PLC Controls Engineer – Studio 5000 & Motion Control

Keystone Distinction Group; Town of Germantown (WI); On-site; USD 99,000 - 121,000; Full time

Job summary

Keystone Distinction Group in the Greater Milwaukee area is seeking a PLC Controls Engineer to design, program, and commission PLC/HMI solutions from ground up. You will work with Studio 5000, RSLogix, and FactoryTalk View to deliver robust automation for complex systems, while traveling domestically to support commissioning and start-ups.

The role requires 2+ years of controls depth and a degree in Automation Technology, Electrical Engineering, or CS; travel is 25–50%.

Qualifications

• Ground-Up Allen-Bradley depth with Studio 5000/RSLogix experience beyond basic troubleshooting.
• Degree in Automation Technology, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field.
• Willingness to travel domestically 25%–50% for rollout deployments, with guaranteed weekend comp days.
• Proven stability and long-term commitment in engineering roles.
• Residence within 45-minute driving radius of Greater Milwaukee/Washington County.
• Legal authorization: U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

Responsibilities

• Architect ground-up PLC/HMI software using Studio 5000 and FactoryTalk View for complex automated machinery.
• Engineer high-level interfaces using Visual Studio, C#, and databases for data tracking.
• Audit electrical panel layouts and schematics in AutoCAD for BOM alignment and safety compliance.
• Configure EtherNet/IP networks and motion control including servo drives and vision systems.
• Lead on-site client commissioning, supervising installations and final sign-offs.

Skills

Allen-Bradley Studio 5000

RSLogix

FactoryTalk View

EtherNet/IP

Multi-axis servo motion control

AutoCAD schematics

Education

Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Automation Technology, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science

Tools

Studio 5000

RSLogix

FactoryTalk View

AutoCAD

EtherNet/IP

Job description

PLC Controls Engineer – Studio 5000 & Motion Control

Up to $110,000 Base Salary + Profit Sharing • Greater Milwaukee Area • Travel Flex

• COMPENSATION: Up to $110,000 starting base salary (calibrated for Junior, Mid, and Senior experience depth) + profit sharing + full benefits package.
• WORK SCHEDULE: Flexible day shift in the engineering lab with 25%–50% domestic travel for commissioning, featuring guaranteed, immediate comp days for weekend startup work.
• WORK ENVIRONMENT: High-tech engineering lab in the Greater Milwaukee / Washington County corridor; anti-monotony, zero-bureaucracy culture with direct access to project leadership.
• EXPERIENCE & TECH STACK: 2+ years of controls depth; ground-up Allen-Bradley / Rockwell (Studio 5000, RSLogix, FactoryTalk View) programming; EtherNet/IP, multi-axis servo motion control, and AutoCAD schematics.
• COMPANY STABILITY & CULTURE: Premier, fast-growing systems integration firm that has doubled its footprint year-over-year; highly protective of engineering work-life balance with strict travel-comp policies.
• REQUIREMENTS / COMPLIANCE: US Citizen or Green Card holder; degree in Automation, EE, CS, or related engineering discipline; local residence within a 45-minute commute of Washington County/Greater Milwaukee.

If you are looking for the ultimate antidote to career burnout, this custom systems integration role offers the ideal escape from repetitive plant maintenance loops and rigid corporate templates. Operating out of a collaborative engineering facility in the Greater Milwaukee / Washington County corridor, this rapidly expanding firm functions with an engineering philosophy centered around custom, ground-up innovation. Every project is unique—ranging from high-speed sortation networks to robotic welding cells and complex multi-axis servo systems.

Your time and dedication are protected aggressively here. Recognizing that field commissioning takes energy, a non-negotiable travel-balancing policy is strictly enforced: if a customer startup requires weekend work, you are immediately awarded comp time so you return home to a full four-day weekend. With zero corporate bureaucracy, massive technical variety, and full ownership from design to startup, this environment is built for engineers who take pride in seeing their custom software drive heavy industrial machinery.

What You Will Be Doing (Daily Responsibilities)

• Architect Ground-Up PLC/HMI Software: Develop robust PLC programs and intuitive HMI interfaces completely from scratch for complex automated machinery, robotic cells, and specialized sorting systems using Studio 5000 and FactoryTalk View.
• Engineer High-Level Interfaces: Integrate operator interfaces and explore advanced system capabilities using Visual Studio, C#, and relational databases for enterprise-level data tracking.
• Audit Control Schematics: Review, verify, and validate detailed electrical panel layouts and control schematics in AutoCAD to align with Bills of Materials (BOMs) and safety compliance standards.
• Configure Industrial Networks & Motion: Set up, calibrate, and troubleshoot EtherNet/IP communications, multi-axis servo drives, machine vision systems, and safety PLCs.
• Lead On-Site Client Commissioning: Serve as the primary technical authority during client field deployments, supervising installations and executing final system sign-offs.

What We Are Looking For (Requirements & Qualifications)

• Ground-Up Allen-Bradley Depth: 2+ years of professional experience designing, building, and programming controls software from scratch using Rockwell / Allen-Bradley platforms (Studio 5000 / RSLogix), beyond simple code troubleshooting.
• Technical Engineering Education: Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Automation Technology, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a closely related technical discipline.
• Field Mobility & Travel Readiness: Willingness to travel domestically 25% to 50% to champion custom integration rollouts, backed by guaranteed weekend comp days.
• Career Reliability: Proven professional stability demonstrating tenure, accountability, and long-term commitment with prior engineering teams.
• Local Commute: Residence within a comfortable 45-minute driving radius of the Greater Milwaukee / Washington County area.
• Legal Authorization: Must be a United States Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident (Green Card holder).

Preferred Technical Assets (Bonus Skills)

• Vision & Motion Integration: Hands-on setup of multi-axis servo motion systems or industrial vision platforms (Cognex, Keyence).
• Advanced Language Coding: High-level programming fluency in C#, VB.NET, or SQL database structures.
• Robotics Experience: Direct path teaching, programming, or integration experience with FANUC or similar industrial robotics.