Controls Engineer

BrightFarms Inc•Yorkville, IL

82d•$135,000 - $159,000•Hybrid

About The Position

BrightFarms is seeking a Controls Engineer to support and enhance automation systems across its hydroponic lettuce greenhouse operations. This role is site-based with travel requirements, covering growing systems, facility infrastructure, and packaging equipment to ensure optimal performance, efficiency, and product quality. The ideal candidate will contribute to the design, maintenance, and improvement of control systems for environmental controls, irrigation, harvesting, and automated packaging processes. Experience with agricultural control systems is preferred.

Requirements

8+ years in industrial automation or controls engineering
Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, Controls Engineering, Mechatronics, or related field (or equivalent experience)
Experience with PLC programming (e.g., Allen-Bradley, Siemens, or similar)
Familiarity with HMI/SCADA systems
Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving skills
Strong understanding of electrical systems and industrial automation principles
Ability to work across mechanical, electrical, and software systems
Demonstrates the ability to effectively communicate verbally and in writing with a wide range of groups and individuals
Proactively communicate delays, concerns, and critical issues to appropriate stakeholders

Nice To Haves

Experience with agricultural or greenhouse control systems
Experience with multiple PLC platforms, including Allen-Bradley, Siemens, Schneider Electric, and other industrial automation systems
Knowledge of environmental control systems such as Hoogendorn, Priva and greenhouse HVAC, irrigation, fertigation systems
Experience with industrial networks (Ethernet/IP, Modbus, etc.)
Programming experience (e.g., Python, structured text, ladder logic)
Exposure to robotics or automated packaging systems

Responsibilities

Design and develop control systems for automated equipment and processes including packaging automation and greenhouse growing infrastructure
Program and configure PLCs, HMIs, and SCADA systems
Develop electrical schematics, panel layouts, and I/O lists
Integrate sensors, actuators, and IoT devices into centralized control systems
Work closely with all engineering groups, support teams, and manufacturing, to assure accurate integration and on time completion of options, modifications and new designs
Write, test, and debug PLC programs using ladder logic, structured text, or function block
Integrate control systems with robotics, motion control, and third-party equipment
Configure industrial communication networks (Ethernet/IP, Modbus, Profibus, etc.)
Support MES or higher-level system integration when applicable
Travel or provide remote support to one of our three sites (TX, GA, IL) or future farms to diagnose and resolve control system issues in a timely manner
Participate in a 24 hour on-call rotation with other team members to support farms during night and weekend shifts
Provide technical support to maintenance and operations teams
Participate in root cause analysis and implement corrective actions
Maintain system backups and documentation
Create documentation for new controls systems and processes
Lead or support commissioning of new equipment and system upgrades
Independently set milestones, budgets, and timelines for project execution
Effectively communicate project health and changes in status to leadership team members and aid in adjusting master schedule priorities
Coordinate and communicate with vendors to support system integration, procurement, and troubleshooting activities
Monitors assigned project status and reports progress and obstacles to management as required to complete tasks on schedule and within budget
Validate system performance through testing and troubleshooting
Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, reliability, and safety
Implement upgrades and modifications to existing control systems