Industrial PLC and Safety Controls Engineer

AMAX; Iowa; On-site; USD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

401(k)

Flexible spending account

Commuter benefits

Disability insurance

Job summary

AMAX in the United States is seeking an Industrial PLC & Safety Controls Engineer to design, program, and validate industrial electrical control systems, including PLCs, safety relays, and power distribution.

You will implement SIL 3 safety functions, develop PCBs, test embedded firmware, and ensure compliance with IEC 60204-1, ISO 13849, IEC 62061, and NFPA 79, working with Siemens, Allen-Bradley, or Beckhoff.

Qualifications

• Degree in Electrical or Automation Engineering or equivalent practical experience.

Responsibilities

• Design PLC-based control and safety circuits meeting SIL 3.
• Develop electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, and control panels.
• Select and integrate contactors, relays, circuit breakers, and safety devices.
• Program and configure PLCs and safety PLCs with interlocks and E-stop.
• Build, wire, and commission electrical control panels.
• Develop PCB layouts for microcontroller-based control and monitoring.
• Assemble PCBs, perform hardware debugging, and verify performance.
• Develop embedded firmware and communication interfaces (I2C, SPI).
• Perform functional and safety validation; document tests and results.
• Ensure compliance with applicable standards.

Skills

PLC programming

SIL3 safety

Electrical control panel design

PCB design & prototyping

Embedded C/C++

I2C/SPI communication

Electrical safety concepts

Industrial automation platforms

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Automation Engineering

Tools

EPLAN

AutoCAD Electrical

Altium Designer

KiCad

Job description

We are seeking an Industrial PLC & Safety Controls Engineer to design, build, program, and validate industrial electrical control and safety systems, including PLCs, safety relays, contactors, and power distribution components. The role includes implementing Safety Integrity Level 3 (SIL 3) safety functions and developing, programming, and testing microcontroller-based printed circuit boards (PCBs).

Key Responsibilities

• Design industrial PLC-based control and functional safety circuits, including safety functions that meet SIL 3 requirements.
• Develop electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, and control panel layouts.
• Select and integrate electrical components, including contactors, relays, circuit breakers, power supplies, and safety devices.
• Program and configure PLCs and safety PLCs, including interlocks, emergency-stop functions, diagnostics, and fault handling.
• Build, wire, troubleshoot, and commission electrical control panels.
• Develop schematics and PCB layouts for microcontroller-based control, monitoring, and interface applications.
• Assemble and bring up PCB prototypes, perform hardware debugging, and verify circuit performance.
• Develop and test embedded firmware and communication interfaces, including I²C and SPI.
• Perform functional testing, fault-response testing, and safety validation; document designs, test procedures, and results.
• Ensure compliance with applicable standards, including IEC 60204-1, ISO 13849, IEC 62061, and NFPA 79.

Degree in Electrical Engineering, Automation Engineering, or equivalent practical experience.

Hands-on experience with industrial PLC programming, electrical control panel design, assembly, and commissioning.

Demonstrated knowledge and implementation experience with SIL 3 safety requirements, including safety architectures, diagnostics, verification, and validation.

Strong understanding of electrical safety circuits, power switching, contactor monitoring, interlocks, and emergency-stop systems.

Experience with industrial automation platforms such as Siemens, Allen-Bradley, or Beckhoff.

Proficiency in electrical CAD tools such as EPLAN or AutoCAD Electrical, and familiarity with PCB design tools such as Altium Designer or KiCad.

Practical experience with microcontroller-based circuit design, PCB prototyping, embedded programming in C/C++, and I²C and SPI communication.

Proficiency with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, multimeters, and other electrical test equipment.

Ability to independently design, assemble, program, troubleshoot, and validate industrial control systems and embedded electronics.

• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• 401(k)
• Flexible spending account
• Commuter benefits
• Disability insurance

The annual salary range for this position is between $90,000 and $110,000.

We also have a perfect location for all types of commuters: AMAX is located right between I-680 and I-880. Warm Springs/South Fremont BART station and bus stops are within a 10-minute walking distance. 5 grocery stores, 6+ coffee/tea places, and numerous restaurants within 1 mile. Try the delicious fusions or grab your daily groceries after work.

About AMAX

Established in 1979, AMAX is a globally recognized leader in GPU-accelerated IT infrastructure, specializing in transforming standard IT systems into advanced, high-performance computing solutions. Catering to industries such as AI, cloud computing, autonomous vehicles, and high-performance computing, AMAX has set benchmarks in innovation, including pioneering liquid-cooled HPC systems for the semiconductor industry. With a global footprint spanning North America, Europe, and Asia, AMAX offers end-to-to-end services from design and manufacturing to deployment. Committed to addressing the growing demands of AI, AMAX delivers advanced solutions that help organizations achieve their technology goal and drive progress on a global scale. To learn more about AMAX’s advanced AI solutions, visit amax.com.

Join Us

Become part of a diverse and inclusive team that values your technical expertise and innovative thinking. Together, we’ll push the boundaries of what’s possible in the hardware industry.

AMAX is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. We welcome all applicants and provide equal employment opportunities regardless of age, race, gender, or other legally protected characteristics.