Controls Engineer

Ford Motor Company • Sterling Heights, MI

17h • $72,480 - $162,120 • Onsite

About The Position

As part of Ford’s Manufacturing team, the Controls Engineer helps build smart vehicles and improve plant efficiency through new technologies and processes. The role leads problem solving to assist plants and implementation teams in resolving tooling, equipment, and conveyor performance issues and downtime. It develops and implements control-system and equipment improvements using Factory Information Systems (FIS) data, troubleshoots machinery and automation, supports project installations and engineering changes, and helps train manufacturing personnel and plant electricians. The position requires comfort working an off-shift or 4-crew schedule.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED.
• Ability to work an off-shift schedule.
• At least 3 years of Controls Engineering experience in a manufacturing environment.
• At least 3 years of experience with PLC logic and controls, including Siemens and Modicon programming.
• Strong manufacturing background, with emphasis on production-related controls experience.
• Experience with assembly and machining controls architectures, including hardware and software.
• Knowledge of programming principles for Siemens, Schneider, and Bosch PLCs, as well as CNC and motion-control systems.
• Ability to troubleshoot PLC, CNC, robot, and other automation issues.
• Ability to read electrical, pneumatic, and hydraulic controls prints.
• Strong influential, organizational, and interpersonal skills; self-starting and self-directed.
• Experience interacting with senior management, process engineering, safety, IT, and plant production teams.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical, mechanical, controls, or automation engineering.
• Electrical background as an electrician or technician.
• Knowledge of cell machining systems and integration of CNC controls, gantries, and auxiliary equipment.
• Knowledge of ABB or FANUC robots.
• Knowledge of assembly and machining RFID systems, including complexity management and QOS strategies.
• Knowledge of vision systems.
• Solid understanding of laser burning.
• Knowledge of international electrical and safety standards, including UL, ISO, and IEC, and familiarity with safety processes such as risk assessments, PSS, and integrated safety.
• Understanding of communication network architectures and field bus protocols.
• Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma experience.
• Experience with Lean tools such as 5S, Kanban, Poka-Yoke, and Value Stream Mapping.
• Understanding of 8D, FMEA, and DMAIC processes.
• Familiarity with TQM and Kaizen methods.
• At least one year of experience with MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook).
• Interest in controls engineering and strong aptitude to quickly learn and apply controls knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Lead problem solving to resolve equipment performance issues and downtime.
• Troubleshoot machinery, robots, automation, and controls issues.
• Coordinate resources to identify root causes and fixes, breaking problems into items that can be validated.
• Develop and implement control-system and equipment improvements using Factory Information Systems (FIS) data.
• Assist in training manufacturing personnel and plant electricians.
• Assist in integrating controls with IT systems such as Factory Information Systems (FIS), Error Proofing, QWX, and QTS.
• Use FIS plant-monitoring software to review equipment cycle times.
• Review and coordinate project installations.
• Reprogram equipment for engineering changes and improvements.
• Maintain program backups for machinery and automation.

Benefits

• Immediate medical, dental, and prescription drug coverage.
• Flexible family care, parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, and subsidized backup childcare.
• Family-building benefits, including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement and fertility treatments.
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members, and management leases.
• Tuition assistance.
• Employee resource groups.
• Paid time off for individual and team community service.
• Paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day.
• Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: High school or GED