Traveling Controls Engineer - PLC Systems Expert

Actalent; Philipsburg (Centre County); On-site; USD 48,000 - 81,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental & vision

401(k) retirement plan

Life Insurance

Short/Long-term disability

HSA

Transportation benefits

Employee Assistance Program

Time Off / PTO

Meals & Incidental Expenses per diem

Job summary

Actalent in Philipsburg, PA is seeking a traveling Controls Engineer to commission and troubleshoot PLC-based material handling systems across large distribution sites in the United States. You will write, test, and debug PLC code, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and deliver projects on schedule and within budget.

This contract-based role involves up to 10 hours/day on site with 4 days at home, across 3–12 month assignments.

Qualifications

• 3+ years experience commissioning or troubleshooting automated systems (manufacturing, warehousing, baggage handling)
• Expert ladder logic programming with AB Studio 5000
• Expert-level knowledge of controls hardware/software installation, testing, and support
• Experience with Siemens TIA Portal and Siemens PLCs preferred
• Strong electrical schematics interpretation and power distribution knowledge (480/120/24 VDC)
• Understanding networking concepts in industrial control environments
• Familiarity with Windows-based PCs and related software
• Solid grasp of machine/system safety standards and design considerations
• Ability to work in teams and autonomously with minimal supervision
• Willingness to travel across the United States and work on-site at multiple sites

Responsibilities

• Commission and troubleshoot PLC-based material handling systems across large environments
• Write, debug, and test PLC code to meet customer requirements
• Develop, test, and validate control strategies and system behavior
• Document progress, test plans, and design decisions for project tracking
• Coordinate with stakeholders to resolve issues and document resolutions
• Provide expert-level technical support for installation and operation of controls hardware/software
• Perform system-level troubleshooting and ensure integration of multiple subsystems
• Develop test plans for integrated, area, zone, and section levels
• Ensure quality and timeliness of deliverables and achieve project milestones
• Collaborate with other controls engineers and cross-discipline contributors

Skills

Ladder logic (AB Studio 5000)

Controls hardware/software install & t

3+ years automation commissioning

System-level PLC troubleshooting

Electrical controls design & power 480

Schematic interpretation

Networking for industrial control

Windows PC familiarity

Machine/system safety standards

System-level integration & debugging

Tools

Studio 5000

Siemens TIA Portal

SQL/Visual Basic/C/C++/C#

Job description

Actalent in Philipsburg, PA is seeking a traveling Controls Engineer to commission and troubleshoot PLC-based material handling systems across large distribution sites in the United States. You will write, test, and debug PLC code, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and deliver projects on schedule and within budget.

This contract-based role involves up to 10 hours/day on site with 4 days at home, across 3–12 month assignments.