RD Controls Engineer

ADDiTEC; Durham (NC); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) matching

Health insurance

Paid time off

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Job summary

ADDiTEC is seeking a driven R&D Controls Engineer in Durham, North Carolina. You will work on cutting-edge metal additive manufacturing technology, designing control architectures for innovative 3D printers.

Your role involves integrating sensors and actuators, collaborating with automation integrators, and addressing complex challenges in thermal management and control systems.

The ideal candidate will have a background in controls or electrical engineering, along with a self-motivated mindset focused on problem-solving and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of experience in closed-loop control systems.
• Strong foundation in control theory and stability analysis.
• Hands-on experience with real-time sensor integration.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and tune control systems for thermal management.
• Develop PLC logic for CNC synchronized actions.
• Instrument and characterize system dynamics.

Skills

PID tuning

PLC programming

Analytical mindset

Sensor integration

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Controls Engineering

Tools

Siemens PLC

CNC systems

Job description

Benefits:

• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

About the Role

We are seeking a driven and curious R&D Controls Engineer to join our team developing next-generation metal additive manufacturing systems, including Liquid Metal Jetting (LMJ) and Laser-Assisted Directed Energy Deposition (DED) 3D printers.

You’ll work at the intersection of laser physics, thermal control, CNC/PLC programming, and real-time systems. The role involves designing control architectures that coordinate sensors and actuators at interpolation cycle rates, developing advanced waveform generation for electromagnetic coil drivers, and collaborating with an external automation integrator (similar to a CSI-type relationship) to push the Siemens Sinumerik platform for additive manufacturing R&D.

We value mindset over checkbox credentials. If you have a solid controls or automation foundation and the self-motivation to learn new systems quickly, this role will give you the opportunity to work on problems that very few teams in the world are tackling.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and tune closed-loop control systems for real-time thermal management during metal additive manufacturing.
• Develop PLC logic and CNC synchronized actions for coordinating printing.
• Implement PID and advanced control strategies (feedforward, adaptive gain scheduling).
• Architect and configure CNC/PLC analog and digital I/O for integrating sensors (pyrometers, thermocouples) and actuators (laser power supplies, shutters, micro-motor pyrometer steering).
• Develop and validate control algorithms that adapt to varying print speeds, toolpath geometries, and thermal conditions.
• Develop advanced waveform generation for electromagnetic coil drivers — including sub-thresholding pulse patterns, variable pulse widths, and complex frequency profiles using the Prio card or equivalent hardware.
• Collaborate with the print optimization and path planning team to ensure control strategies align with toolpath direction, speed profiles, and feature-type transitions.
• Serve as the internal bridge to automation integrators and Siemens support for CNC/PLC platform issues.
• Instrument and characterize system dynamics — measure plant transfer functions, identify thermal time constants, and size controller bandwidth accordingly.
• Support machine commissioning, integration testing, and design-of-experiments for process development.
• Maintain rigorous documentation of control architectures, tuning parameters, commissioning procedures, and test results.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Controls Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, or Mechanical Engineering with controls focus (or equivalent demonstrated experience).
• 2+ years of experience designing and implementing closed-loop control systems in industrial or R&D environments.
• Strong foundation in classical control theory: PID tuning, stability analysis, frequency response, and system identification.
• Hands-on PLC programming experience (Siemens, Beckhoff, Allen-Bradley, or similar industrial automation platforms).
• Experience with real-time sensor integration (pyrometers, thermocouples, photodiodes, or similar high-speed analog instrumentation).
• Experience configuring and commissioning industrial motion control systems (multi-axis CNC, servo drives, or motion controllers).
• Ability to read, develop, and troubleshoot electrical schematics and control panel wiring.
• Proficiency with at least one industrial communication protocol (EtherCAT, PROFINET, Ethernet/IP).

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Siemens Sinumerik CNC systems — synchronized actions ($A_INA, $A_OUTA, WHENEVER/DO), structured text, machine data configuration.
• Experience with Beckhoff TwinCAT or similar real-time platforms.
• Familiarity with laser systems — power modulation, analog control interfaces, safety interlocks.
• Experience with non-contact temperature measurement (pyrometry) including spectral filtering and emissivity considerations.
• Background in thermal process control (welding, heat treatment, laser processing, or additive manufacturing).
• Knowledge of advanced control methods: feedforward compensation, Smith predictors for transport delay, gain scheduling, or model-predictive control.
• Electronics design experience — particularly H-bridge circuits, high-current motor drivers, or power electronics.
• FPGA or microcontroller programming for custom waveform generation or high-speed signal processing.
• Familiarity with G-code/CNC part program structure and post-processor development.
• Experience with machine safety systems (STO, SS1, SLS) and relevant standards (IEC 62443, ISO 13849).

Mindset & Attributes (What Matters Most)

• Curious and self-motivated— the kind of engineer who hangs around, asks questions, and tries to figure things out without being told. This is the #1 trait we're looking for.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving mindset — able to diagnose issues across mechanical, electrical, thermal, and software domains simultaneously.
• Self-directed and resourceful in an R&D environment where requirements evolve and solutions aren't predefined.
• Comfortable iterating rapidly: prototype control logic, test on hardware, analyze data, refine.
• Clear communicator who can explain control system behavior to mechanical engineers, process engineers, and leadership.
• Collaborative and low-ego — willing to support builds, run experiments, and do hands-on work alongside design work.
• Comfortable working with external vendors and automation integrators as technical counterpart.
• Detail-oriented with a systems-level perspective — understands how a control loop interacts with toolpath planning, thermal physics, and part quality.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package.
• Opportunity to work on cutting-edge metal additive manufacturing technology at the frontier of closed-loop process control.
• Direct impact on product development — your control systems directly determine print quality and material properties.
• A collaborative, low-ego team environment focused on innovation and execution.
• Exposure to multidisciplinary challenges spanning controls, laser physics, materials science, and CNC systems.
• A culture that values curiosity, initiative, and continuous improvement.

Even if you don't meet every qualification listed above, we strongly encourage you to apply. We'relooking for engineers with the right mindset — people who are curious, self-driven, and excited to learn. If you have a solid technical foundation and the motivation to push boundaries, our team will provide the guidance and resources to get you up to speed quickly. The right attitude and aptitude matter far more than checking every box.