Senior Automation Engineer – Lead Industrial Controls & Projects

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

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.