Senior Automation & Controls Engineer - Defense Energetics Manufacturing

Approach Venture; Waltham (MA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Approach Venture in Waltham, MA seeks a Senior Automation & Controls Engineer to own controls from architecture through commissioning for automated chemical production equipment in defense energetics applications.

The role is hands-on with PLCs, Siemens TIA Portal, Ignition, HMI/SCADA, safety systems, and integration of robotics and instrumentation, requiring travel to pilot facilities and on-site work.

Job description

Job Description

Senior Automation & Controls Engineer - Defense Energetics Manufacturing

Waltham, Massachusetts | On-site

Opportunity Summary

Join an early-stage advanced manufacturing company developing highly automated production systems for critical defense applications. The team is combining complex chemistry, industrial automation, and purpose-built manufacturing equipment to create safer and more scalable ways to produce energetic materials. As a Senior Automation & Controls Engineer, you will own controls development from architecture and programming through commissioning and production support. This is a hands-on engineering role for someone who can work directly with PLCs, instrumentation, robotics, motion systems, and industrial hardware rather than operating primarily at the design or management level. Automation is central to the product itself. The goal is to build highly autonomous production systems that minimize human exposure to hazardous processes while maintaining tight control over chemistry and manufacturing performance. Candidates should be comfortable supporting defense applications and working around energetic materials.

About Us

We are a venture-backed advanced manufacturing company developing automated chemical production systems for national security applications. Our engineering teams work across controls, robotics, mechanical systems, process development, and chemistry to take manufacturing processes from laboratory development into pilot and production-scale systems. The company is scaling quickly as demand increases for more efficient and repeatable domestic manufacturing capabilities.

Job Duties

• Design, program, deploy, and maintain industrial control systems for automated chemical production equipment
• Develop Siemens PLC programs using TIA Portal for reactors, fluid systems, thermal systems, material handling, and supporting equipment
• Build control logic for startup, normal operation, process transitions, upset conditions, and safe shutdown sequences
• Develop SCADA and HMI systems that support both autonomous operation and clear operator visibility
• Configure Ignition-based SCADA environments, operator interfaces, alarms, data logging, and system diagnostics
• Integrate pressure, temperature, flow, level, concentration, and other process instrumentation into automated control systems
• Integrate robotics, servos, VFDs, valves, actuators, vision systems, and industrial communication networks
• Implement machine and process safety systems using safety PLCs, fail-safe I/O, safety-rated motion, and related technologies
• Translate chemistry and process requirements into control strategies, interlocks, operating limits, and safety logic
• Support electrical control-panel architecture, wiring design, field termination, and integration of 480 VAC and 24 VDC systems
• Lead hands-on commissioning, debugging, hardware-in-the-loop testing, and factory or site acceptance testing
• Troubleshoot controls software, electrical hardware, instrumentation, valves, actuators, and communication issues during development and production
• Support root cause analysis and corrective actions for equipment and process failures
• Work directly with mechanical, chemistry, process, and manufacturing engineers throughout system development
• Support commissioning and testing at a nearby pilot manufacturing facility as systems move from development into larger-scale operation

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, Mechatronics, Chemical Engineering, or a related technical discipline
• 4+ years of experience in industrial controls, automation, robotics, or manufacturing systems
• Strong hands-on PLC programming experience
• Proficiency with Siemens TIA Portal
• Experience with SCADA systems such as Ignition
• Demonstrated experience taking an automation or controls system from initial architecture through commissioning on physical equipment
• Experience integrating sensors, instrumentation, motors, drives, valves, actuators, and industrial equipment
• Ability to troubleshoot both controls software and hardware directly on manufacturing equipment
• Familiarity with industrial electrical systems and control-panel architecture
• Experience with safety-rated controls, machine safeguarding, or fail-safe systems
• Strong debugging and problem-solving skills
• Comfortable working directly in laboratory, fabrication, commissioning, and plant environments
• U.S. Person as defined by applicable U.S. export-control regulations
• Ability to obtain a U.S. security clearance
• Ability to work on-site and travel periodically between development and pilot facilities
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds

Preferred Experience

• Experience automating chemical manufacturing, process equipment, continuous processes, batch systems, or other process-intensive manufacturing environments
• Background in robotics, mechatronics, automated assembly, battery manufacturing, aerospace production, or other highly automated manufacturing environments
• Experience with hazardous processes or environments where system safety and fault response are critical
• Familiarity with Siemens safety PLCs, ProfiSafe, safety-rated motion, or similar platforms
• Knowledge of functional safety standards such as ISO 13849, IEC 61508, or ISO 10218
• Experience integrating multi-vendor automation hardware and industrial communication systems
• Experience designing or supporting automated work cells and production lines
• Programming experience with Python, C/C++, MATLAB, or similar languages
• Experience with version-control or controls-project management tools such as GitHub or Siemens Project Server
• Experience in defense, aerospace, energetics, battery manufacturing, industrial robotics, or other regulated manufacturing environments
• Experience building automation systems in an early-stage company or similarly high-ownership engineering environment

Why Join Us

• Own automation systems from initial design through commissioning and real production use
• Work directly on technically challenging industrial hardware rather than remaining focused on simulation or documentation
• Help build highly autonomous manufacturing systems where automation is fundamental to both safety and production capability
• Work across robotics, controls, chemistry, mechanical engineering, and process development
• See systems progress from development equipment into pilot-scale production
• Join an early-stage engineering team where individual engineers have meaningful technical ownership
• Opportunity for equity participation and significant growth as the company scales

Compensation Details

$140,000 - $200,000