Controls Engineer (Food / Pharma) - Relocation Assistance

This position is located in McCalla, Alabama. Relocation assistance may be provided to the right candidate.

Lead Controls Engineer for a 500-employee food/pharma manufacturing plant in McCalla, AL, responsible for plant-wide power and control systems strategy, E&I technician leadership and development, and support of larger-scale electrical and instrumentation projects, with a 10% bonus and full benefits.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as a primary administrator and troubleshooter for plant power and control systems and act as a key member of plant technical leadership.
• Provide input to the Engineering Projects Manager to develop and manage power and control standards and ensure application of those standards on all projects and upgrades.
• Lead the execution of the site masterplan for power and controls systems, including understanding the installed base and creating replacement plans for obsolete equipment and technologies.
• Build and maintain a sustainable system for Electrical & Instrumentation (E&I) technician skill development; coach technicians on skill assessment and development within the department.
• Provide day-to-day technical direction and support for E&I technicians (no formal direct reports but strong leadership of daily activities and priorities).
• Ensure knowledge of, communication about, and compliance with local and national regulatory codes (NFPA 70, NFPA 70e, NFPA 79, OSHA 1910), and ensure equipment and safe practice compliance within area of responsibility.
• Validate MES data from PLCs and support plant Process Engineers in conditioning PLC data for effective data analysis and application development.
• Support the design and implementation of machine control and process automation applications, including control strategies, HMI design, MES applications, and KPI development.
• Partner with engineering and operations to identify losses and develop plans and strategies to eliminate them in the areas of safety, quality, reliability, and cost.
• Own key elements for systems related to power and control such as electrical safety (LOTO, Electrical PPE, energized work permits, low-voltage qualification, etc.) and Quality/CCP compliance (checkweighers, metal detectors, vision systems, ingredient flows, temperatures, etc.).
• Work closely with engineering and operations leaders on the selection, installation, and start-up of new equipment; become the technical expert on new equipment and train others on control systems.
• Provide power and controls engineering support on capital initiatives and larger-scale E&I projects.
• Provide support throughout other parts of the plant as needed on a daily basis.
• Learn and apply control, simulation, and process modeling technologies to analyze and improve overall process and packaging operations.
• Be willing to provide off-shift or weekend support as needed, including taking off-shift support calls.

Selection Criteria / Requirements

Education

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering required; Electrical Engineering strongly preferred.

Experience

• 5+ years of relevant controls engineering experience.
• Manufacturing experience required; food or pharmaceutical manufacturing experience highly preferred.
• Mechanical and electrical experience in food manufacturing strongly preferred.
• Experience leading the installation and start-up of equipment in a food manufacturing environment is a plus.

Technical Skills

• Strong knowledge of machine and/or process control hardware, instrumentation, and software.
• Deep experience with Allen Bradley PLCs and Rockwell FactoryTalk platforms.
• Working knowledge of NFPA and OSHA guidelines related to electrical equipment and safe practices.
• Familiarity with MES systems and plant historian tools.
• Experience with plant systems software and integrating new technologies into existing environments.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.

Leadership & Soft Skills

• Ability to work and lead effectively within a cross-functional team environment.
• Experience leading, teaching, or managing technicians or other technical staff.
• Self-motivated with the ability to motivate and develop others.
• Strong organizational, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
• Effective presentation, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to influence without direct authority.

Other

• Willingness to work off-shifts or weekends as needed and to take off-shift support calls.
• Some travel required.
• Able to perform moderate activity, including significant time on the manufacturing floor and some physical work on equipment.

Benefits

• Competitive base salary ($110,000 - $130,000) plus 10% bonus structure.
• Full benefits package (medical, dental, vision, etc.).
• Relocation assistance available.
• Opportunity to be the plant-wide subject matter expert for controls in a 500-employee facility.