Senior Controls Engineer: Lead Automation & Robotics

The COATS Company

La Vergne (TN)

On-site

USD 85,000 - 110,000

Full time

3 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits included

Retirement matching

Automation leadership role

Job summary

The Coats Company is seeking a Controls Engineer to lead the design, programming, and integration of automation and robot systems on a full lifecycle basis. You will drive safety, uptime, and standardization across welding, cutting, CNC, and assembly operations.

You will work with major PLC and robot platforms, design control panels, perform risk assessments, and mentor technicians on the plant floor. This on-site role offers growth within a growing manufacturing facility.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, Controls Engineering, or related field, or equivalent hands-on experience.
5+ years of experience in industrial controls engineering within a manufacturing environment.
Hands-on programming experience with multiple major PLC platforms (e.g., Rockwell/Allen-Bradley, Siemens, Mitsubishi).
Experience integrating and programming industrial robots and/or collaborative robots in a production setting.
Strong knowledge of electrical control systems, motor controls, drives, sensors, and industrial networking protocols.
Working knowledge of robotic and machine safety standards (ISO 10218, ISO/TS 15066, or equivalent).
Experience reading and developing electrical schematics and P&IDs.
Strong troubleshooting skills with the ability to work directly on the plant floor under production pressure.

Responsibilities

Design, program, and commission PLC, HMI, and robot control systems for new and existing production equipment.
Lead integration of industrial robots and collaborative robots (cobots) into manufacturing cells, including end-of-arm tooling coordination, safety zoning, and cycle-time optimization.
Program, troubleshoot, and maintain controls across welding machines, laser/plasma cutting systems, CNC saws, CNC brake presses, powder coating equipment, and automated/manual assembly stations.
PLC logic, HMI screens, and robot programs across major platforms (e.g., Allen-Bradley/Rockwell, Siemens, Mitsubishi, Omron, Fanuc, ABB, Universal Robots, KUKA).
Design and specify control panels, I/O architecture, safety circuits, and networking for new installations and retrofits.
Perform risk assessments and ensure controls and robotic systems comply with applicable safety standards (e.g., ISO 10218-1/2, ISO/TS 15066, NFPA 79, CSA Z434, OSHA/CCOHS as applicable).
Lead root-cause troubleshooting of controls-related downtime; drive corrective and preventive actions.
Partner with Continuous Improvement, Maintenance, and Production teams to identify and implement automation opportunities that improve safety, quality, throughput, and cost.
Evaluate new automation technologies and vendors to support long-term facility automation strategy.
Manage automation projects from concept through commissioning, including scoping, budgeting, vendor coordination, and documentation.
Create and maintain electrical schematics, controls documentation, program backups, and standard work for controls systems.
Provide technical mentorship to maintenance technicians and junior engineers on controls and robotics.