Sr. Controls Engineer - FAT/CVS & Commissioning

Vulcan Elements; North Carolina; On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Travel up to 50% during campaigns

Job summary

Vulcan Elements is expanding its nuclear-grade manufacturing footprint in the United States and seeking a Sr. Controls Engineer (FAT/CSV) to lead automation acceptance and commissioning for a massive 1 million square foot facility expansion.

The role requires deep technical expertise in industrial automation and will own the FAT/SAT program across a multi-vendor equipment campaign. You will write, modify, and troubleshoot PLC code, build baselines, and coordinate with QA, Manufacturing

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master’s degree in Electrical/Automation engineering or related field.
• 5+ years of direct industrial automation and controls experience.
• Hands-on programming and commissioning Siemens and Allen-Bradley PLCs/HMIs.
• Experience with multi-vendor acceptance campaigns and change control.

Responsibilities

• Lead PLC programming, debugging, and commissioning for new and existing automation equipment.
• Develop and maintain PLC/HMI architectures, safety circuits, and network configurations.
• Coordinate FAT/SAT campaigns, write acceptance protocols, and manage punch lists.
• Support integration with robotics, vision, AGVs, conveyors, and motion systems.
• Configure SCADA/MES connectivity and troubleshoot communications.

Skills

PLC Programming

HMI Development

Multi-vendor Acceptance

Robotics Integration

Industrial Networks

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Siemens PLC

Allen-Bradley PLC

Rockwell Automation

HMI Tools

Job description

Vulcan Elements is manufacturing American rare-earth permanent magnets for a secure, resilient future. With a focus on national security and economic resiliency, we serve critical industries such as defense, aerospace, and automotive powering a high-technology future. Vulcan Elements is building a team of ambitious professionals committed to Mission Focus, Technical Excellence, and Transparency.

As the Sr. Controls Engineer (FAT/CSV) you will lead automation acceptance and commissioning for a massive 1 million square foot manufacturing facility expansion. You will own the automation acceptance thread across alargeOEM equipment campaign-authoring standardized FAT/SAT protocols, running the program-wide punch register;writing,modifying, and troubleshooting PLC code from punch-item fixes through commissioning and a share of live controls support. This is a high-impact, high-ownership role requiring deep technicalexpertisein industrial automation. Domesticand internationaltravel to OEM facilities up to ~50% during testcampaigns.

Responsibilities

• PLC Programming & Commissioning:Lead hands-on programming, debugging, and commissioning of Siemens andAllenBradley/Rockwell PLCs and HMIs for new and existing automation equipment.
• Controls Integration & Architecture:Develop,modify,andmaintainPLC code structures, HMI screens, safety circuits, device mapping, and networking configurations to ensure robust and standardized automation performance across all equipment.
• Design Reviews:Execute the scaling-equipment design-review campaign, converting findings into hardened, detailed technical deliverables for OEM vendors.
• Vendor Technical Support & FATs:Review vendor electrical schematics, controls architectures, and PLC/HMI logic. Own the FAT/SAT campaign: author standardized acceptance protocols, covering PLC logic conformance, HMI/alarm acceptance, interlock validation, and network/security verification. Run the program-wide punch list and coordinate witness assignments.
• Turnover & Baselines:Build controls turnover packages: as-tested code, configuration baselines, punch closure evidence, and commissioning records.
• Validation Interface:Integrate with Quality’s validation system - protocols live in Quality’s framework and carry Quality’s approval; you author the automation content and align with Manufacturing Engineering’s master schedule and process acceptance criteria.
• Advanced Automation & System Integration:Support the integration and commissioning of robotics, vision systems, AGVs, conveyors, and motion control systems—including servos and VFDs—to enable seamless material flow andhigh reliabilityproduction operations.
• SCADA/MES Connectivity:Configure andmaintaincommunications between PLCs/HMIs andhigherlevelsystems (MES/SCADA). Develop and troubleshootSCADA tags, transactions, alarming, and data acquisition asrequired.
• Troubleshooting & Technical Escalation:Serve as a senior-level escalation point for diagnosingcomplex automation issues involving networks, motion systems, instrumentation, and industrial communication protocols.

Deliverables You Will Develop, Review, or Support

• Controls & IT:PLC code architecture, HMI screens, vision inspection programs, tag databases, MES/SCADA transaction lists, network IP lists, password inventories, and system backups.As-tested PLC code baselines, configuration backups, and acceptance evidence packages.
• Risk & Safety:Controls risk assessments, interlock/guarding logic, andsafetyratedPFMEA inputs.
• Process Design:Controls layouts, network topology layouts, station cycle times, sequence diagrams, and automation simulations.
• Engineering Diagrams:Electrical schematics, pneumatic drawings, controls panel layouts, and industrial network architecture.
• Acceptance & Commissioning:FAT/SAT protocols, the programpunchlist, I/O checkout records, andhandover packages.

Responsibilities and tasks outlined are not exhaustive and may change as determined by the needs of the business.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s orMastersdegree in electrical engineering, Automation Engineering, Mechatronics, or related field with5+years of direct industrial automation and controls engineering experience.
• Strong hands on experience programming and commissioning SiemensandAllenBradley/Rockwell PLCs and HMIs.
• Demonstrated multi-vendor acceptance campaign management, disciplined change control with the ability to triage punch items to fix in situ or kick back to a vendor. Technical writing that vendors and auditors can both execute against.
• Working experience with multiaxis robotic systems (Fanuc, Kuka, ABB) and machine vision platforms (Cognex, Keyence)
• Deep understanding of servos, VFDs, highspeed conveyors, robotic cells, and automated material handling systems.
• Proficiency with Ethernet/IP, Profinet, EtherCAT, OPCUA, Modbus, serial, and similar industrial communication standards.

Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export-controlled information or facilities

Preferred Skills

• Experience in heavy industrial, greenfield, chemical, or metallurgical manufacturing environments.
• Background as a commissioning-focused controls engineer at a system integrator or machine OEM - someone who has both written machine code and accepted otherpeople’s.
• Experience developing SCADA applications in Ignition,FactoryTalk,Wonderware, or similar platforms.
• AGV integration experience
• Familiarity with Python, C++, or otherhighlevellanguages for automation or data analytics.
• Experience in regulated industries orsuch as Defense, Aerospace, or Automotive or GAMP 5/computer system validation exposure