Programming Manager

Keystone Engineering Group, Inc.; Frazer Township (PA); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid schedule

Training & development

Casual dress

401K Plan

Paid Time Off

Holidays

Life Insurance

Disability insurance

Pet-friendly environment

Employee referrals

Job summary

Keystone Engineering Group, Inc. is seeking a senior automation leader to drive PLC/SCADA projects, coaching programmers, and guiding field startups.

You will mentor staff, manage project technical challenges, and ensure high-quality controls implementations across water and wastewater environments, often working hybrid schedules and interacting with clients and engineers.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in industrial automation, PLC/SCADA, or related controls.
• Experience in water/wastewater industry preferred.
• Experience leading technical personnel and in project management.
• Startup, commissioning, troubleshooting, and field implementation.
• Proficient with Allen-Bradley and Schneider hardware.

Responsibilities

• Oversees programming workload balance, prioritization, resource allocation, and scheduling.
• Reviews programming work and enforces standards with QAQC Manager.
• Leads, mentors, and develops programmers for technical growth.
• Develops structured training plans for programmers and identifies leaders.
• Provides hands-on coaching during projects, startups, and field trouble-shooting.
• Identifies issues early and sets clear expectations for improvement.
• Participates in interviews, reviews, and performance management.

Skills

PLC programming

SCADA/HMI

Industrial automation

Team leadership

Project management

Troubleshooting

Field startup

Mentoring

Communication

Education

Bachelor's or Associate's degree in Engineering / Automation

Tools

Allen-Bradley

Schneider Electric Modicon

VTScada

Ignition

Wonderware

FactoryTalk

Job description

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 inSoutheastern Pennsylvania, Northeastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Lewes Delaware, and Seaford Delaware.

Keystone has cultivated a strongemployee and clientcentered environmentwhere employees are valued, respected, and supported.

Our team effectively workstogether 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.
• Hybrid Work Schedule
• Training, Professional Development and Career Pathing
• Casual Dress Code
• Employee Referral Bonus
• 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 termsand conditions of recruiting and employment, including hiring, training, job assignment, promotion, compensation, and benefits.