Junior Controls Engineer

HMS Products Co; Troy (MI); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

HMS Products Co. is seeking a Controls Engineer to lead design, programming, and commissioning of custom automation systems for automotive and manufacturing industries.

The role requires strong PLC/HMI expertise, electrical design, and adherence to safety standards, with 10–20% travel for on-site support. Ideal candidates have a Bachelor’s in Electrical/Software/Mechatronics or related field and 5+ years of industrial automation experience, plus proficiency in C# and Visual Studio.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Software, Mechatronics, Automation, or related field.
• 5+ years of experience in industrial automation or custom machine controls.
• Proficiency with PLC/HMI programming (Allen-Bradley ControlLogix, Siemens TIA Portal).
• Strong understanding of electrical design, safety circuits, and machine standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and programming of PLC, HMI, and motion control systems for complex automation projects.
• Develop and review system architectures, I/O layouts, and software design documentation.
• Ensure controls and software systems comply with applicable standards (NFPA 79, NEC, ANSI/RIA, ISO, safety PLC).
• Integrate, simulate, and test automation systems both in-house and on-site.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex automation issues; support installation and start-up at customer facilities.
• Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, and project management teams for on-time delivery.
• Define technical scope and support planning, budgeting, and scheduling.
• Manage engineering change requests and version control of code and documentation; support proposals.

Skills

PLC programming

HMI programming

Electrical design

Safety systems

Documentation

Travel readiness

C# / Visual Studio

Education

Bachelors in Electrical/Software/Mechatronics/Automation or related field

Tools

Allen-Bradley ControlLogix

Siemens TIA Portal

Job description

The Controls Engineer is responsible for the design, development, programming, and commissioning of custom automation systems. This role provides advanced technical expertise in controls engineering, ensuring robust, scalable, and safe control solutions that meet client specifications in automotive, manufacturing, and other advanced industries.

Position Overview

The Controls Engineer is responsible for the design, development, programming, and commissioning of custom automation systems. This role provides advanced technical expertise in controls engineering, ensuring robust, scalable, and safe control solutions that meet client specifications in automotive, manufacturing, and other advanced industries.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design and programming of PLC, HMI, and motion control systems for complex automation projects.
• Develop and review system architectures, I/O layouts, and software design documentation.
• Ensure controls and software systems comply with all applicable standards (NFPA 79, NEC, ANSI/RIA, ISO, safety PLC).
• Integrate, simulate, and test automation systems both in-house and on-site.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex automation issues; support installation and start-up at customer facilities.

Project Execution

• Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, and project management teams to ensure cross-functional alignment and on-time delivery.
• Define technical scope and support project planning, budgeting, and scheduling.
• Manage engineering change requests and maintain version control of all code and documentation.
• Support proposal generation and quoting for new projects by estimating controls/software engineering effort.
• Ensure projects comply with customer specifications, internal standards, and safety requirements.

Continuous Improvement

• Champion continuous improvement in controls development practices (e.g., modular code, version control, simulation tools, diagnostics).
• Evaluate and implement emerging automation technologies (IIoT, Industry 4.0, data analytics, vision systems, safety integration).
• Promote best practices for code reuse, documentation, and testing procedures.
• Mentor and provide technical guidance to junior engineers and technicians.

Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Software, Mechatronics, Automation, or related field. (preferred but not required)
• 5+ years of experience in industrial automation or custom machine controls.
• Proficiency with PLC/HMI programming (Allen-Bradley ControlLogix, Siemens TIA Portal, etc.).
• Strong understanding of electrical design, safety circuits, and machine standards.
• Excellent communication and organizational skills.
• Ability to travel to customer sites (10–20%) for installation and commissioning support.
• Experience with C# and microsoft visual studio is preferred.