Lead Electrical Controls Engineering Manager

Liberty Personnel Services, Inc.; Blue Earth (MN); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Liberty Personnel Services, Inc. is looking for a Lead Electrical Controls Engineering Manager in Blue Earth, Minnesota. You will lead a team focused on industrial automation and control systems to ensure top-notch delivery that meets operational standards.

The successful candidate will have a minimum of 5 years of experience in controls engineering, with proven leadership. Responsibilities include guiding team development, collaborating on project delivery, and maintaining high standards across all engineering outputs.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of controls engineering experience with at least 3 years in a leadership role.
• Experience managing engineering teams and project deliverables.
• Strong technical expertise in industrial controls systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of controls engineers.
• Establish departmental priorities and manage engineering resources.
• Collaborate with various project teams for successful delivery.

Skills

PLC logic development and troubleshooting

HMI/SCADA system configuration and visualization

Strong communication skills

Organizational skills

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Lead Electrical Controls Engineering Manager

Lead Electrical Controls Engineering Manager - Position Overview

Reports To: Executive Engineering & Operations Leadership
Department: Engineering

Position Summary

The Controls Engineering Manager leads controls engineering and development teams to ensure the successful delivery of industrial automation and control system solutions that meet customer and operational requirements. This role is responsible for driving consistency and standardization across PLC and HMI development while maintaining internal engineering standards and best practices. The position requires strong technical expertise in industrial controls systems along with proven leadership and team management capabilities.

This individual also serves as a backup resource for controls engineering leadership functions related to both project execution and development activities.

Core Responsibilities

Leadership & Team Management

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of controls engineers and technical staff.
• Establish departmental priorities, assign workloads, and manage engineering resources effectively.
• Support alignment between engineering objectives and broader business goals.
• Promote continuous improvement initiatives through collaboration and feedback across departments.
• Identify technical risks and provide mitigation recommendations to leadership.
• Assist with staffing evaluations and long-term resource planning.
• Guide team members through technical challenges and complex troubleshooting efforts.
• Manage controls engineering activities to support successful project delivery and product quality.
• Collaborate with project management, electrical design, software, CAD, production, and product teams.
• Provide technical support for PLC programming, HMI/SCADA configuration, and industrial communications.
• Review engineering deliverables for accuracy, consistency, and completeness.
• Assist with controls troubleshooting, commissioning support, and customer-facing technical coordination.
• Support development of engineering standards, reusable code libraries, and internal documentation practices.
• Contribute to programming labor estimates and technical planning activities.
• Participate in technical training and knowledge-sharing initiatives across engineering teams.

Qualifications

Required Experience

• Minimum 5 years of controls engineering experience with at least 3 years in a leadership or supervisory capacity.
• Experience managing engineering teams, project deliverables, and technical processes simultaneously.
• Background working in structured engineering environments utilizing standards, reusable code, and agile/sprint methodologies.

Preferred Technical Experience

• PLC programming and HMI/SCADA development experience using modern automation platforms.
• Familiarity with industrial communication protocols and controls integration.
• Experience conducting peer reviews, mentoring engineers, and supporting technical development initiatives.
• Exposure to agile project delivery and sprint planning methodologies.

Technical Skills

• PLC logic development and troubleshooting
• HMI/SCADA system configuration and visualization
• Shared code libraries and engineering documentation systems
• Microsoft Office and general engineering software tools
• Debugging and testing across multiple automation platforms

Additional Requirements

• Strong communication and organizational skills with the ability to interface effectively with technical teams and customers.
• Ability to interpret electrical schematics, process documentation, and technical procedures.
• Valid driver’s license required.
• Limited travel within North America may occasionally be required.

To apply, send your resume to [e-mail]