Senior Controls Engineer: AGV Automation & PLC Expert

Rivian; Normal (IL); On-site; USD 126,000 - 157,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid vacation

Paid sick leave

Insurance benefits (life, medical, etc

401(k) plan

Employee Stock Purchase Program

Job summary

Rivian is hiring a Controls Engineer for its Normal, IL facility to own controls and automation on the production line, aligning AGV fleet with factory logic and ERP integration. You will troubleshoot production issues, design upgrades across Paint, Body, Battery, and General Assembly, and report to the Manager, AGV Maintenance and Repair.

The role requires hands-on PLC work, safety validation, and development of SOPs for responders, with a focus on scalable, reusable code and robust integration

Qualifications

• BS/MS Electrical Engineering or equivalent experience.
• 3-5 years of controls engineering experience or equivalent.
• Expertise with controls hardware in high-volume manufacturing.
• Experience integrating and commissioning high-volume manufacturing equipment.
• Deep knowledge of Safety standards (ANSI/RIA15.06, OSHA).
• Experience developing electrical schematics (EPLAN/AutoCAD Electrical).
• Experience writing safety PLC projects from scratch for major equipment.
• Experience creating HMI projects (FactoryTalk View/WINCC/Ignition).
• Experience with PLC communications (Rockwell/Siemens/Beckhoff).
• Experience with networked automation (Wi‑Fi 6, 5G private networks, PROFINET/EtherNet/IP).

Responsibilities

• Participate in controls equipment buy-offs at vendor sites and Rivian's factory for FAT/SAT and safety.
• Develop controls standards and specifications by capturing lessons learned.
• Architect PLC-to-PLC handshake between AGVs and lineside equipment.
• Improve production lines and fleet battery cycles to reduce cycle time and downtime.
• Design traffic control logic to prevent deadlocks and optimize cycle time.
• Lead ISO 3691-4 validation including safety fields and emergency circuits.
• Develop SOPs for First Responders and Recovery Method for overrides in Red Zone.
• Maintain and version control Master Config files for fleet hardware and software.
• Troubleshoot and enhance PLCs using Ladder Logic and Structured Text.

Skills

Controls engineering

PLC programming

AGV systems

Network protocols

Safety standards

Education

BS/MS Electrical Engineering

Tools

EPLAN

AutoCAD Electrical

Rockwell/Siemens/Beckhoff PLCs

Job description

Rivian is hiring a Controls Engineer for its Normal, IL facility to own controls and automation on the production line, aligning AGV fleet with factory logic and ERP integration. You will troubleshoot production issues, design upgrades across Paint, Body, Battery, and General Assembly, and report to the Manager, AGV Maintenance and Repair.

The role requires hands-on PLC work, safety validation, and development of SOPs for responders, with a focus on scalable, reusable code and robust integration