Senior Automation Engineer

Sterling Engineering; Crossville (TN); On-site; USD 120,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Sterling Engineering in Tennessee seeks a senior automation leader to guide design, programming, and optimization of industrial control systems across high-volume manufacturing. You will shape automation strategy, modernize legacy PLC/SCADA setups, and provide technical direction to automation and production teams.

This role emphasizes project leadership, advanced troubleshooting, and driving reliability, with responsibilities spanning from planning through startup, documentation, and change

Qualifications

• Experience designing, programming, troubleshooting, and improving industrial control systems.
• Advanced PLC programming, SCADA and HMI expertise with drives and industrial networks.
• Hands-on system integration, commissioning, startup, debugging, and troubleshooting.
• Experience leading automation projects from planning through delivery.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, programming, implementation, troubleshooting, and improvement of industrial control systems.
• Provide advanced technical support for PLCs, HMIs, SCADA, motion controls, sensors, drives, and industrial communication networks.
• Lead automation projects from planning through implementation, tracking scope, priorities, workload, timelines, and deliverables.
• Perform advanced troubleshooting and root cause analysis for automation issues affecting production, quality, safety, and equipment availability.
• Drive the modernization of legacy SCADA applications through migration to the Ignition Automation platform.
• Establish and maintain standardized PLC software backup, version control, recovery, and change-traceability practices.
• Lead system integration, testing, debugging, commissioning, and machine startup activities.
• Develop and maintain control-system documentation, technical standards, software backups, and troubleshooting guides.
• Support preventive maintenance programs by ensuring automation-related PM tasks and controls checks are effective.

Skills

PLC programming

SCADA

HMI

System integration

Troubleshooting

Project leadership

Technical direction

Education

Associate or Bachelor9 degree in Controls/Electrical/Automation

Tools

Ignition Platform

Job description

Take a senior-level leadership role in industrial automation where you’ll have a direct impact on manufacturing reliability, equipment performance, and continuous improvement. This position goes well beyond day-to-day PLC troubleshooting—you’ll help lead automation strategy, modernize legacy systems, manage projects, and provide technical direction to automation and production teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design, programming, implementation, troubleshooting, and improvement of industrial control systems.
• Provide advanced technical support for PLCs, HMIs, SCADA, motion controls, sensors, drives, and industrial communication networks.
• Lead automation projects from planning through implementation, tracking scope, priorities, workload, timelines, and deliverables.
• Perform advanced troubleshooting and root cause analysis for automation issues affecting production, quality, safety, and equipment availability.
• Drive the modernization of legacy SCADA applications through migration to the Ignition Automation platform.
• Establish and maintain standardized PLC software backup, version control, recovery, and change-traceability practices.
• Lead system integration, testing, debugging, commissioning, and machine startup activities.
• Develop and maintain control-system documentation, technical standards, software backups, and troubleshooting guides.
• Support preventive maintenance programs by ensuring automation-related PM tasks and controls checks are effective.

Qualifications

• Associate or Bachelor’s degree in Controls Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Automation, Mechatronics, or a related technical field preferred.
• 7-10+ years of industrial automation experience, preferably within high-volume manufacturing and fast-cycle or continuous-production environments.
• Strong PLC programming experience.
• Strong SCADA experience.
• Strong HMI experience.
• Experience configuring drives and industrial communication networks.
• Hands-on experience with system integration, commissioning, startup, debugging, and advanced troubleshooting.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.