-related Skills and Abilities

• Knowledgeable of structured system design techniques.
• Knowledge of Design for Reliability is highly desired.
• Knowledge of design for safety standards such as CE, AS3000, SIL, HRN, etc.
• Proficient with computer-aided design software.
• Knowledge of network protocols such as CAN, Ethernet, Wireless 802.11, etc.
• Proficient in the development, reading, and interpretation of electrical engineering drawings.
• Proficient in electrical engineering systems design and troubleshooting, D/C controls design required, A/C design highly desired.
• Ability to think creatively and propose innovative solutions to engineering challenges.
• Ability to show competence in assessing, managing, and mitigating risks within a project and design.
• Ability to work satisfactorily as a team member.
• Good communication skills (both verbal and written).
• Good organization and time-management skills.
• Willingness to accept responsibility and take on new challenges.
• Ability to exercise discretion and independent judgment on a customary and regular basis.
• Proficiency with personal computer and Microsoft Office Suite software applications.
• Proficiency with Electrical CAD software, specifically EPLAN, is highly desirable.
• Adept at problem solving and root-cause analysis.

Leadership Skills

• Ability to mentor and lead junior level engineers in the design and execution of systems controls.
• Ability to represent the electrical and software design team in cross-functional meetings by being the voice of good engineering practice.
• Ability to step into a leadership void and lead a team to proper completion of tasks, projects, and investigations while encouraging others and moving toward a best solution for all involved.

Language Skills

• Ability to write reports, business correspondence and procedure manuals.
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the public.
• Ability to write routine reports and correspondence and effectively present information to customers and/or employees of organization and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the public.

Reasoning Ability Skills

• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
• Must have strong analytical and troubleshooting skills.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• Pre-employment drug screen, physical, and background check.
• Flexibility to work additional hours as required.
• Occasional travel (including international).
• Valid driver's license and ability to safely operate a motor vehicle.

PREFERENCES

• Proficiency with Solidworks, EPLAN.
• Experience with CodeSys, C++, Telematics, hydraulic circuits, 12V/24V DC electric circuits and/or control systems for off-road construction equipment or heavy industrial equipment.
• Knowledge of manufacturing processes.
• Experience in the design and manufacture of off-road construction equipment.
• Experience with Design for Reliability.

SAFETY

Astec is dedicated to a culture of Behavior Based SAFETY and a Healthy Environment!

• Proficient in promoting safe and healthy work environment.
• Notify area supervisor of product discrepancies or equipment malfunctions.
• Adhere to established company policies and procedures paying special attention to safety regulations.
• Report defective materials, equipment, or questionable conditions to the area supervisor/manager to identify and correct the root cause.
• Wear personal protective equipment (PPE) in accordance with training guidelines.