Senior Industrial Controls Technician (PLC/HMI Lead)

andersonsinc; Upper Sandusky (OH); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The Andersons in North America is seeking a Lead Technician, Controls to support industrial controls and instrumentation across multiple facilities, with a strong focus on PLC/HMI programming, troubleshooting, and system reliability.

This role leads complex controls troubleshooting, supports installations and project execution, and provides hands-on technical guidance while working with Allen-Bradley and other industrial control systems.

Qualifications

• Broad and advanced knowledge of industrial controls gained through extensive job-related training and experience.
• Handles the most complex troubleshooting, assignments, and technical decisions within the controls technician discipline.
• Works independently within established policies and objectives and determines the appropriate technical approach for new or non-routine assignments.
• Serves as a recognized technical resource across multiple facilities and leads through expertise and influence.
• Leads standards, technical work coordination, and project execution without necessarily having direct reports.
• Identifies systemic reliability and process-improvement opportunities and drives solutions through implementation and sustained use.

Responsibilities

• Demonstrate safety leadership by following site safety requirements, identifying hazards, stopping unsafe work, and supporting incident investigations and corrective actions.
• Maintain, calibrate, test, troubleshoot, and repair low-voltage plant instrumentation and control systems to support safe, reliable, and efficient operations.
• Lead advanced troubleshooting and root-cause analysis for complex or recurring controls issues across assigned facilities; develop and implement sustainable corrective actions.
• Serve as the technical escalation point for PLCs, HMIs, instrumentation, telemetry, telecommunications, meters, transmitters, variable frequency drives, and related control equipment.
• Program, modify, test, and document PLC logic and HMI applications in accordance with approved change-management, safety, and operating practices.
• Lead or coordinate the installation, commissioning, and startup of control systems and instrumentation, including collaboration with operations, maintenance, engineering, integrators, and vendors.
• Establish, maintain, and promote controls standards, system architecture, documentation practices, backups, naming conventions, spare-parts strategies, and lifecycle plans across supported locations.
• Evaluate and recommend new or revised controls procedures, systems, and equipment; contribute technical scope, estimates, and execution support for capital and continuous‑improvement projects.
• Interpret, develop, and modify drawings, blueprints, schematics, loop diagrams, network drawings, and process documentation.
• Provide technical guidance, education, and hands‑on training to technicians, operators, supervisors, and managers to improve system use, troubleshooting capability, productivity, and reliability.
• Maintain accurate documentation and records of system configurations, changes, testing, incidents, and operating activities; prepare reports as needed.
• Provide controls support across three or more facilities and travel to supported locations as business needs require.

Skills

PLC programming

HMI programming

Troubleshooting

Industrial controls

Safety leadership

Root-cause analysis

Project collaboration

Tools

Allen-Bradley

Industrial control systems

Job description

The Andersons in North America is seeking a Lead Technician, Controls to support industrial controls and instrumentation across multiple facilities, with a strong focus on PLC/HMI programming, troubleshooting, and system reliability.

This role leads complex controls troubleshooting, supports installations and project execution, and provides hands-on technical guidance while working with Allen-Bradley and other industrial control systems.