Automation & Controls Engineer

1872•Cincinnati, OH

2d•Onsite

About The Position

At 1872 AI, we are transforming industrial manufacturing in the United States by building AI-native factories capable of lights-out production—from CAD to finished part with minimal human input. Our initial focus targets the energy and infrastructure sectors—power generation, grid infrastructure, and compute facilities—where critical supply chain bottlenecks in steel fabrication are limiting growth. You will build the software that talks to our machines—robots, PLCs, sensors, and everything in between. This is a hybrid role: you write the automation logic and services that coordinate physical equipment, and you debug it on the shop floor when things go wrong. You're not just programming PLCs; you're wrapping industrial protocols in modern APIs and integrating them into our factory platform.

Requirements

Comfortable in high-level languages (Python, Rust, or Go).
Familiarity with industrial control languages (Structured Text, Ladder Logic).
Experience integrating industrial equipment, sensors, or vision systems into software-driven workflows.
Familiarity with industrial communication protocols (OPC-UA, Modbus, EtherCAT, PROFINET).
Experience exposing hardware data through modern APIs.
Electrical engineering fundamentals—comfortable reading wiring diagrams, troubleshooting circuits, and debugging down machines.
Willingness to debug electrical cabinets, sensors, and mechanical systems on the shop floor.
Deeply curious about AI-assisted development.
Ability to self-direct and thrive in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment.

Nice To Haves

Experience with ROS/ROS2.
Experience with computer vision for industrial inspection or guidance.
Experience utilizing edge computing devices (Raspberry Pi, Nvidia Jetson, Industrial PCs) to bridge IT/OT gaps.
Experience commissioning or starting up industrial equipment in a greenfield environment.
Background in welding or metal fabrication processes.