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

Ashton North LLC; Town of Germantown (WI); On-site; USD 99,000 - 121,000; Full time

Job summary

Ashton North LLC in Wisconsin is seeking a Lead Automation Controls Engineer to develop ground-up PLC/HMI software for complex automated machinery, including sorting systems and robotic cells. You will own the design from concept through startup, with heavy emphasis on Studio 5000, RSLogix, and FactoryTalk View in a fast-paced lab environment.

Expect 25-50% domestic travel to customer sites, weekend comp days for startup work, and a culture that values engineer ownership and work-life balance.

Qualifications

• Ground-Up Allen-Bradley depth: 2+ years designing, building, and programming controls software with Rockwell platforms.
• Degree in Automation Technology, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related discipline.
• Willingness to travel domestically 25%–50% with guaranteed weekend comp days.
• Residence within 45-minute commute of Greater Milwaukee/Washington County area.
• U.S. Citizen or Green Card holder.

Responsibilities

• Architect Ground-Up PLC/HMI Software using Studio 5000 and FactoryTalk View.
• Engineer high-level interfaces with Visual Studio and C# for enterprise-level data tracking.
• Audit control schematics in AutoCAD for BOM alignment and safety compliance.
• Configure EtherNet/IP networks and motion control with servo drives and machine vision.
• Lead on-site client commissioning and sign-offs.

Skills

PLC programming

HMI development

Rockwell Automation

Industrial networking

Education

Automation/Electrical/CS degree

Tools

Studio 5000

RSLogix

FactoryTalk View

AutoCAD

Visual Studio

C#

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.