Senior Controls Engineer

MGS Mfg. Group; Town of Germantown (WI); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401K

Disability insurance

Life insurance

FSA

Vacation

Holidays

Job summary

MGS Mfg. Group is seeking a Senior Controls Engineer to join our automation team in Germantown, Wisconsin. The role involves designing automation control systems for pharmaceutical and medical device equipment, leading software development, and mentoring junior engineers.

Attributes of the ideal candidate include strong proficiency in Rockwell and Beckhoff controls platforms, and at least 7 years of experience in controls engineering for automated machinery. We offer a robust benefits package including medical, dental, vision, and 401K.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of controls engineering experience in automated machinery or industrial automation.
• Experience with vision systems, servo/motion control, and robotics integration.
• Working knowledge of machine safety design and applicable industry standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead and execute the controls design, software development, and debugging.
• Specify and design complete industrial control systems.
• Develop and structure PLC code on Rockwell and Beckhoff platforms.

Skills

Strong proficiency with Rockwell (Studio 5000)

Beckhoff (TwinCAT) automation controls

Servo/motion control

Troubleshooting skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

AutoCAD Electrical

Git – GitHub / Azure DevOps

Job description

Job Description

MGS has an exciting opportunity for a Senior Controls Engineer to join our MGS Germantown Automation team.

As a Senior Controls Engineer at MGS, you will be responsible for the design of industrial automation control systems for pharmaceutical and medical device equipment, along with the development and implementation of machine software applications and programming architecture. Serving as a technical lead, the position sets design quality standards and mentors junior engineers while collaborating on challenging, diverse projects that involve innovative solutions and technologies.

Responsibilities

• Lead and execute the controls design, software development, and debug of multi‑station automated assembly and test systems
• Specify and design complete industrial control systems, network communications, schematics, and panel layouts using electrical CAD software
• Develop, structure, and test PLC code on Rockwell (Studio 5000) and Beckhoff (TwinCAT), with clean, maintainable, well‑documented logic
• Program and integrate peripheral devices (servo/motion drives, robotics, vision and inspection systems, smart sensors, and other field hardware)
• Develop machine HMI applications (Beckhoff or Ignition) for operator interaction, data collection, and traceability
• Design and program equipment to customer and internal build specifications, applying established design standards and techniques
• Develop design specifications and support requirements and traceability in line with GAMP 5 and 21 CFR Part 11 expectations
• Design and integrate machine safety systems and perform risk analysis in accordance with ISO 13849; support CE marking for international deployments
• Apply software version control and configuration management practices (Git – GitHub / Azure DevOps) across controls deliverables
• Support customer start‑ups, site acceptance testing, and on‑site service support as necessary
• Act as a technical lead and mentor – guiding junior controls engineers through design reviews, code reviews, and technical coaching, and helping improve team standards and practices
• Partner with mechanical, project management, and quality teams across the project lifecycle
• Contribute to project success across cost, quality, schedule, and customer satisfaction – managing your own design tasks and labor estimates against project budget and timing
• Serve as a technical point of contact for customers on controls‑related aspects of projects
• Any other duties as assigned

Required Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Electrical Engineering Technology, or a related automation/controls discipline (or a two‑year technical program plus relevant hands‑on experience)
• 7+ years of controls engineering experience in automated machinery or industrial automation
• Strong proficiency with Rockwell (Studio 5000) and Beckhoff (TwinCAT) automation controls platforms
• Experience with vision systems, servo/motion control, and robotics integration
• Experience designing electrical schematics in AutoCAD Electrical or an equivalent ECAD package
• Working knowledge of machine safety design and applicable industry standards (e.g., ISO 13849)
• In‑depth knowledge of industrial automation systems and typical industrial wiring schematics and diagrams
• Experience taking machines through commissioning, debugging, and validation
• Strong troubleshooting skills and a structured, documentation‑minded approach to design

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience mentoring or providing technical leadership to junior engineers
• Familiarity with software version control (Git – GitHub / Azure DevOps) applied to controls deliverables
• Experience with CE marking and international machine deployment
• Experience with GAMP 5 and 21 CFR Part 11 for medical device or pharmaceutical manufacturing

Benefits

We offer an excellent benefits package including medical, dental, vision, 401K, disability, life, FSA, vacation, and holidays.