Senior Controls Engineer: Lead Industrial Automation Projects

Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas, Inc.; Nashville (TN); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive wages

Medical benefits starting day one

Parental leave

Unique automation projects

Collaborative environment

Career growth

Job summary

JR Automation, A Hitachi Group Company, seeks a Senior Controls Engineer to lead the full controls lifecycle for custom automation projects in Nashville. You will define systems, program PLCs, develop HMI applications, integrate robotics, and ensure commissioning and acceptance.

The role emphasizes design of controls architectures, collaboration across engineering teams, and mentorship of engineers. Travel up to 25% to customer sites, with a focus on technical excellence and on-time delivery.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related field, or equivalent experience; or an Associate’s degree with 2+ years related experience.
• 10+ years of experience in controls engineering, automation, or related technical disciplines.
• 2+ years of experience leading technical projects with ownership of decisions and execution.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, mentor, and influence engineers for technical excellence.
• Strong breadth of experience with industrial automation technologies and industry practices.
• Experience in the automation industry; JR Automation experience strongly preferred.
• Proven collaboration across engineering disciplines to solve complex problems.
• Hands-on programming and troubleshooting continuous processes in automated manufacturing.

Responsibilities

• Lead the full controls lifecycle for new automation builds from concept to commissioning and acceptance.
• Design and program control systems, including PLC logic, HMI, robotics integration, vision, and SCADA.
• Design controls architectures to meet customer requirements and specifications.
• Support multiple automation projects concurrently while ensuring quality and schedule.
• Lead and collaborate with cross-functional technical teams throughout projects.
• Serve as a technical expert on controls architecture and programming approaches.
• Partner with engineering leadership for development, training, and continuous improvement.
• Travel up to 25% to customer sites and company locations for commissioning and support.

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related field

Associate’s degree with 2+ years of related experience

Tools

PLC programming

HMI programming

SCADA systems

Robotics integration

P&IDs reading

Job description

JR Automation, A Hitachi Group Company, seeks a Senior Controls Engineer to lead the full controls lifecycle for custom automation projects in Nashville. You will define systems, program PLCs, develop HMI applications, integrate robotics, and ensure commissioning and acceptance.

The role emphasizes design of controls architectures, collaboration across engineering teams, and mentorship of engineers. Travel up to 25% to customer sites, with a focus on technical excellence and on-time delivery.