Manufacturing Controls Engineer

Our Next Energy Inc / ONE; Novi (MI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Our Next Energy Inc. Novi, MI is seeking a seasoned Controls Engineer to design, program, and troubleshoot PLC-based control systems for automated manufacturing equipment.

The role involves developing control logic on Rockwell/Siemens platforms, configuring HMI/SCADA, and creating data collection and diagnostic tools to support production performance. You will support MES interfaces, FAT/SAT activities, and ensure safety and reliability of high-volume production lines.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Software Engineering, Mechatronics, or Automation Engineering.
• 5+ years of controls engineering experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Experience with automated production lines or industrial equipment.
• Experience with PLC programming, robotics, and industrial automation systems.

Responsibilities

• Design, program, and troubleshoot PLC-based control systems for automated manufacturing equipment.
• Develop and maintain control logic using Rockwell (Allen Bradley), Siemens, or similar PLC systems.
• Configure HMI/SCADA systems for machine monitoring, diagnostics, and operator interface.
• Develop and maintain automated production data collection, reporting, and diagnostic tools.
• Support MES, production traceability, and automation interfaces between PLCs and enterprise systems.
• Integrate, troubleshoot, and optimize robotics, vision systems, and automation interfaces for high-volume production.
• Lead controls design, installation, and commissioning of new manufacturing equipment.
• Collaborate with equipment vendors during FAT and SAT.
• Develop controls standards and documentation for plant automation systems.

Skills

PLC programming

HMI/SCADA

Industrial networking

Servo & VFDs

Machine vision

Electrical schematics

Instrumentation

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Eng., Mechanical Eng., Software Eng., Mechatronics, or Automation Eng.

Tools

Rockwell (Allen-Bradley)

Siemens

Keyence

Cognex

Job description

12 MILE
45145 W 12 Mile Rd
Novi, MI 48377, USA

12 MILE
45145 W 12 Mile Rd
Novi, MI 48377, USA

• Design, program, and troubleshoot PLC-based control systems for automated manufacturing equipment.
• Develop andmaintaincontrol logic using platforms such as Rockwell (Allen Bradley), Siemens, or similar PLC systems .
• Configure HMI / SCADA systems for machine monitoring, diagnostics, and operatorinterface.
• Develop andmaintainautomated production data collection, reporting, and diagnostic tools to support manufacturing performance.
• Support manufacturing execution systems (MES), production traceability, and automation interfaces between PLCs and enterprise systems.
• Integrate, troubleshoot, andoptimize robotics, vision systems, and automated material handling equipment for high-volume production environments.
• Lead controls design, installation, and commissioning of new manufacturing equipment.
• Collaborate with equipment vendors and integrators during factory acceptance testing (FAT) and site acceptance testing (SAT).
• Develop controlsstandards and documentation for plant automation systems.

Manufacturing Support

• Provide technical troubleshooting support for production equipment downtime related to controls, sensors, drives,vision, PLC, robotics,and automation.
• Work closely with maintenance and production teams to diagnose,resolve, and improve automation system performance.
• Optimizecontrol strategies to improve cycle time, reliability, and equipment uptime .

Safety & Compliance

• Design andvalidate machine safety systems including safety PLCs, interlocks, emergency stops, and safeguarding systems.
• Ensure equipmentcomplies with OSHA, NFPA, and relevant machine safety standards .
• Support high-voltage and lithium-ion manufacturing safety requirements .

Process Optimization

• Analyze equipment performance data toidentify automation improvements and efficiency gains .
• Implement process automation improvements to increase throughput and reduce scrap.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives and plant automation roadmaps .
• Lead root cause investigations for automation-related production issues and implement sustainable corrective actions.

Documentation & Standards

• Support, maintain, and enforce plant automation standards including programming architecture, documentation, naming conventions, and commissioning procedures
• Maintaindetailed documentation including:
• PLC/HMI codechange managementrevisions
• Open issuesmanagement

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering,Mechanical Engineering , SoftwareEngineering, Mechatronics, or Automation Engineering

Experience

• 5+ years of controls engineering experience in a manufacturing environment
• Experience supporting automated production lines or industrial equipment
• Experience with PLC programming, Robotics,and industrial automation systems

Technical Skills:

• PLC programming
• HMI/SCADA systems
• Industrial networking (Ethernet/IP,Profinet,IO-link,Modbus, OPC)
• Servo systems and VFD drives
• Machine vision systems(Keyense, Cognex)
• Electrical schematics and panel design
• Industrial sensors and instrumentation

Preferred Experience

• EV battery,Automotive,Lithium-ion,Semiconductor, orHigh-tech manufacturing
• Dry-room or clean-room manufacturing environments
• High-speed automated production lines
• Safety PLCs and machine safety standards (ISO 13849 / NFPA)
• Automation troubleshooting and problem solving
• Systems integration and commissioning
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Strong technical documentation skills
• Ability to support a fast-paced manufacturing environment

Equal Opportunity Employer
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