Associate Field Engineer - Controls

Wunderlich-Malec Careers•Kansas City, KS

6d•Onsite

About The Position

Wunderlich-Malec Engineering’s Kansas City, Missouri engineering team is seeking a travel-ready, entry-level Field Engineer or Technician to develop hands-on technical experience through field-based commissioning work. The role provides direct exposure to systems, customers, schedules, and real-time decisions, with ownership of installation verification, control-system testing, commissioning support, and start-up activities. Projects may span data centers, semiconductors, life science, food and beverage, and other industrial facilities. Work includes electrical and controls engineering support, electrical and instrumentation verification, coordination with clients and electrical subcontractors, PLC/SCADA/HMI support, commissioning execution, and start-up assistance. The position is primarily field-based at client sites, with occasional office or construction-trailer work. Travel to project sites may reach 100%, excluding approved vacation or paid time off; assignments may last multiple months at U.S.-based sites. Work is typically Monday through Friday, with occasional weekend work depending on project needs. Project housing, airfare, meals, and incidentals are covered under company policy. The role includes structured training, mentorship, and three weeks of paid time off. This position is not eligible for employer-sponsored work authorization, and the company does not participate in the STEM OPT training program for this position. The role is designed to support technical and leadership development through progressively challenging commissioning assignments, with mentorship from senior field engineers. Advancement is based on demonstrated proficiency, ownership, technical judgment, and field performance. Potential career paths include Staff or Senior Field Engineer, QA/QC Manager, Controls Project Engineer, Commissioning Lead, Project Manager, and mentor or technical evaluator.

Requirements

New graduate or 0–2 years of field experience.
Bachelor of Science in Electrical, Computer, Chemical, or Mechanical Engineering preferred; an associate degree in Engineering Technology or equivalent field technician experience may be substituted.
Understanding of or exposure to field instrumentation, hardware panels, and low-voltage controls design.
Understanding of control systems, components, PLC programming, SCADA programming, and their applications.
Strong attention to detail and consistent focus on quality control.
Ability to comply with applicable safety specifications and standards.
Ability to stand, move, and work on job sites for up to 8–12-hour shifts; climb stairs and ladders; work at heights; occasionally lift up to 40 pounds; and frequently bend, reach, and work around industrial equipment.
Ability to safely wear required personal protective equipment, including safety glasses, steel-toed boots, hearing protection, and electrical safety gear as applicable.
Comfort performing electrical and instrumentation checkout and troubleshooting, such as voltage testing and control-panel wiring.
Ability to work safely and effectively indoors and outdoors in construction, industrial, and processing environments, including exposure to noise, temperature changes, moving machinery, extreme temperatures, weather, humidity, and dust.
Ability to perform computer work and use standard office applications and a mobile phone for documentation, communication, and project support.
Ability to communicate verbally and in writing, work as part of a team, and coordinate regularly with customers, subcontractors, vendors, and internal project teams.
Ability to travel to project sites, potentially up to 100%, and work occasional weekends based on project needs.
Must not require employer-sponsored work authorization; the company does not participate in the STEM OPT training program for this position.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor of Science in Electrical, Computer, Chemical, or Mechanical Engineering.
Equivalent field technician experience as an alternative to an associate degree in Engineering Technology.
Interest in accelerated technical and leadership development through hands-on field experience.

Responsibilities

Verify that control panels, field devices, instruments, and related control-system equipment are installed and wired according to manufacturer requirements, approved shop drawings, project documentation, and applicable quality standards and specifications.
Perform point-to-point testing by confirming that control-system field devices are installed, wired, addressed, and configured according to approved drawings and documentation, including verification of signals and network-integrated data.
Perform functional performance testing to verify that the control system and field devices operate according to project design documentation, including control sequences, alarms and alerts, trends, graphics, and responses to failure scenarios.
Support system-level testing to verify that control systems and field devices operate together as an integrated system, including use of facility SCADA systems, alarm activation, trend monitoring, and failure-mode testing.
Provide electrical and controls engineering support, electrical and instrumentation verification, PLC/SCADA/HMI support, commissioning execution, and start-up assistance.
Coordinate with clients, electrical subcontractors, vendors, and internal project teams.
Follow applicable safety specifications and standards and maintain attention to detail and quality control during commissioning activities.
As capability develops, lead point-to-point testing campaigns, own functional performance testing for major systems, serve as a technical contact during system-level testing, and direct commissioning activities for major project areas with accountability for safety, quality, schedule, and sign-off.

Benefits

Company-covered project housing, airfare, meals, and incidentals in accordance with company policy.
Structured training and mentorship from senior field engineers.
Three weeks of paid time off.
Medical insurance.
Dental insurance.
Vision insurance.
Basic and supplemental life and AD&D insurance.
Long-term disability insurance.
Voluntary short-term disability insurance.
Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts.
Health Savings Account.
Paid holidays.
Tuition reimbursement.
Referral bonus program.
401(k) and profit sharing.
100% ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan).
Employee Assistance Program.
Will preparation resources.
Worldwide travel assistance.