Senior PLC & Automation Controls Technician

ZT Group Intl; Secaucus (NJ); On-site; USD 40,000 - 57,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Paid time off

401k match

Tuition reimbursement

Wellbeing resources

Job summary

ZT Systems is seeking an Automation Controls Technician to join the Advanced Automation Infrastructure team. You will troubleshoot PLCs, HMIs, I/O, sensors, and networks, acting as the first responder to keep automated manufacturing running smoothly.

You will develop preventive maintenance programs, back up critical software and configurations, and collaborate with OEMs and engineering to implement system improvements. Strong field experience and problem-solving are essential.

Qualifications

• A minimum of a trade school certification in a technical field.
• 6+ years of practical experience in automated manufacturing.
• Expertise in industrial automation controls including PLCs, HMIs, I/O, sensors, networks, and SMEMA sequencing.
• Ability to troubleshoot complex controls from field device to PLC, network, and machine sequence without relying on OEM support.
• Reading electrical schematics, control panel drawings, I/O lists, PLC logic, networks, and machine documentation.
• Experience with PLC programming (Festo / CodeSys / Structured Text) and HMI configuration.
• Experience with industrial Ethernet, sensors, and safety systems.
• Maintain PLC/HMI backups, configurations, and machine recovery docs.
• Root-cause analysis to improve reliability and reduce downtime.
• Strong judgment and change-control discipline; escalations when needed.
• Experience with Microsoft Office (Outlook, Excel, Word).
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Owner for PLC, HMI, electrical controls, sensors, I/O, and automation networks.
• Troubleshoot complex controls issues across field devices, PLCs, networks, HMIs, and machine sequences.
• Maintain and backup PLC/HMI programs, configurations, and recovery files.
• Develop a spare parts strategy and preventive maintenance program.
• Collaborate with OEMs, system integrators, and engineering teams to resolve issues and implement improvements.
• Analyze downtime data to identify root causes and reliability improvements.
• Crosstrain and provide backup for automated mechanical systems to share knowledge.

Education

Trade school certification

Tools

Festo

CodeSys

Structured Text

Industrial Ethernet

Job description

ZT Systems is seeking an Automation Controls Technician to join the Advanced Automation Infrastructure team. You will troubleshoot PLCs, HMIs, I/O, sensors, and networks, acting as the first responder to keep automated manufacturing running smoothly.

You will develop preventive maintenance programs, back up critical software and configurations, and collaborate with OEMs and engineering to implement system improvements. Strong field experience and problem-solving are essential.