Controls Engineer

GM • Marion, IN

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Manufacturing Controls Engineer supports, improves, and sustains automation and plant-floor control systems within a stamping operation. The role partners with Production, Maintenance, Quality, Manufacturing Engineering, IT, skilled trades, suppliers, and central controls teams to maintain safe, reliable, and efficient production. The engineer troubleshoots complex controls issues, leads equipment, software, and process improvements, supports launches and major changes, and applies standardized controls solutions across stamping operations. The role also contributes to digital manufacturing by enabling reliable device-level data collection.

The position provides technical ownership for controls systems used in stamping presses, material-handling equipment, conveyors, die-transfer systems, automation cells, safety circuits, HMIs, industrial networks, and related plant-floor applications. It develops, modifies, tests, validates, and documents controls changes according to GM standards and plant change-management processes. The engineer works with plant and central teams to improve production uptime, quality, safety, throughput, and cost, and maintains technical documentation such as electrical drawings, network layouts, control narratives, backup and recovery information, revision history, and lessons learned.

This role is categorized as onsite, and the selected candidate is expected to report to a specific location full-time. Schedule flexibility is required for plant operations. Relocation benefits are available to candidates who qualify under company policy. GM does not provide immigration-related sponsorship for this role.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related discipline; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
• 3+ years of experience in manufacturing operations, controls engineering, industrial automation, or a related technical field.
• Hands-on experience troubleshooting and supporting PLC-based industrial automation systems in a production environment.
• Working knowledge of PLC programming, HMI development or configuration, industrial controls hardware, electrical systems, and machine safety.
• Experience with industrial Ethernet and fieldbus networks, such as Ethernet/IP, DeviceNet, ProfiBus, or comparable technologies.
• Demonstrated ability to diagnose complex equipment or process issues, lead root-cause analysis, and implement sustainable corrective actions.
• Ability to work effectively with Production, Maintenance, Quality, skilled trades, suppliers, and engineering partners.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain technical issues and risk clearly to varied audiences.
• Independent judgment, sound prioritization, and a continuous-improvement mindset in a fast-paced production environment.
• Ability to meet onsite and schedule-flexibility requirements for plant operations.
• Do not require GM immigration sponsorship now or in the future.

Nice To Haves

• Experience supporting stamping, press, material handling, die-transfer, coil-feed, conveyor, robotics, or comparable high-volume automation systems.
• Knowledge of GM controls architecture, common controls hardware/software, Plant Floor Systems, manufacturing networks, and applicable engineering standards.
• Experience with Fanuc, Rockwell, Siemens, or comparable controls and automation platforms.
• Experience supporting program launches, equipment installation, commissioning, software updates, or plant shutdown work.
• Familiarity with manufacturing cybersecurity principles, network segmentation, industrial asset inventory, and controlled software changes.
• Experience with quality systems, process monitoring, predictive maintenance, reliability engineering, or manufacturing analytics.
• Lean, Six Sigma, or structured problem-solving experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical ownership for controls systems supporting stamping presses, material-handling equipment, conveyors, die-transfer systems, automation cells, safety circuits, HMIs, industrial networks, and related plant-floor applications.
• Troubleshoot complex equipment, controls, communications, and integration issues; lead root-cause analysis and permanent corrective actions.
• Develop, modify, test, validate, and document PLC, HMI, motion, safety, and related controls changes in accordance with GM standards and plant change-management processes.
• Support production uptime, quality, safety, throughput, and cost objectives through controls improvements and problem solving.
• Lead or support controls activities for new programs, equipment installations, launches, upgrades, model changes, and plant shutdown work.
• Collaborate with Maintenance and skilled trades to create troubleshooting guides, standardized work, training, recovery plans, and spare-parts strategies.
• Coordinate technical work with equipment suppliers, integrators, contractors, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, and IT partners.
• Ensure controls designs and modifications meet applicable safety, cybersecurity, reliability, quality, and manufacturing standards.
• Maintain accurate technical documentation, including electrical drawings, network layouts, control narratives, backup and recovery information, revision history, and lessons learned.
• Share best practices and recurring-issue learnings with plant and central engineering teams.
• Enable reliable device-level data collection to support the plant’s digital-manufacturing evolution.

Benefits

• Relocation benefits are available for candidates who qualify under company policy.
• GM provides employee well-being and total rewards resources; specific benefits are not listed in the posting.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level