Senior Controls Engineer - Precision Automation

Connect Force; Wixom (MI); On-site; USD 115,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Connect Force Recruiting seeks a hands-on Senior Controls Engineer in Farmington Hills, MI to design, program, troubleshoot, start up, and optimize advanced automation systems. You will work closely with mechanical, electrical, software, service, and customer teams on Siemens-based platforms and European-engineered machinery.

Ideal candidates have 6+ years in controls engineering, strong PLC/HMI skills, and a proven track record with machine tools, automation, and field commissioning.

Qualifications

• Minimum 6 years in controls engineering or related industrial automation.
• Strong PLC programming and troubleshooting experience.
• Experience with HMI development and electrical controls troubleshooting.
• Ability to read electrical schematics and technical documentation.
• Experience supporting industrial machinery, automation systems, or machine tools.
• Hands-on troubleshooting ability in shop-floor, machine build, or field-service environments.
• Cross-functional collaboration with engineering, service, production, and customers; strong communication and safety mindset.

Responsibilities

• Develop, modify, troubleshoot, and support PLC and HMI programs for advanced industrial machinery.
• Support controls engineering activities for custom machine builds, retrofits, upgrades, and customer projects.
• Troubleshoot electrical, software, automation, and machine-control issues during build, startup, commissioning, and service.
• Work with PLCs, HMIs, drives, sensors, motion systems, safety circuits, and industrial networks.
• Read and interpret electrical schematics, controls drawings, machine layouts, and technical documentation.
• Support machine startup, debug, validation, customer acceptance, and field commissioning.
• Collaborate with mechanical engineering, electrical design, service, production, and international teams.
• Provide technical support for customers, internal service teams, and production personnel.
• Assist with controls standards, documentation, and process improvements.
• Maintain focus on safety, quality, reliability, and long-term equipment performance.

Skills

PLC programming

HMI development

Electrical schematics reading

Troubleshooting (shop-floor/field)

Cross-functional collaboration

Strong communication

Safety-focused

Tools

Siemens PLCs

Siemens HMIs

TIA Portal

Job description

Connect Force Recruiting seeks a hands-on Senior Controls Engineer in Farmington Hills, MI to design, program, troubleshoot, start up, and optimize advanced automation systems. You will work closely with mechanical, electrical, software, service, and customer teams on Siemens-based platforms and European-engineered machinery.

Ideal candidates have 6+ years in controls engineering, strong PLC/HMI skills, and a proven track record with machine tools, automation, and field commissioning.