Manufacturing Controls Engineer

Our Next Energy Inc.; Novi (MI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Our Next Energy Inc. in Novi, MI, is seeking an experienced Automation Engineer to lead design, integration, and commissioning of PLC-based control systems for high-volume manufacturing equipment.

The role covers MES interfaces, HMI/SCADA, robotics integration, safety systems, and standards documentation, with collaboration across maintenance and production teams to improve cycle time and reliability.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Software, Mechatronics, or Automation Engineering.
• 5+ years of controls engineering experience in manufacturing.
• Experience with PLC programming, robotics, and industrial automation systems.

Responsibilities

• Design, program, and troubleshoot PLC-based control systems for automated manufacturing equipment.
• Lead integration and commissioning of new manufacturing equipment.
• Develop and maintain MES interfaces and data collection tools.
• Ensure safety standards and machine safety compliance.

Skills

PLC programming

HMI/SCADA

Robotics integration

Machine vision

Industrial networking

Servo systems & drives

Education

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

Tools

Rockwell Studio 5000 / RSLogix

Siemens TIA Portal

Keyence Vision

Cognex Vision

Ethernet/IP / Profinet

Job description

Job Details

Posting Details

• Posted on July 23, 2026

Locations

Showing 1 location Novi, MI 48377, USA

• On-site
• Engineer
• Full-Time
• Requisition #: MANUF001429

Description

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

Automation & Controls Development

• 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.

Equipment Integration & Commissioning

• 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

• Automation standardization

• Electrical schematicsredlines

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

• Allen Bradley (Studio 5000 /RSLogix)

• Siemens (TIA Portal)

• HMI/SCADA systems

• Industrial networking (Ethernet/IP,Profinet,IO-link,Modbus, OPC)

• Servo systems and VFD drives

• Robotics integration (Fanuc, ABB, Kuka, or similar)

• Machine vision systems(Keyence, 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