Senior Automation Engineer

Uft; Sacramento (CA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Tesco Controls is seeking a Senior Automation Engineer to apply deep expertise in automation disciplines, lead technical execution, mentor engineers, and define project-specific methods. This hands-on role emphasizes design, testing, and integration rather than people management.

Travel up to 10% may be required as projects vary in scope, with responsibilities spanning panel design, PLC/SCADA, networks, and commissioning, all to deliver reliable control solutions for water infrastructure.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related field and 8+ years of industrial controls / systems‑integration experience.
• Expert‑level capability in at least one major discipline (panel design, PLC, SCADA/HMI, or systems architecture).
• Strong panel‑design fundamentals: power/control distribution, I/O, wiring, and maintainability.
• Working knowledge of UL 508A and familiarity with UL 891 / UL 845 equipment and manufacturing constraints.
• Experience with Rockwell/Allen‑Bradley, Siemens, Schneider Electric platforms.
• Experience with SCADA/HMI systems such as Ignition, AVEVA/Wonderware, VTScada, FactoryTalk.
• Practical knowledge of EtherNet/IP, Modbus, DNP3, OPC UA, and related industrial protocols.
• Demonstrated ability to lead technical work through design, FAT, field startup, and customer acceptance.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical execution for complex projects or defined workstreams in panel design, PLC, SCADA/HMI, and networking.
• Translate enterprise standards into practical project-specific approaches.
• Perform and review control-panel design in SolidWorks, including layout, interfaces, and serviceability.
• Coordinate with Manufacturing Engineering to resolve constructability, UL listing, and production issues.
• Develop, review, and troubleshoot PLC applications and industrial networks.
• Mentor Automation Engineers and Junior Engineers through real project work.
• Own difficult technical decisions and communicate risks and standards to the Project Manager.
• Support estimating and proposal development for technically complex scopes.
• Participate in FAT, startup, commissioning, root-cause analysis, and lessons learned.
• Participate in shop walks and interface with production for panels.

Skills

Panel design

PLC

SCADA/HMI

Industrial networking

Systems architecture

FAT

Commissioning

Mentoring

Project leadership

Technical decision making

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls/Automation Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechatronics, Mechanical Engineering with controls emphasis

Equivalent exceptional industry experience

Tools

SolidWorks

Rockwell/Allen‑Bradley

Siemens

Schneider Electric

Ignition

AVEVA/Wonderware

VTScada

FactoryTalk

Job description

At Tesco Controls (a UFT company), our culture is grounded in the idea that the how we achieve results is just as important as the results themselves. Our winning behaviors guide the way we work, collaborate, and grow—both as individual employees and as a team. Our core winning behaviors are to Build Relationships, have a Relentless Drive for Results, to Communicate with Integrity and Focus, and to Be a Mentor, Teacher, Learner. These behaviors are more than words—they are the foundation of our success and continued growth.

Here, you’ll join a stable, growing company where your work directly supports cleaner water, stronger communities, and critical infrastructure across the country. If you want meaningful work, real growth opportunities, and a team that takes pride in doing the right thing—you’ll find it here.

The Senior Automation Engineer is Tesco’s advanced technical practitioner. The role exists for engineers who have developed exceptional depth in one or more automation disciplines and can use that expertise to lead technical execution, mentor other engineers, establish project-specific methods, and solve difficult integration problems without becoming a traditional people manager.

Depending on project scope and scale, a Senior Automation Engineer may lead an entire technical effort, lead one critical workstream, or serve as the technical authority supporting another project lead. The role remains hands‑on: senior technical leadership at Tesco means producing engineering, reviewing models and code, testing systems, working with Manufacturing Engineering, and supporting commissioning - not simply approving the work of others.

This role will require travel up to 10% of the time.

• Lead technical execution for complex projects or defined technical workstreams in panel design, PLC, SCADA/HMI, networking/telemetry, systems architecture, FAT, and/or commissioning.
• Translate Tesco enterprise standards and CTMO‑led methods into practical project‑specific technical approaches.
• Perform and review complete control‑panel design in SolidWorks 3D model space, including physical layout, electrical design intent, component selection, interfaces, serviceability, and downstream manufacturing requirements.
• Coordinate with Manufacturing Engineering before submittal to resolve constructability, UL/listing, access, thermal, fabrication, wiring, material, and production issues.
• Develop, review, and troubleshoot PLC applications, SCADA/HMI systems, industrial networks, telemetry, instrumentation, and associated interfaces according to area of expertise.
• Mentor Automation Engineers and Junior Engineers through real project work, design/code review, FAT, troubleshooting, and field commissioning.
• Own difficult technical decisions and clearly communicate assumptions, risks, standards, and unresolved issues to the Project Manager and project team.
• Support estimating and proposal development for technically complex scopes by applying actual project knowledge and productivity experience.
• Participate in FAT, startup, commissioning, root‑cause analysis, and lessons‑learned activities; feed recurring issues into standards and reusable design content.
• Participate in regular shop walks and personally interface with production whenever responsible for panels in manufacturing.

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls/Automation Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechatronics, Mechanical Engineering with controls emphasis, or related discipline; equivalent exceptional industry experience may be considered.
• Typically 8+ years of industrial controls / systems‑integration experience with clear evidence of advanced technical capability and successful project execution.
• Expert‑level capability in at least one major discipline - panel/electrical design, PLC, SCADA/HMI, industrial networking/telemetry, or systems architecture - plus working capability across adjacent disciplines.
• Strong panel‑design fundamentals including power/control distribution, I/O, instrumentation interfaces, motor controls, VFDs, circuit protection, grounding, SCCR awareness, environmental/thermal considerations, wire routing, service clearances, and maintainability.
• Working knowledge of UL 508A and familiarity with UL 891 / UL 845 equipment and manufacturing constraints.
• Experience with typical controls platforms such as Rockwell/Allen‑Bradley, Siemens, Schneider Electric, and comparable owner‑standard platforms; advanced proficiency in at least one relevant programming ecosystem.
• Experience with SCADA/HMI systems such as Ignition, AVEVA/Wonderware, VTScada, FactoryTalk, GE Digital, or comparable platforms as appropriate to specialization.
• Practical knowledge of EtherNet/IP, Modbus, DNP3, OPC UA and related industrial protocols, managed Ethernet, fiber, serial, radio/cellular telemetry, and field troubleshooting as appropriate to specialization.
• Demonstrated ability to lead technical work through design, FAT, field startup, and customer acceptance without relying on formal supervisory authority.

Join our team to innovate the future of water and wastewater.You’ll collaborate with coworkers who are the best and the brightest, challenge yourself on exciting work, and help build the best water and wastewater platform company in the U.S.

Tesco Controls is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. TESCO provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, color, age, religion, protected veteran or disability status, or genetic information. (Compliant with the new VEVRAA andSection 503 rules)