Sr. Automation & Controls Engineer

Actalent; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 83,000 - 103,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Onsite contract in Houston

Job summary

Actalent is seeking a Controls Engineer in Houston, TX, with strong experience in Allen-Bradley PLC programming and Ignition SCADA development to design, program, commission, and troubleshoot industrial automation systems.

You will work with project teams, technicians, and customers to deliver automation solutions, optimize performance, and provide documentation throughout project lifecycles. This is a contract, fully onsite role in Houston.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of controls engineering experience.
• Strong Allen-Bradley PLC programming with Studio 5000.
• Hands-on Ignition SCADA development (Vision and/or Perspective).
• Experience with commissioning, startup, and troubleshooting in industrial environments.
• Knowledge of EtherNet/IP, Modbus, and OPC UA.

Responsibilities

• Program, modify, and troubleshoot Allen-Bradley PLCs using Studio 5000.
• Develop and maintain Ignition SCADA applications, HMIs, dashboards, and alarms.
• Support startup, commissioning, FAT/SAT testing, and troubleshooting.
• Integrate PLCs, SCADA, VFDs, instrumentation, and field devices.
• Work with project teams, technicians, and customers to deliver automation solutions.
• Document and support throughout project lifecycles.

Skills

Allen-Bradley PLC

Ignition SCADA

PLC programming

Troubleshooting

Industrial automation

Tools

Studio 5000

Ignition

EtherNet/IP

Modbus

OPC UA

Job description

Controls Engineer (Allen-Bradley & Ignition)

PLC Programming

Overview

We are seeking a Controls Engineer with strong experience in both Allen-Bradley PLC programming and Ignition SCADA development. This role will support the design, programming, commissioning, and troubleshooting of industrial automation systems from start to finish.

Responsibilities

• Program, modify, and troubleshoot Allen-Bradley PLCs using Studio 5000 (ControlLogix/CompactLogix).
• Develop and maintain Ignition SCADA applications, HMIs, dashboards, and alarms.
• Support system startup, commissioning, FAT/SAT testing, and troubleshooting.
• Integrate PLCs, SCADA, VFDs, instrumentation, and field devices.
• Work with project teams, technicians, and customers to deliver automation solutions.
• Optimize and improve control system performance and reliability.
• Provide documentation and technical support throughout project lifecycles.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of controls engineering experience.
• Strong Allen-Bradley PLC programming experience with Studio 5000.
• Hands-on Ignition SCADA development experience (Vision and/or Perspective).
• Experience with commissioning, startup, and troubleshooting in industrial environments.
• Knowledge of industrial communication protocols such as EtherNet/IP, Modbus, and OPC UA.
• Ability to work independently and support multiple projects.

Preferred

• Experience in manufacturing, data centers, water/wastewater, or industrial automation environments.
• Familiarity with SQL databases and industrial networking.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Houston, TX.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $60.00 - $75.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms.

If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan - Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Houston,TX.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Sep 28, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.