Senior Controls Engineer

LAPORTE L.E.I.; North Carolina; On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Compensatory PTO

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

LAPORTE L.E.I. in North Carolina seeks a Senior Controls Engineer to design, program, and manage automation projects across pharma and food & beverage sectors. You’ll lead control panel design, Rockwell PLC programming, and SCADA/HMI development, while mentoring teams and ensuring UL/NEC compliance.

The role offers a competitive salary with compensatory PTO, comprehensive benefits, and a focus on professional growth in a flexible, collaborative environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or equivalent.
• 6+ years in control systems, commissioning, and project leadership.
• Proficiency with design, client coordination, and bid packages.

Responsibilities

• Lead design of automation projects including control panels, networks, and software (AB PLC/ PACs, FactoryTalk View ME/SE).
• Translate applications into detailed construction packages (schematics, wiring diagrams, panel drawings).
• Mentor and supervise project team members and ensure lifecycle support from design to commissioning.
• Travel 20–40% for site visits, commissioning, and project oversight.

Skills

Control systems

Project management

Electrical engineering

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related field

Tools

AutoCAD

Rockwell Studio 5000

RSLogix 5000

FactoryTalk View ME/SE

Job description

Senior Controls Engineer

We’re seeking a full-time controls engineer to join our expanding team and contribute to the design, programming, and management of automation projects in the pharmaceutical and food & beverage industries. LAPORTE is a consulting engineering firm which has been in business for 25 years. Today, the company has 25 offices across North America and Europe, and over 480 employees with a passion for engineering.

Join us for a competitive salary, compensatory PTO, comprehensive benefits, and a supportive work environment that emphasizes professional growth. We believe in a flexible working environment that values work-life balance while encouraging efficiency and creativity on a daily basis.

The Controls Engineer will:

• Lead and support the design of automation projects, developing specifications for control panels, networks, and software (primarily Allen-Bradley PLC/PACs and Factorytalk View ME/SE HMI and SCADA).
• Translate process or packaging applications into detailed construction packages for control panel designs and electrical installation scopes. Construction packages typical include equipment arrangement drawings, schematics, wiring diagrams, cable schedules, control panel drawings, etc.
• Mentor and supervise project team members, enhancing team collaboration and project execution.
• Provide comprehensive lifecycle support for projects, including system design, troubleshooting, testing, and commissioning.
• Perform site surveys and offer hands-on support during installation, focusing on control system deployment.
• Adhere to and ensure compliance with relevant codes (UL508A, NEC) and standards.
• Engage in diverse projects, enhancing your engineering and project management skills.
• Travel expectations are dependent on specific project requirements by typically require 1-3 days for an initial site visit and then a return trip to lead commissioning efforts which may take 1-4 weeks. Overall travel is anticipated to 20-40%.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or Electrical Engineering Technology.
• 6+ years of experience in control systems, manufacturing, or consulting-design environments including experience commissioning systems, preferably as a lead.
• Proficient in automation project tasks including design, client coordination, and bid package preparation.
• Skilled in control panel and network design, instrument selection, and control system programming.
• Proficiency with AutoCAD for control panel design and electrical construction packages.
• Familiarity / Experience with electrical engineering construction packages – single line diagrams, panel schedules, power plans, etc.
• Hands-on experience surveying existing control installations and preparing as-built conditions of systems.
• Experience surveying and planning control systems projects without support of a manager.
• Hands‑on experience with Rockwell Automation software—Studio 5000 / RSLogix 5000 for PLC programming and FactoryTalk View ME / SE for HMI and SCADA development.

The LAPORTE team