Lead Automation Controls Engineer – End-to-End Robotic Cells

Socket.dev; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 154,000 - 266,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

401k

Relocation support

Flexible vacation policy

Equity

Job summary

Hadrian is hiring a generalist Automation Controls Engineer to join the Special Projects team, standing up customer production lines with tooling, robotic cells, and machine vision. You will own controls architecture from requirements through PLC/robot/HMI code, panel design, on-floor commissioning, and handoff to production.

You’ll collaborate with manufacturing, tooling, and software teams to take cells from concept to run-off under tight timelines; high-performers grow into Staff Controls

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a STEM field (electro-mechanical preferred) or equivalent experience.
• 6-10+ years delivering automated cells end-to-end in industrial manufacturing.
• PLCs & motion — Production experience with Beckhoff and/or Siemens, plus hands-on servo / VFD tuning and commissioning.
• Robotics — Programmed a major ecosystem (ABB, Fanuc, Kuka, etc.); comfortable simulating cells before hardware exists.
• Electrical & networks — Cabinet / panel design to NFPA 79 and UL 508A; fluent across EtherCAT, PROFINET, and OPC UA
• Commissioning — On-the-floor execution with root-cause analysis and practical problem-solving.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; collaboration with ME, tooling, and software partners

Responsibilities

• Own controls design for new robotic, CNC, and tooling cells from concept through run-off.
• Write and deploy PLC applications on Siemens or other hardware, with reusable libraries and standards.
• Tune and commission multi-axis motion as needed — servos, VFDs, and steppers — and integrate sensors and safety devices.
• Spec and design electrical panels, architect industrial networks (EtherCAT, PROFINET, OPC UA) that tie cells and lines together.
• Build operator HMIs and lead risk assessments.
• Commission on the floor and drive structured root-cause analysis to solve issues.
• Mentor engineers and technicians; codify best practices into libraries and playbooks

Skills

Controls design

PLC programming

Motion control

Robotics programming

Electrical networks

Safety risk assessment

Commissioning

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor's degree in STEM (electro-mechanical preferred)

Tools

Siemens PLC

Beckhoff PLC

Robot vendors (ABB/Fanuc/Kuka)

Job description

Hadrian is hiring a generalist Automation Controls Engineer to join the Special Projects team, standing up customer production lines with tooling, robotic cells, and machine vision. You will own controls architecture from requirements through PLC/robot/HMI code, panel design, on-floor commissioning, and handoff to production.

You’ll collaborate with manufacturing, tooling, and software teams to take cells from concept to run-off under tight timelines; high-performers grow into Staff Controls