Controls Engineer I (Capital Projects)

Leprino Foods Company•Denver, CO

40d•$90,000 - $102,000•Onsite

About The Position

Leprino is seeking a Controls Engineer I for its Corporate Project Engineering team in Denver. The role leads controls scope for large capital projects and shapes system-level automation architecture for safe, reliable plant operations. It focuses on project leadership, controls design, and vendor coordination, partnering with Controls Integration Engineers who perform detailed programming and commissioning work. The position may require travel up to 50 percent to domestic facilities. The starting compensation typically ranges from $90,000 to $102,000. Leprino describes itself as the world’s largest manufacturer of mozzarella and lactose, a leading whey protein producer, and a company with more than 5,500 employees worldwide.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Automation Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechatronics, or a closely related technical field.
At least four years of experience in PLC/SCADA integration, including ControlLogix programming and/or Wonderware System Platform, InTouch, or related tools.
Experience leading controls scope on capital projects, including vendor coordination and system-level design.
Strong understanding of industrial networking, safety systems, instrumentation, and line-integration principles.
Ability to travel up to 50 percent to domestic facilities.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Engineering.
Experience directing controls programming or integration work in a manufacturing environment.
Exposure to robotic systems, advanced communication networks, or large-scale automation platforms.
Prior involvement in major line installations, including FAT/SAT oversight and system commissioning.

Responsibilities

Own controls strategy for major capital projects, defining architecture, standards, and system requirements for new production lines and automation upgrades.
Design line-level controls solutions coordinating equipment across OEM platforms and supporting reliable, transparent operation across plants.
Develop system specifications covering network design, safety architecture, interlock strategy, sequencing logic, SCADA interfaces, and MES data requirements.
Coordinate OEM and integrator work to ensure programming, documentation, and hardware designs meet company standards and integrate with plant systems.
Review, approve, and guide PLC and HMI development, delegating detailed coding and field execution to Controls Integration Engineers.
Lead FAT and SAT activities, validate system behavior, and direct corrective actions with vendors and internal engineers.
Provide technical leadership during installation and startup, resolving system-level issues, tuning performance, and supporting safe commissioning.
Advise plants and project teams on automation strategies, controls reliability, and long-term maintainability.
Support project planning, including scope definition, timelines, risk assessments, and early detection of scope or budget impacts.
Contribute to enterprise standards for controls engineering, safety systems, instrumentation, and industrial networking.