Field Electrical & Controls Technician

AMF Bakery Systems Inc.; Richmond (VA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

AMF Bakery Systems Inc. in Virginia is seeking a Field Electrical & Controls Technician to install, program, and commission PLC-based controls on AMF equipment at customer sites.

You will troubleshoot, optimize, and support lifecycle service, working with engineering and project teams to deliver reliable production solutions. Extensive travel (NA and international) is required, with days on-site and long installations.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years field service in food/bakery/packaging.
• Five years electrical & mechanical experience in high-speed bakery or automated equipment.
• Ability to travel ~75% (North America and international).
• Rockwell products: SLC-500, Logix 5000, PanelView, PanelView Plus; Siemens PLC a plus.
• Strong PLC programming and debugging capability.
• Ability to understand PLC processes and implement directed changes.
• Strong troubleshooting in power transmission, pneumatics, hydraulics, and electrical circuits.
• Basic machine shop and fabrication skills; ability to modify parts in the field.

Responsibilities

• Perform mechanical and electrical installation and commissioning of AMF equipment at customer sites.
• Inspect, repair, and maintain existing equipment.
• Plan and execute installation activities with pre-installation meetings and post-installation reviews.
• Submit accurate time and expense reports through company systems.
• Collaborate with project managers, engineers, and installation leads for clear communication and continuous improvement.
• Provide basic operational and maintenance training to customer personnel.
• Support First Line Support Engineers remotely or on-site as needed.
• Advise customers on parts, upgrades, and service offerings, and introduce them to Customer Care resources.

Skills

Field service experience

Travel readiness

Troubleshooting

Communication skills

Team collaboration

Customer facing

Tools

Rockwell Automation (SLC-500, Logix 5000, PanelView)

PanelView Plus

Siemens PLC

Variable Speed Drives (VSDs)

OITs

Hydraulics

Pneumatics

Job description

WE RISE TOGETHER!

At AMF, we are dedicated to working alongside our customers to produce better food for families around the world while creating better lives for our teammates, families, customers, and communities. AMF Bakery Systems is the world's largest manufacturer of high-speed bakery equipment. We provide complete automated bakery solutions for numerous categories, including Soft Bread and roll, Artisan Bread, Cake and Pie, Pizza and Flatbread and Pastry and Croissant. AMF is part of the Markel Food Groups, the leading equipment supplier to food manufactures around the world. Our culture and shared values are spelled out in "The Markel Style" as we encourage and recognize teammates that bring these values to life each day. With the style as our guide, our teams pursue excellence while keeping a sense of humor. Seeking to know our customers' needs, we aim to build financial value for our shareholders while sharing success with others and winning together. We are inspired to work hard and encouraged to challenge management to find better ways of doing things. At AMF, we believe in fostering the professional development and personal potential of our diverse workforce. If you're searching for the next company to call home, AMF Bakery Systems provides a teammate-centered culture with exciting career growth opportunities. We strive to build extraordinary teams by seeking out a wide range of talent, experiences, and diverse backgrounds. Diversity of thought and the collaboration of various life experiences are what drive growth and innovation at AMF.

Position Summary

The Field Electrical & Controls Technician is a key technical resource responsible for the electrical installation, controls integration, and commissioning of AMF automated equipment at customer sites. This role focuses on PLC-based control systems, drives, sensors, and operator interfaces, ensuring equipment is installed, programmed, and commissioned to meet performance and safety standards. The technician also supports troubleshooting, optimization, and lifecycle service of existing automation systems, working closely with engineering, project management, and customer teams to deliver reliable, high-performing production solutions.

Primary Responsibilities

• Perform mechanical and electrical installation and commissioning of AMF equipment
• Conduct inspections, repairs, and maintenance of existing equipment
• Participate in installation planning and execution, including pre-installation meetings, daily briefings, post-installation reviews, and detailed visit/inspection reporting
• Provide action updates on project task lists using assigned tools and templates
• Submit accurate time and expense reports through company systems
• Collaborate with project managers, engineers, technical specialists and installation leads before, during, and after projects to ensure clear communication and continuous improvement
• Provide basic operational and maintenance training to customer personnel
• Deliver constructive feedback to project teams to resolve technical or quality issues and identify improvement opportunities
• Support First Line Support Engineers in resolving customer issues remotely or on-site as needed
• Advise customers on parts, upgrades, and service offerings, and introduce them to Customer Care resources

Essential Requirements

• Minimum of three (3) years of field service experience in the food, bakery, or packaging industry
• Five (5) years of electrical and mechanical experience in high-speed bakery or other automated process equipment environments
• Ability to travel approximately 75% (North America and international)
• Working knowledge of Variable Speed Drives, sensors, conveyors, PLCs, operator interface terminals (OITs), and related automation systems
• Experience with Rockwell product lines including SLC-500, Logix 5000, PanelView, and PanelView Plus; Siemens PLC experience is a plus
• Programming capability with the ability to understand PLC processes and implement directed changes
• Strong troubleshooting skills in:
• Power transmission components (bearings, motors, reducers, belts, pulleys)
• Pneumatics (air cylinders, valves)
• Hydraulics
• Electrical circuits
• Basic machine shop and fabrication skills, including modifying parts in the field, cutting and drilling materials, dismantling, repairing, and reassembling mechanical systems
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to interact professionally with customers and teammates

Working Conditions

• Extensive weekly travel required
• Typical trips average 5–6 days; some installations may require 2–3 consecutive weeks on-site
• Efforts are made to allow technicians to return home for short breaks during extended projects, depending on travel distance and logistics
• Workdays at customer sites typically range from 8–12 hours, with occasional 24-hour or rotating day/night shift schedules
• Commercial wholesale bakeries may be loud, hot, and high-pressure environments
• The role requires significant physical activity, including bending, crawling, lifting, and maneuvering equipment
• Technicians are responsible for supplying and maintaining their own personal tools, tool bag, and diagnostic equipment