Search Jobs
Lead Automation Controls Engineer – Ground-Up PLC/HMI Development
Manufacturing
Germantown, WI
$110,000
Location: Germantown, WI | Schedule: Full-time, on-site with 25%–50% domestic travel | Compensation: Up to $110,000 base salary + profit sharing
Overview
A fast-growing systems integration firm that has doubled its footprint year-over-year is seeking a Lead Automation Controls Engineer to build custom PLC/HMI solutions from the ground up. This is a hands-on role for an engineer who wants full ownership of projects from design through on-site commissioning, working on everything from sortation networks to robotic welding cells and multi-axis servo systems.
What you'll do
- Architect ground-up PLC programs and HMI interfaces for automated machinery, robotic cells, and sorting systems using Studio 5000 and FactoryTalk View
- Integrate operator interfaces and build enterprise-level data tracking using Visual Studio, C#, and relational databases
- Review and validate electrical panel layouts and control schematics in AutoCAD against Bills of Materials (BOMs) and safety standards
- Set up, calibrate, and troubleshoot EtherNet/IP communications, multi-axis servo drives, machine vision systems, and safety PLCs
- Serve as the primary technical authority during client field commissioning, supervising installations and executing final system sign-offs
Required qualifications
- 2+ years of professional experience designing, building, and programming controls software from scratch using Rockwell / Allen-Bradley platforms (Studio 5000 / RSLogix)
- Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Automation Technology, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a closely related technical discipline
- Willingness to travel domestically 25%–50% for commissioning, with guaranteed weekend comp days
- Demonstrated career stability, accountability, and long-term tenure with prior engineering teams
- Residence within a 45-minute commute of the Greater Milwaukee / Washington County area
- Must be a U.S. Citizen or Green Card holder
Preferred qualifications
- Hands-on setup of multi-axis servo motion systems or industrial vision platforms (Cognex, Keyence)
- High-level programming fluency in C#, VB.NET, or SQL database structures
- Direct experience teaching, programming, or integrating FANUC or similar industrial robotics
Compensation and benefits
- Up to $110,000 starting base salary, calibrated for Junior, Mid, and Senior experience depth
- Profit sharing
- Comprehensive corporate benefits package
- Guaranteed, immediate comp days for weekend startup work
Why this role
This role offers full ownership of custom automation projects from design through startup, with a strictly enforced travel-balancing policy that guarantees comp time for weekend field work and a zero-bureaucracy engineering culture with direct access to project leadership.
"*" indicates required fields