Senior Controls Engineer: Automation & Optimization Lead

MSI Express; St. Charles (KY); On-site; USD 85,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Paid time off

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

401K Match

Bonus Eligible

Job summary

MSI Express is seeking a Controls Engineer to design, implement, and optimize control and automation systems across diverse manufacturing equipment, including PLCs, HMIs, robotics, and motion control. This role supports continuous process and hybrid environments with emphasis on batching, blending, and material handling, plus packaging automation.

You will design, develop, and document control systems, troubleshoot plant floor equipment, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Automation, or related field
• 5-8 years of experience in a controls engineering role in a manufacturing environment OR 3-5 years in a systems/machine integrator - Preferred
• Solid understanding of control system design principles and industrial automation
• Excellent programming skills for PLCs, HMIs, and robotics
• Ability to read and interpret complex engineering drawings
• Strong troubleshooting skills and knowledge of AC circuits, VFDs, low voltage control wiring, motors, panels
• Familiarity with CMMS
• Project management skills with ability to handle multiple projects
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Experience with Allen Bradley control systems - Preferred
• Strong background in process controls, remote operations, and SCADA systems - Preferred
• Proficiency in AutoCAD for system design - Preferred

Responsibilities

• Design and integrate control systems, including PLCs, HMIs, and motion control for industrial automation equipment
• Deploy new control strategies in an ever evolving environment
• Work on the development of automated systems from concept to implementation
• Provide advanced troubleshooting for plant floor automation equipment, identifying and resolving complex issues efficiently
• Optimize existing control systems for improved performance and efficiency
• Program PLCs, HMIs, robots, and other control devices to meet system requirements
• Collaborate with the corporate engineering team on programming and software development for new capital projects
• Work with reliability engineers, maintenance technicians, and cross-functional teams to support continuous improvement initiatives
• Contribute to the development and implementation of new automation technologies
• Documentation and Record Keeping: create and maintain comprehensive documentation for control systems
• Compliance and Safety: ensure compliance with company policies, industry standards and safety practices
• Training and Development: provide training to maintenance technicians and operators on operation and maintenance of control systems
• Project Management: manage and lead controls-related projects from initiation to completion
• Research and Technology Evaluation: stay updated on industry trends and emerging technologies

Skills

Control systems design

PLC/HMI/robotics programming

Engineering drawings

Troubleshooting

CMMS

Project management

Communication skills

Process controls/SCADA

AutoCAD

Allen-Bradley

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering / Automation

Tools

AutoCAD

CMMS

Allen-Bradley Control Systems

Job description

MSI Express is seeking a Controls Engineer to design, implement, and optimize control and automation systems across diverse manufacturing equipment, including PLCs, HMIs, robotics, and motion control. This role supports continuous process and hybrid environments with emphasis on batching, blending, and material handling, plus packaging automation.

You will design, develop, and document control systems, troubleshoot plant floor equipment, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive