Senior Controls Engineer

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories; Lewiston (ID); On-site; USD 161,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Employee ownership (ESOP)

Top-tier benefits

STEM and professional development

Generous time off and family leave

Job summary

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) seeks an experienced Equipment Automation Engineer to drive design and implementation of automation across manufacturing sites in Lewiston ID and Pullman WA. You will mentor teams, lead concept development, and ensure compliant electrical controls and MES integration.

The role emphasizes advanced PLC programming, HMI layouts, safety and vision systems, robotics, and multi‑station coordination in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• BS/MS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Mechatronics or related discipline.
• 12+ years of experience designing and implementing automation solutions in manufacturing.
• Strong technical expertise in PLCs (Allen Bradley, Mitsubishi), HMI/GUI, Field Bus, Safety, Vision, Robotics integration.

Responsibilities

• Mentor engineers and technicians.
• Lead initial equipment concept development balancing specs, cost, quality and lead time.
• Layout NFPA79/NEC/UL508A panels and create electrical schematics.

Skills

PLC programming

HMI GUI

Field Bus

Safety Systems

Vision Systems

Robotics integration

Education

B.S./M.S. in Electrical Engineering, CS, Mechatronics

Tools

Allen Bradley PLC

Mitsubishi PLC

MES integration

Job description

Our Equipment Automation Engineering (EAE) team seeks a professional and innovative individual to join our team in Pullman WA or Lewiston ID. SEL is a 100 percent employee‑owned company that specializes in creating and manufacturing digital products and systems that protect and control power systems around the world. The Equipment Automation Engineering team supportsmanufacturing and vertical integration teamsbyunderstandingour manufacturing processes, recommendingsolutions, and executingprojects. The successful candidate will be dependable, responsible,and self‑motivated, andwork closely with EAE mechanical engineers, Production representatives, and related Engineering teams to develop, successfully implement,and support manufacturing automation solutions. These solutions often include fully custom automation designs.

Responsibilities

• Mentoring engineers and technicians.
• Leading in initial equipment concept development and carefully balancing product specifications, process control requirements, layout complexity, cost, quality, and lead‑time limits.
• Laying out new industrial electrical control panels which are NFPA79/NEC/UL508A compliant and create electrical schematics.
• Architecting, writing, and debugging PLC ladder logic with an emphasis on generating code that is organized, structured, documented, maintainable and reusable. PLC code will interact with subsystems such as conveyors, robots, Manufacturing Execution System (MES), machine vision, and 3rd party equipment.
• Managing electrical cabinet builds.
• Creating machine interactions with plant‑wide Manufacturing Execution System (MES).
• Introducing automated machines and processes into production, and training Maintenance and Production teams to support after deployment of equipment.
• Creating and reviewing specifications and providing technical evaluations for outsourced automated equipment purchases.
• Performing as technical lead on assigned projects.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• B.S./M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Mechatronics, or related discipline
• 12+ years relevant experience in designing and implementing automation solutions in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong technical expertise in the application of PLCs (example: Allen Bradley, Mitsubishi), HMI/GUI layout, Field Bus Networks, Safety Systems, Vision Systems, and integration of Robotics.
• Familiarity with electrical prints and standards for industrial equipment.
• Excellent technical presentation and training skills.
• Demonstrated advanced proficiency in programming PLCs, with a well‑defined methodology for maintaining code structure and organization.
• Ability to program state machines for complex processes which involve multi‑station parallel processing, pick and place automation, data acquisition, and PID control.
• Proven ability to design reliable systems with error handling and recovery processes.

Benefits

• -Competitive pay.
• Superior benefits.
• Inspiring work.
• People are at the core of our company and we hire employee‑owners.
• We welcome you to learn more about how we support employees.
• We're 100% employee owned.
• Retirement benefits include an employer funded stock ownership plan (ESOP) and personal 401(k) options.
• We offer top tier medical, prescription, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance.
• We recognize the importance of a healthy life balance and offer: 10 paid holidays, annual vacation accrual starting at 12 days, 9 paid sick days, and paid family and medical leave that covers 90% of your pay.
• We foster growth and development of our employees through avenues such as STEM courses, apprenticeships, tuition assistance, and engineering development programs.
• Ask our team about other benefits including wellness, fertility, adoption, and flexible spending benefits.

Salary and Compensation

Pay Range Data New hires generally start between $160,600 - $230,000. We base our starting pay offer on location and job‑related factors such as candidate experience, training, knowledge, and skills. Our salary ranges are determined by job, responsibility, and location.

SEL is an Equal Opportunity Employer: Vets/Disabled.