Sr. Controls Engineer
Job description:
This position is not eligible for immigration sponsorship or relocation assistance.
Reports To: Engineering Director
Position Summary
JG Kern Enterprises is seeking an experienced Senior Controls Engineer to lead the design, development, implementation, and continuous improvement of automation systems supporting our precision CNC machining and assembly operations.
This position is responsible for taking automation projects from concept through production launch, including electrical hardware design, PLC/HMI programming, robotics integration, machine safety, installation, commissioning, and validation.
Unlike a maintenance controls technician, this position serves as the technical leader for automation engineering and future manufacturing technologies.
Primary Responsibilities
Automation & Machine Development
Design and develop complete automated manufacturing cells.
Develop electrical architectures for new manufacturing equipment.
Specify all electrical and controls hardware.
Develop system layouts and electrical schematics.
Create control panel designs.
Select sensors, drives, PLCs, HMIs, robots, safety devices, servos, vision systems, and industrial networking hardware.
Develop Bills of Material for controls hardware.
PLC Programming
Develop and maintain PLC programs including:
Allen-Bradley ControlLogix
CompactLogix
Siemens S7 (preferred)
Mitsubishi (plus)
Machine sequencing
Motion control
Servo integration
PID control
Production diagnostics
Fault recovery
Recipe management
HMI Development
Develop operator interfaces including:
FactoryTalk View
Siemens WinCC
Ignition (preferred)
Production screens
Alarm management
Diagnostic screens
Machine setup pages
OEE displays
Maintenance diagnostics
Robotics
Develop robotic applications including:
FANUC (primarily)
ABB (bonus)
Yaskawa (bonus)
Kawasaki (bonus)
Robot programming
Vision integration
End-of-arm tooling
Safety zones
Machine tending
Material handling
Bin picking (preferred)
Vision Systems
Develop and integrate vision inspection systems including:Cognex
Keyence
FANUC iRVision
Shop Floor Support
Provide advanced troubleshooting for:PLC issues
Servo systems
Robots
- Serve as the highest level technical resource for complex automation issues.
Required Qualifications Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, Controls Engineering, or equivalent experience.
Minimum 8 years of industrial controls engineering experience.
Proven experience designing automation systems from concept to production.
Strong PLC programming experience.
Strong electrical design experience.
Experience leading automation projects.
referred Experience
Experience with:CNC machining centers
CNC lathes
Robotic machine tending
Flexible manufacturing systems
Automated gauging
Leak testing
Laser marking
Conveyor systems
Industrial vision
Barcode/RFID systems
- Automotive manufacturing experience required.
Networks
HMIs
Vision systems
Electrical controls
J. G. Kern Enterprises, Inc. recognizes that our team members are our most valuable asset, and we are committed to providing them with a safe, drug-free workplace fostering respect and ethical treatment. Unlawful discrimination in employment decisions based on race, color, religion, ethnic/national origin, age, sex, veteran status, disability, or any similar protected status is strictly prohibited. In return for their expertise and shared commitment to our goals, we offer our team members competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package.