Programming Manager

Keystone Engineering Group, Inc.; East Whiteland Township (PA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid Work Schedule

Training, Professional Development and

Career Pathing

Casual Dress Code

Employee Referral Bonus

Health Benefits

Company paid Life Insurance and Short

Long Term Disability

Paid Time Off

Holidays

401K Plan

Pet Friendly Environment

Job summary

Keystone Engineering Group, Inc. is seeking a Programming Manager to lead automation projects across water and wastewater sectors. You will manage programming workloads, mentor programmers, and coordinate with QAQC while delivering startups, commissioning, and field support.

The role requires extensive hands-on experience in industrial automation and strong leadership to guide technical teams and ensure project success in dynamic environments.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of hands-on experience in industrial automation, PLC programming, SCADA/HMI, or related controls work.
• Experience in the water and wastewater industry strongly preferred.
• Experience in leading, mentoring, or managing technical personnel and in project management.
• Experience with control system startup, commissioning, troubleshooting, and field implementation.

Responsibilities

• Oversees programming workload balance, prioritization, resource allocation, and scheduling.
• Reviews programming work and enforces standards with QAQC alignment.
• Leads, mentors, and develops programmers with emphasis on growth and independence.
• Develops structured training plans for programmers and future leaders.
• Provides hands-on coaching during projects, startups, commissioning, and field troubleshooting.
• Participates in interviews, performance reviews, and discipline as required.
• Serves as primary technical resource for PLC programming, SCADA/HMI, and troubleshooting.

Skills

Industrial automation

PLC programming

SCADA/HMI

Technical leadership

Project management

Troubleshooting

Education

Bachelor's or Associate's degree in Engineering or related field

Tools

Allen Bradley

Schneider Electric Modicon

VTScada

Ignition

Wonderware

FactoryTalk

Job description

Programming Manager

Keystone Engineering Group, Inc. is a Professional Engineering Firm and Systems Integrator with 25+ years of experience in Design and Design-Build services for Water, Wastewater, and private industries. We have five offices located in Southeast Pennsylvania, Northeastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Lewes Delaware, and Seaford Delaware.

Keystone has cultivated a strong employee and client centered environment where employees are valued, respected, and supported.

Our team effectively works together to deliver projects on time and on budget.

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years of hands-on experience in industrial automation, PLC programming, SCADA/HMI, or related controls work; a Bachelor's or Associate's degree in Engineering, Automation, Controls, Computer Science, or related technology preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in the water and wastewater industry strongly preferred.
• Experience in leading, mentoring, or managing technical personnel and experience in project management.
• Demonstrated experience with control system startup, commissioning, troubleshooting, and field implementation.
• Strong proficiency with automation hardware including Allen Bradley and Schneider Electric Modicon.
• Strong proficiency with automation software including VTScada, Ignition, Wonderware and Factory Talk.
• Possesses the ability to troubleshoot complex equipment and process issues.
• Excellent problem-solving, critical-thinking, and troubleshooting skills, with the ability to teach others effective methods for resolving problems.
• Strong interpersonal skills, approachability, emotional intelligence, and the ability to build trust while maintaining accountability.
• Ability to recognize and address technical and behavioral issues early and have difficult conversations professionally and constructively.
• Ability to coach and develop employees while maintaining clear expectations, accountability, and appropriate follow-through.
• Ability to remain calm and make sound decisions in high-pressure field and customer environments and respond to issues in a timely manner, including outside regular business hours when required.
• Ability to prioritize, delegate, coach, and develop employees toward greater independence.
• Excellent time management, organizational, communication, and leadership skills.
• Ability to work effectively with employees of varying experience levels and adapt training and mentoring approaches to individual needs.
• Ability to travel to project sites and work directly alongside programming personnel during startup, commissioning, troubleshooting, and other field activities.

Responsibilities

• Oversees programming workload balance, prioritization, resource allocation, and scheduling.
• Reviews programming work as needed and enforces programming standards in coordination with the QAQC Manager.
• Leads, mentors, and develops programmers with emphasis on technical growth, confidence, accountability, and independence.
• Develops and maintains structured training and development plans for new and existing programmers and identifies future technical leaders.
• Provides hands-on coaching during active projects, startups, commissioning, field troubleshooting, and other high-pressure situations.
• Identifies technical, behavioral, communication, and performance concerns early; addresses them directly and constructively and establishes clear expectations for improvement.
• Participates in interviewing, performance reviews, performance management, and progressive discipline as required.
• Conducts regular one-on-one meetings and quarterly employee goal meetings and works with department leadership on employee development.
• Serves as a primary technical resource for PLC programming, SCADA/HMI, controls, troubleshooting, equipment configuration, and project-related technical issues.
• Completes programming, troubleshooting, equipment configuration, I/O checkout, startup, and commissioning activities as required.
• Provides onsite assistance and mentorship to clients, engineers, vendors, owners, and project personnel as needed.
• Assists in prioritizing employee response to client emergencies and participates in emergency service response as needed.
• Assists the QAQC Manager with quality control reviews, program testing, and identification of recurring technical or quality issues.
• Works with Project Managers and clients to resolve technical issues, support successful project execution, maintain relationships, and identify new business opportunities.
• Reviews and assists the QAQC Manager with Virtual Machines, programming environments, and required software.
• Approves department timesheets, expense reports, and PTO requests.

Benefits

• Hybrid Work Schedule
• Training, Professional Development and Career Pathing
• Casual Dress Code
• Employee Referral Bonus
• Health Benefits
• Company paid Life Insurance and Short & Long Term Disability
• Paid Time Off
• Holidays
• 401K Plan
• Pet Friendly Environment

Our Programming Managers travel locally to client sites and occasionally have overnight travel trips for projects.

Keystone Engineering Group, Inc. does not sponsor employment visas for any positions.

Keystone is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing equal employment and advancement opportunities. Equal employment opportunity applies to all terms and conditions of recruiting and employment, including hiring, training, job assignment, promotion, compensation, and benefits.