Industrial Automation and Application Engineer

G A Richards Company; Grand Rapids (MI); On-site; USD 70,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Dental benefits

Vision benefits

Sick time and PTO after 90 days

Job summary

G A Richards Company in Grand Rapids, MI is seeking an energetic engineer to design, develop, install, and maintain hardware and software systems used to monitor and automate manufacturing processes. This role blends control systems with web-based applications, requiring craft-level skills and agility to deliver projects that improve production efficiency, quality, and safety.

This position involves collaboration with design, operations, IT, and other staff to translate business needs into

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Computer, or Mechanical Engineering.
• 1-5 years of experience in automation or controls is desirable.
• Experience documenting requirements and designs for technical implementations.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, maintain, and modify control systems and computer programs to automate manufacturing processes.
• Collaborate with design, operation, IT, and internal staff to understand operational processes.
• Discuss and document application requirements, transforming business needs into technical designs and instructions.
• Establish wiring design, cabinet layouts, and installation of cabinet components.
• Integrate third-party components using Modbus, Ethernet, TCP/IP, and related protocols.
• Manage engineering and software projects within cost and time constraints.
• Troubleshoot problems while ensuring safety and quality compliance.
• Willingness to relocate to other business units when urgent needs arise.

Skills

Control systems design

Cross-functional collaboration

Project management

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Computer, or Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Visual Studio

Visual Studio Code

Vue

Angular

JQuery

ASP.NET

Python

PowerShell

SQL Server

AWS

SolidWorks

Crystal Reports

Bartender

RFID

EDI

Job description

Pay Range: $70,000 - $85,000

Beneifts: Medical, dental, vision, sick time and PTO after 90 days!

Summary: An energetic and creative role responsible for designing, developing, installing, managing, and maintaining hardware and software systems used to monitor, control, and automate engineering and manufacturing business processes. This blended role requires craft-level skill and agility to deliver controls systems and web-based applications that drive production and operational efficiencies.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following

• System Automation & Development: Design, develop, maintain, and modify new and existing control systems and computer programs to automate specific business processes across all aspects of manufacturing operations.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work collaboratively under general supervision with design engineers, operation engineers, purchasers, IT, and other internal staff to understand operational processes.
• Requirements & Documentation: Discuss and document application requirements with internal and external customers, transforming business requirements into technical designs, flow charts, and user instructions.
• Hardware Integration: Establish wiring design, cabinet layouts, and installation of cabinet components (relays, terminal strips, surge suppressors, PLC components, Power Supplies, Fiber Optic Termination, CAT 5, and CAT 6).
• Component & Protocol Integration: Integrate third-party components including laser sensors, camera systems, proximity switches, and mechanical switches using Modbus, Ethernet, DH/DH , Device Net, Control Net, and TCP/IP.
• Project Management: Manage engineering and software projects within cost and time-constrained environments.
• Compliance & Safety: Troubleshoot technical problems while ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations and quality standards.
• Handles new and changing priorities with professionalism and is willing to relocate to other business units when urgent needs arise

Other Qualifications

• Control Disciplines & Platforms: APC, DCS, PLC (Allen Bradley, GE Fanuc, Siemens, Direct Automation), and SCADA.
• Programming & Scripting Languages: C#, JavaScript Libraries (Vue, Angular, JQuery), HTML, CSS, ASP.NET, Python, PowerShell, .NET Framework, and MVC/Web API.
• Development Tools & IDEs: Visual Studio, Visual Studio Code, Vuetify, AXIOS, Vuex Store, and NPM. Databases: MS SQL Server, TSQL, and Pervasive.
• Project Management & Cloud Infrastructure: YouTrack, GitLab (SVN), Git, AWS, and WordPress.
• Specialized Software & Protocols: CAD, SolidWorks, Signal R, Crystal Reports, Bartender Label Making Software, RFID, and EDI.
• Robotic Systems: Familiarity with robotic controls and single/multi-axis linear actuated robotic transfer systems.

Education and/or Experience

Bachelor's degree (B. S.) from four-year college or university in Electrical Computer, or Mechanical Engineering, Undergraduate projects in automation a plus. 1-5 years' experience desired.