Lead Controls Software Engineer

Project J Ltd; Jacksonville (FL); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Medical and dental health insurance

Flexible hybrid work

401(k)

Job summary

Voltify is seeking a hands-on Lead Controls Software Engineer to own the controller software for our microgrid control management, guiding energy assets in field deployment. You will design, implement, and deploy PLC software across traditional hardware PLCs and soft-PLCs, integrating solar, BESS, grid interconnects, and chargers into a unified control plane.

As a generalist-specialist, you will drive architecture decisions, set engineering standards, and be prepared to grow into leading the

Qualifications

• 6+ years of hands-on PLC software development.
• Proven experience with hardware PLCs and soft-PLCs.
• Strong command of two PLC environments (Codesys, Siemens, Rockwell, Beckhoff, B&R, Schneider, Mitsubishi, Omron).
• Fluency in IEC 61131-3 languages (Structured Text, Ladder, FBD, SFC).
• Proficiency in industrial communication protocols: Modbus TCP/RTU, OPC-UA, DNP3, CANbus.
• Good Python skills for standalone services, data pipelines and automation tools.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, deploy, and maintain PLC software for microgrid control across hardware PLCs and soft-PLCs.
• Implement control logic in diverse environments (e.g., Siemens TIA Portal, Rockwell Studio 5000, Beckhoff TwinCAT).
• Write robust IEC 61131-3 code and architect control for complex microgrid systems (solar, BESS, grid interconnects, EV/locomotive chargers).
• Integrate hardware using Modbus TCP/RTU, OPC-UA, DNP3, CANbus.
• Harden bi-directional Cloud Edge communication (MQTT) and ensure data integrity.
• Travel to deployment sites for commissioning, testing, and troubleshooting.
• Set standards, conduct code reviews, define MVPs, and help build the U.S. controls team.

Skills

PLC software development

Two PLC environments

IEC 61131-3 languages

Industrial protocols

Python proficiency

Systems thinking / architecture

Travel willingness

Leadership potential

Tools

Codesys

Siemens PLC

Rockwell Studio 5000/RSLogix

Beckhoff TwinCAT

Schneider EcoStruxure / Unity

Mitsubishi GX Works

Omron Sysmac

Job description

Who We Are:

At Voltify, we are building the next generation of rail - battery locomotives that fast charge autonomously and dynamically through a dedicated self sustained microgrid network.

We are bringing back the power to the industry and eliminating the dependency on fossil fuels. Lowering rail main expense - energy - by more than 20%.

This is over $3B yearly just in North America alone.

We are already working with some of the largest global rail companies with over $50M in contingent orders.

We have raised over $30M from top tier funds and strategics and are rapidly growing.

Our founding team has a proven track record in building public billion $ companies in renewable energy and infrastructure.

About the Role:

We are looking for a hands-on Lead Controls Software Engineer to own the controller software that runs our microgrid control management — the layer that commands real energy assets in the field and keeps our locomotive charging infrastructure running.

In this role you will design, implement, and deploy control software across a wide range of PLC platforms — both traditional hardware PLCs and soft-PLCs — integrating diverse energy assets (solar, BESS, grid interconnects, chargers) into a unified, reliable control plane. Your software will directly command physical hardware, optimizing energy flows and enabling the next generation of rail transportation.

We're at a stage where the roadmap is still being written. Requirements shift as we learn from each deployment, so we need someone exceptional — a true generalist-specialist who can look at the entire system architecture and then dive into a single misbehaving register without losing the thread. Someone who treats "that's not my task" as a foreign concept.

This is also a role with a future. As we scale our U.S. operations, we expect this person to grow into building and leading the U.S. controls team. You'll set the technical bar that the people you eventually hire will be measured against.

We operate with extreme ownership and speed. If you want a 9-to-5 where you wait for tickets, this isn't it. If you want to build the future of rail energy, read on.

What You’ll Do:

• Design, develop, deploy, and maintain PLC software for microgrid control management across a variety of platforms — both hardware PLCs and soft-PLCs (PC-based / runtime controllers).
• Implement control logic in CODESYS and in proprietary / vendor-specific environments — for example Siemens TIA Portal (SCL/STL), Rockwell Allen-Bradley Studio 5000 / RSLogix, Beckhoff TwinCAT, B&R Automation Studio, Schneider EcoStruxure / Unity, Mitsubishi GX Works, or Omron Sysmac.
• Write robust, maintainable code using the IEC 61131-3 languages (Structured Text, Ladder, Function Block Diagram, Sequential Function Chart) as each platform and task demands.
• Architect and implement control for complex microgrid systems — managing solar inverters, battery energy storage systems (BESS), grid-tie interconnections, and EV/locomotive chargers, including islanding/reconnection and protection coordination.
• Integrate diverse industrial hardware using protocols such as Modbus TCP/RTU, OPC-UA, DNP3, and CANbus.
• Implement and harden the bi-directional Cloud Edge communication pipeline (e.g. via MQTT), ensuring data integrity and gracefully handling connectivity edge cases.
• Travel frequently to our deployment sites for on-site commissioning, integration testing, and troubleshooting — this is a meaningful part of the job, not an occasional add-on.
• Set engineering standards, conduct code reviews, define MVPs, and make architectural decisions that balance speed with reliability — laying the groundwork to build and lead the U.S. controls team.

What We're Looking For (Requirements):

• 6+ years of hands-on PLC software development, with proven experience implementing multiple types of PLCs — both hardware PLCs and soft-PLCs.
• Strong command at least two PLC environments (e.g. Codesys, Siemens, Rockwell, Beckhoff, B&R, Schneider, Mitsubishi, Omron) — and the ability to ramp quickly on any platform we throw at you.
• Fluency in the IEC 61131-3 languages (Structured Text, Ladder, FBD, SFC) and sound judgment about when to use each.
• Fluency in industrial communication protocols: Modbus TCP/RTU, OPC-UA, DNP3, or CANbus.
• A proven track record integrating software with physical hardware. You are comfortable debugging issues where the "bug" might be a loose wire, a protocol mismatch, or a misconfigured register map.
• Good proficiency in Python. Beyond PLC programming, you build standalone services, data pipelines, and automation tools. We treat this as a signal — the engineers who thrive here move fluidly across the whole stack instead of staying boxed into one layer.
• Range. You can hold the whole system architecture in your head and also obsess over the smallest detail. You adapt fast when requirements change and stay effective when the task is something you've never done before.
• Extreme ownership, strong research and learning ability, and excellent critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Willingness to travel extensively to our sites across the U.S. (and occasionally beyond).
• The ambition and interpersonal skills to grow into a leadership role managing the U.S. team.

Nice to Have (Advantages)

• Experience implementing microgrids or working with DERs, power flows, and energy management systems.
• Experience with AWS services (e.g. IoT Core, Lambda, DynamoDB) for cloud-connected control applications.
• Experience with JavaScript/TypeScript for dashboards or internal tooling.

What We Offer - BENEFITS & PERKS

• Competitive compensation — $140k–$180k base salary + equity + relocation bonus
• Medical and Dental health insurance
• Flexible hybrid work
• 401(k)
• A direct path to building and leading the U.S. controls team as we scale