Position overview
Advanced Controls Engineers at Custom Automation own defined controls and robotics scopes from initial review through programming, checkout, commissioning, and production handoff. The work may involve a new machine, a retrofit to existing equipment, or an urgent production problem. This is a hands-on role for an engineer who is comfortable moving between the code, electrical drawings, field devices, and the actual process.
What you will own
- Develop, modify, test, and debug PLC, HMI, SCADA, robot, and vision applications within customer and project standards.
- Execute FAT and SAT activities, I/O checkout, device integration, sequence validation, safety-interlock testing, and production startup.
- Troubleshoot equipment across software, electrical hardware, industrial networks, motion, sensors, and mechanical interfaces; implement durable corrections rather than temporary workarounds.
- Support retrofits and upgrades on both current and legacy control platforms while protecting production and preserving recoverability.
- Coordinate directly with customers, OEMs, integrators, machine builders, operators, maintenance, and other engineering disciplines.
- Maintain usable backups, change records, punch lists, test results, and handoff documentation.
Core qualifications
- Typically four or more years of hands-on industrial controls or automation experience, or an equivalent record of independently commissioning equipment.
- Strong working knowledge of Rockwell Automation ControlLogix or CompactLogix, including machine sequencing, alarms, interlocks, diagnostics, and networked device integration.
- Practical experience programming and commissioning at least one industrial robot platform such as FANUC, ABB, KUKA, Yaskawa, Kawasaki, or DENSO.
- Ability to read electrical schematics, follow machine operation, and isolate problems methodically in a live production environment.
- Clear customer communication, dependable follow-through, and willingness to travel or work on-site when required by the assignment.
- Bachelor’s degree in electrical, controls, automation, mechatronics, computer engineering, or comparable technical education and practical experience.
Experience that stands out
- Material handling, sorting, palletizing, depalletizing, case packing, machine tending, electronic-component assembly, or welding automation.
- Vision-guided robotics, calibration, conveyor line tracking, 2D or 3D picking, and rate or cycle-time optimization.
- Ignition, Wonderware, FactoryTalk, custom plant applications, or WMS and equipment interfaces.
- Legacy SLC 500, PLC-5, Omron, TI, or Siemens troubleshooting and migration work.
- ROBOGUIDE, RobotStudio, custom Unity environments, digital twins, or simulation-assisted commissioning.
Interested in the role?
Tell us which platforms you know well, the applications you have commissioned, and the work you have personally owned. A resume or LinkedIn profile is enough to begin; do not submit confidential customer material.