Sr. Automation Controls Engineer

The Judge Group; Russellville (AR); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Dental

Vision

401k

Job summary

Judge Direct Placement is seeking a Senior Controls Engineer in Russellville, AR area to support automation and instrumentation across manufacturing operations. You will lead projects from concept through startup, leverage PLC-based control systems, read electrical schematics, and collaborate with production, maintenance, and engineering teams to improve reliability and compliance.

A Bachelor's degree in Engineering and PLC experience are required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering required.
• 5–8 years PLC experience.
• Experience in highly regulated manufacturing environments.
• Background in manufacturing, automation, process engineering, or related industrial operations.
• Strong communication and cross-functional engagement abilities.
• Ability to read electrical schematics and control drawings.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical support for automation systems, manufacturing operations, and facility infrastructure to ensure reliable production performance.
• Lead and execute automation and controls projects from concept development through implementation and startup.
• Establish, prioritize, and manage automation, electrical, and instrumentation improvement initiatives with cross-functional teams.
• Develop and deliver training programs to enhance technical capabilities and support workforce development.
• Maintain and improve industrial control systems and automation platforms.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive continuous improvement and operational reliability.
• Support preventive and predictive maintenance strategies to maximize uptime and address lifecycle challenges.
• Ensure compliance with electrical, process safety, and regulatory requirements.
• Promote a strong safety culture and maintain accurate documentation and standards.
• Communicate effectively with stakeholders across operations, maintenance, engineering, and management.
• Participate in troubleshooting complex equipment and processes.
• Provide after-hours support for critical operations or system upgrades.

Skills

PLC programming

Regulated manufacturing

Cross-functional collaboration

Documentation

Electrical diagrams

HMI/SCADA

Servo drives

VFDs

Process control

Troubleshooting

MS Office

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Tools

PLC programming software

HMI systems

SCADA

VFDs

Servo drives

Job description

Judge Direct Placement is seeking a Senior Controls Engineer in Russellville, AR area!

Responsibilities:

• Provide technical support for automation systems, manufacturing operations, and facility infrastructure to ensure reliable production performance.
• Lead and execute automation and controls projects from concept development through implementation and startup.
• Establish, prioritize, and manage automation, electrical, and instrumentation improvement initiatives in partnership with production, maintenance, engineering, and leadership teams.
• Develop and deliver training programs to enhance technical capabilities and support workforce development.
• Maintain and improve industrial control systems, automation platforms, and related technologies to support operational excellence.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive continuous improvement, equipment reliability, and process optimization initiatives.
• Support preventive and predictive maintenance strategies to maximize equipment uptime and performance.Identify and address equipment lifecycle and obsolescence challenges by developing long-term replacement and modernization plans.
• Ensure compliance with applicable electrical, process safety, and regulatory requirements.
• Promote a strong safety culture by modeling and reinforcing safe work practices.
• Maintain accurate documentation, project records, and technical standards.
• Communicate effectively with stakeholders across operations, maintenance, engineering, and management teams.
• Participate in troubleshooting efforts to resolve complex equipment and process issues.
• Provide occasional after-hours support for critical manufacturing operations, system upgrades, or emergency situations.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering required
• 5-8 years PLC experience
• Experience supporting highly regulated manufacturing environments, including industries governed by stringent quality, safety, and compliance requirements.
• Background in manufacturing, automation, process engineering, or related industrial operations.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to effectively engage cross-functional teams and leadership stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to apply engineering and technical principles to troubleshoot complex equipment, process, and system challenges.
• Ability to interpret and work from technical documentation, including electrical schematics, control drawings, equipment manuals, process flow diagrams, and instrumentation documentation.
• Solid understanding of electrical, electronic, and industrial control system fundamentals.
• Hands-on experience with industrial automation technologies, including human-machine interfaces (HMIs), servo systems, variable frequency drives (VFDs), sensors, instrumentation, and process control equipment.
• Experience with PLC-based control systems and manufacturing automation platforms is preferred.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a focus on continuous improvement and operational reliability.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and standard business software tools.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced production environment while maintaining attention to detail.

Comprehensive benefits package including (but not limited to) health, dental, vision and 401k