Lead Electrical Controls Engineer

Liberty Personnel Services, Inc.; Bothell (WA); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus eligibility

Overtime

Flexible scheduling

401(k)

Medical/dental/vision coverage

Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)

Job summary

Liberty Personnel Services, Inc. is seeking a Lead Controls Engineer in Bothell, WA. This role involves leading the design and optimization of control system architectures for automated processes. Responsibilities include overseeing PLC and SCADA systems, establishing control standards, and mentoring junior engineers. Candidates should have a relevant engineering degree and 3+ years of experience in automation or controls engineering. This is a full-time position offering competitive compensation and strong benefits including flexible scheduling and a 401(k).

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in automation or controls engineering.
• Extensive hands-on experience with PLC, HMI, and SCADA system design.
• Leadership experience with engineering teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and development of PLC-based control systems.
• Oversee HMI/SCADA system configurations and deployments.
• Establish control system standards and documentation.

Skills

PLC programming

SCADA integration

Industrial networking

Automation technologies

Technical leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Allen-Bradley

Wonderware/AVEVA

FactoryTalk

Siemens

Job description

This role centers on leading the design, development, and optimization of control-system architectures for complex automated processes supporting public infrastructure and large-scale municipal operations. The Lead Controls Engineer is responsible for driving technical direction across the full project lifecycle—from concept and system design through implementation, commissioning, and long-term optimization. This position also provides leadership to engineering teams, ensuring best practices in PLC programming, SCADA integration, industrial networking, and advanced automation technologies are consistently applied across projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and standardization of PLC-based control systems across major industrial platforms (e.g., Allen-Bradley, Siemens, Modicon, GE, or equivalent).
• Oversee configuration and deployment of HMI/SCADA systems, including platforms such as Wonderware/AVEVA, FactoryTalk, WinCC, iFix, or similar.
• Establish and enforce control system standards, coding practices, and documentation protocols across projects.
• Drive development of data acquisition, alarm management, and reporting systems to support operational visibility and analytics.
• Provide technical leadership during system integration, site deployment, commissioning, and troubleshooting activities.
• Mentor and guide junior engineers and technical staff, supporting skill development and project execution.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, stakeholders, and clients to ensure project scope, performance objectives, and regulatory requirements are achieved.
• Oversee industrial communication networks, telemetry systems, and distributed control system (DCS) integrations.
• Review and approve engineering deliverables including system architectures, control narratives, schematics, and project documentation.
• Support project planning, scheduling, resource allocation, and risk management efforts.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related discipline (preferred).
• 3+ years of experience in automation, controls engineering, or a related technical field.
• Extensive hands‑on experience with PLC, HMI, and SCADA system design and programming.
• Strong understanding of control system architecture, industrial networking, and system integration.
• Demonstrated leadership experience or the ability to lead projects and mentor engineering teams.
• Experience in municipal or mission‑critical environments (water/wastewater, utilities, transportation systems, etc.) is highly preferred.
• Ability to travel up to 25% as required for project support.
• Must be authorized to work in the U.S. and fluent in English.

Additional Details

This is a full-time opportunity offering competitive compensation, performance-based incentives, and strong benefits including bonus eligibility, overtime, flexible scheduling, long‑term disability insurance, 401(k), medical/dental/vision coverage, and an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). The role may be structured as on‑site or hybrid depending on project requirements and candidate location.