Senior Controls Engineer

Daniels Health; Bowling Green (KY); Hybrid; USD 125,375 - 141,079; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Job summary

Daniels Health is seeking an experienced Senior Controls Engineer to join our US engineering team, helping design and optimize automated medical waste processing systems. This hands-on role sits at the intersection of PLC control, robotics, and machine vision in safety‑critical industrial settings.

We are a global leader in healthcare waste management, with travel across the USA, Canada, and other locations. This hybrid role combines technical depth with meaningful healthcare impact.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, Automation, or related discipline.
• 8+ years in controls/automation engineering.
• Strong PLC & HMI programming on leading platforms.
• Hands-on robotics programming, commissioning, and safety integration.
• Machine vision experience with Cognex/Keyence/OpenCV or similar.
• Knowledge of EtherNet/IP, Modbus, OPC UA protocols.
• Experience with motion control, servo systems, and safety‑rated components.
• Ability to read electrical schematics, P&IDs, and mechanical drawings.
• Experience in regulated or safety‑critical environments is highly desirable.
• Excellent troubleshooting, communication, and collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, program, and maintain PLC-based control systems for medical waste processing equipment.
• Integrate and commission industrial robots for material handling and processing.
• Design and optimize machine vision systems for detection and verification.
• Train and validate vision models for accuracy and compliance.
• Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, robotics, and software teams.
• Support commissioning, troubleshooting, and root-cause analysis across systems.
• Prepare electrical/hydraulic/pneumatic drawings for new equipment and upgrades.
• Develop system docs including specifications, narratives, manuals, and validation protocols.
• Ensure designs comply with US medical waste, environmental, and safety regulations.
• Coordinate with suppliers, integrators, and service providers to meet specs and timelines.
• Drive continuous improvement in automation performance, reliability, safety, and sustainability.

Skills

PLC programming

HMI programming

Robotics integration

Machine vision

Industrial protocols

Motion control

Schematic reading

Regulated environments

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering / Mechatronics / Automation

Tools

Allen-Bradley

Siemens

Beckhoff

Automation platform

FANUC / ABB / KUKA robots

Job description

Daniels Health is seeking an experienced Senior Controls Engineer to join our growing US engineering team and help design, build, and optimize the next generation of automated medical waste processing systems. This is a hands‑on, high‑impact role where you will work at the intersection of PLC control systems, robotics, and machine vision in safety‑critical, high‑throughput industrial environments. If you enjoy complex automation challenges and want your work to have meaningful impact across healthcare safety and environmental outcomes, this role offers both technical depth and scale.

Daniels Health is a global leader in healthcare waste management and infection prevention, partnering with hospitals and health systems across the United States and internationally.

We are experiencing strong and sustained growth, driven by expanding healthcare demand and continued investment in automation, robotics, and advanced manufacturing. This is a hybrid role. Travel will be required throughout the USA and Canada and some other overseas locations. Travel to Taylor, Michigan will be required for Induction training.

Daniels Health is seeking an experienced Senior Controls Engineer to join our growing US engineering team and help design, build, and optimize the next generation of automated medical waste processing systems. This is a hands‑on, high‑impact role where you will work at the intersection of PLC control systems, robotics, and machine vision in safety‑critical, high‑throughput industrial environments. If you enjoy complex automation challenges and want your work to have meaningful impact across healthcare safety and environmental outcomes, this role offers both technical depth and scale.

Daniels Health is a global leader in healthcare waste management and infection prevention, partnering with hospitals and health systems across the United States and internationally.

We are experiencing strong and sustained growth, driven by expanding healthcare demand and continued investment in automation, robotics, and advanced manufacturing. This is a hybrid role. Travel will be required throughout the USA and Canada and some other overseas locations. Travel to Taylor, Michigan will be required for Induction training.

What You Will Do:

• Design, develop, program, and maintain PLC‑based control systems for advanced medical waste processing equipment,
• Integrate, program, and commission industrial robots for material handling, sorting, and automated processing
• Design, implement, and optimize machine vision systems for detection, classification, inspection, and process verification
• Train, tune, and validate vision models to ensure accuracy, robustness, and regulatory compliance
• Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, robotics, and software engineering teams to deliver fully integrated automation solutions
• Support commissioning, troubleshooting, and root‑cause analysis across controls, robotics, and vision systems
• Prepare and review electrical, hydraulic, and pneumatic control drawings for new equipment and system upgrades
• Develop system documentation including functional specifications, control narratives, operator manuals, maintenance documentation, and validation protocols
• Ensure all control system designs comply with applicable US medical waste, environmental, and machine safety regulations
• Work closely with suppliers, system integrators, and external service providers to deliver projects on time and to specification
• Drive continuous improvement in automation performance, reliability, safety, and sustainability

About You:

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, Automation Engineering, or a related discipline
• 8+ years of experience in a controls or automation engineering role
• Strong PLC and HMI programming experience with platforms such as Allen‑Bradley, Siemens, Beckhoff, or Automation
• Direct Hands‑on industrial robotics experience including programming, commissioning, and safety integration (FANUC, ABB, KUKA, Hyundai, or similar)
• Strong machine vision experience using Cognex, Keyence, OpenCV, or comparable systems
• Solid understanding of industrial communication protocols including EtherNet/IP, Modbus, and OPC UA
• Experience with motion control, servo systems, and safety‑rated automation components
• Ability to read and create electrical schematics, P&IDs, and mechanical drawings
• Experience working in regulated or safety‑critical environments such as medical, pharmaceutical, or waste processing is highly desirable
• Strong troubleshooting, analytical, and problem‑solving skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to collaborate across cross‑functional teams
• Ability to work independently and manage projects with multiple stakeholders and vendors
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally as required

Why Join Daniels?

• Work on large‑scale, complex industrial automation systems with real‑world impact
• Be part of a rapidly growing organization investing heavily in robotics, machine vision, and advanced controls
• High autonomy with strong engineering influence and end‑to‑end system ownership
• Career growth aligned with a scaling US and global business
• Purpose‑driven work in a highly regulated, safety‑critical environment

Check out what our engineering teams do!

https://youtu.be/Czre5y3WvDs?si=qJWpLS5MIwIzPXJ4

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

The pay range for this position is $125,375to $141,079 salary. Actual compensation within this range will depend on factors unique to each candidate, such as prior experience, skill, certifications, and work location. Pay variations by location reflect local conditions and differences in the cost of labor.

At Daniels Health, we are committed to supporting our employees’ well‑being, work‑life balance, and career growth through a comprehensive benefit package. Eligible employees enjoy benefits such as medical, dental, and vision insurance, retirement savings plans with company match contributions, paid vacation and sick time, wellness resources, life insurance, and professional development opportunities.