Lead Automation Controls Engineer – Ground-Up PLC/HMI Development

RON SUNSHINE ASSOCIATES LLC; Town of Germantown (WI); On-site; USD 66,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

RON SUNSHINE ASSOCIATES LLC in the Greater Milwaukee area seeks a Lead Automation Controls Engineer to design and deploy ground-up PLC/HMI software for complex automated machinery, including robotic cells and high-speed sortation systems.

You will own the design-to-startup lifecycle, work in a collaborative engineering lab, and travel 25–50% for commissioning, with a strong emphasis on Rockwell platforms (Studio 5000 / RSLogix) and FactoryTalk View.

Qualifications

• Ground-Up PLC/HMI development experience.
• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in automation/engineering/computer science.
• Willingness to travel domestically 25% to 50%.
• Proven stability and long-term commitment with prior teams.
• Residence within reasonable commute to Greater Milwaukee/Washington County.

Responsibilities

• Architect and implement PLC/HMI software from scratch for complex automated machinery.
• Engineer high-level interfaces using Visual Studio and relational databases.
• Audit schematics in AutoCAD to align with BOMs and safety standards.
• Configure EtherNet/IP networks and multi-axis servo drives; support machine vision and safety systems.
• Lead on-site client commissioning and oversee installation and final system sign-offs.

Skills

2+ years controls depth

Travel readiness 25-50%

Ground-up development

Ownership mindset

Education

Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Automation Technology, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science

Tools

Studio 5000

RSLogix

FactoryTalk View

AutoCAD

EtherNet/IP

Servo motion control

Visual Studio

C#

Relational databases

Job description

Lead Automation Controls Engineer – Ground-Up PLC/HMI Development

Up to $110,000 Base Salary + Profit Sharing Greater Milwaukee Area Travel Flex Direct-Hire

• Compensation & Incentives: Up to $110,000 starting base salary (calibrated for Junior, Mid, and Senior experience depth) + profit sharing + comprehensive corporate benefits package.
• Work Schedule: Flexible day shift in the engineering lab with 25%–50% domestic travel for commissioning, featuring guaranteed, immediate comp days for weekend startup work.
• Work Environment: High-tech engineering lab in the Greater Milwaukee / Washington County corridor; anti-monotony, zero-bureaucracy culture with direct access to project leadership.
• Experience & Tech Stack: 2+ years of controls depth; ground-up Allen-Bradley / Rockwell (Studio 5000, RSLogix, FactoryTalk View) programming; EtherNet/IP, multi-axis servo motion control, and AutoCAD schematics.
• Company Stability & Culture: Premier, fast-growing systems integration firm that has doubled its footprint year-over-year; highly protective of engineering work-life balance with strict travel-comp policies.
• Requirements & Compliance: U.S. Citizen or Green Card holder; degree in Automation, EE, CS, or related engineering discipline; local residence within a 45-minute commute of Washington County / Greater Milwaukee.

If you are looking for the ultimate antidote to career burnout, this custom systems integration role offers the ideal escape from repetitive plant maintenance loops and rigid corporate templates. Operating out of a collaborative engineering facility in the Greater Milwaukee / Washington County corridor, this rapidly expanding firm functions with an engineering philosophy centered around custom, ground-up innovation. Every project is unique—ranging from high-speed sortation networks to robotic welding cells and complex multi-axis servo systems.

Your time and dedication are protected aggressively here. Recognizing that field commissioning takes energy, a non-negotiable travel-balancing policy is strictly enforced: if a customer startup requires weekend work, you are immediately awarded comp time so you return home to a full four-day weekend. With zero corporate bureaucracy, massive technical variety, and full ownership from design to startup, this environment is built for engineers who take pride in seeing their custom software drive heavy industrial machinery.

What You Will Be Doing (Daily Responsibilities)

• Architect Ground-Up PLC/HMI Software: Develop robust PLC programs and intuitive HMI interfaces completely from scratch for complex automated machinery, robotic cells, and specialized sorting systems using Studio 5000 and FactoryTalk View.
• Engineer High-Level Interfaces: Integrate operator interfaces and explore advanced system capabilities using Visual Studio, C#, and relational databases for enterprise-level data tracking.
• Audit Control Schematics: Review, verify, and validate detailed electrical panel layouts and control schematics in AutoCAD to align with Bills of Materials (BOMs) and safety compliance standards.
• Configure Industrial Networks & Motion: Set up, calibrate, and troubleshoot EtherNet/IP communications, multi-axis servo drives, machine vision systems, and safety PLCs.
• Lead On-Site Client Commissioning: Serve as the primary technical authority during client field deployments, supervising installations and executing final system sign-offs.

What We Are Looking For (Requirements & Qualifications)

• Ground-Up Allen-Bradley Depth: 2+ years of professional experience designing, building, and programming controls software from scratch using Rockwell / Allen-Bradley platforms (Studio 5000 / RSLogix), beyond simple code troubleshooting.
• Technical Engineering Education: Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Automation Technology, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a closely related technical discipline.
• Field Mobility & Travel Readiness: Willingness to travel domestically 25% to 50% to champion custom integration rollouts, backed by guaranteed weekend comp days.
• Career Reliability: Proven professional stability demonstrating tenure, accountability, and long-term commitment with prior engineering teams.
• Local Commute: Residence within a comfortable 45-minute driving radius of the Greater Milwaukee / Washington County area.
• Legal Authorization: Must be a United States Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident (Green Card holder).

Preferred Technical Assets (Bonus Skills)

• Vision & Motion Integration: Hands-on setup of multi-axis servo motion systems or industrial vision platforms (Cognex, Keyence).
• Advanced Language Coding: High-level programming fluency in C#, VB.NET, or SQL database structures.
• Robotics Experience: Direct path teaching, programming, or integration experience with FANUC or similar industrial robotics.