Junior Controls Engineer

Piper Companies; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 80,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision

401(k)

PTO

Additional benefits

Job summary

Piper Companies is seeking a Junior Controls Engineer in Raleigh, NC, for a permanent, onsite role within an industrial automation team. This position involves developing modern control systems for automated machinery, providing PLC software development support, and collaborating with senior engineers. Ideal candidates should have 1–3 years of relevant experience or strong internship exposure, a Bachelor's degree in a related field, and an interest in modern control practices. The role offers competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits.

Qualifications

• 1–3 years of experience in controls engineering or strong internship/co-op exposure.
• Familiarity with PLC programming concepts beyond basic ladder logic.
• Interest in modern controls practices such as structured text and modular code.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to PLC software development using ladder logic.
• Assist with debugging and troubleshooting electrical and controls issues.
• Support integration of sensors and drives into machine control programs.
• Participate in project or feature ownership from design through testing.

Skills

PLC programming

debugging

controls engineering

structured text

sensors integration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field

Job description

Piper Companies is seeking a Junior Controls Engineer to join a growing industrial automation team within an advanced equipment manufacturer for a permanent, onsite position based out of Raleigh, NC. The Junior Controls Engineer will support the development of modern control systems for automated machinery, working closely with senior engineers in an R&D‑driven, product‑focused environment.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to PLC software development for automated equipment using ladder logic and structured text.
• Assist with debugging and troubleshooting electrical and controls‑related issues on machinery and panels.
• Support integration of sensors, drives, motion components, and vision systems into machine control programs.
• Participate in small project or feature ownership, delivering assigned controls functionality from design through testing.
• Collaborate with senior controls engineers to follow software standards, version control, and deployment processes.

Qualifications

• 1–3 years of experience or strong internship/co‑op exposure in controls engineering or automation.
• Familiarity with PLC programming concepts beyond basic ladder logic.
• Interest in modern controls practices such as structured text, modular code, and source control.
• Exposure to at least one PLC platform, with willingness to learn additional vendors and tools.
• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field.

Compensation

Salary Range: $80,000-$125,000/year (USD) + 5% annual bonus

Comprehensive Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k), PTO, and additional benefits

This job opens for applications on 5/8/26. Applications for this job will be accepted for at least 30 days from the posting date.