Controls Engineer (Early Career)
About The Position
K1 Industries is seeking an early-career Controls Engineer to contribute to the development of controls and electrical systems for their turbine-generator power plants. This is an opportunity to join a small, early-stage team where you will have significant influence on technical decisions and see your work implemented quickly. The role involves working across the full stack of controls, including PLC logic, generator synchronization, protection, instrumentation, and supervisory control, with the potential to take ownership of system components over time. While extensive commissioning experience is not expected, hands-on exposure to hardware and controls through various projects or experiences is highly valued.
Requirements
- Degree (or nearing completion) in Electrical, Mechatronics, Controls, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
- Hands-on experience with controls or embedded systems from a lab, capstone, internship, competition team, or personal project.
- Experience writing code that controlled real hardware (PLCs, microcontrollers, data acquisition, or similar).
- Ability to read or produce a basic electrical schematic, or a strong willingness to learn quickly.
- Understanding of core controls and electrical fundamentals.
- Willingness to go deep on power generation systems.
- Ability to own problems, seek help when needed, and work at a fast pace.
Nice To Haves
- PLC programming exposure (Siemens TIA Portal, Allen-Bradley, or similar).
- Coursework or project work with rotating equipment, power systems, or generators.
- Familiarity with industrial communication protocols (Modbus, PROFINET, Ethernet/IP, serial).
- Software skills beyond controls: Python, data acquisition, dashboards, or test automation.
- Exposure to engine control units (FADEC) or aviation/aeroderivative engines.
- Experience in a startup, lab, or small-team environment with significant ownership.
Responsibilities
- Design and implement PLC control logic for turbine-generator operation (start sequencing, steady-state generation, and shutdown).
- Write and test control code (structured text, ladder, or function block) with guidance from senior engineers.
- Contribute to control system architecture, including I/O allocation, network topology, and HMI design.
- Assist in developing control narratives, cause-and-effect matrices, and alarm strategies.
- Specify and review control panels, cabinets, junction boxes, and power distribution.
- Read and help produce electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, and panel layouts.
- Select sensors, transmitters, relays, power supplies, and communication interfaces.
- Coordinate with panel fabricators to ensure builds meet specifications and schedules.
- Support controls commissioning at the test facility, including loop checks, functional tests, and start/stop sequencing.
- Help write test procedures, pre-start checklists, and interlock verification plans.
- Collect and analyze engine and generator performance data during test campaigns.
- Troubleshoot electrical, controls, and instrumentation issues in the field.
- Maintain controls specifications, interface documents, and as-built records.
- Build scripts, dashboards, and data pipelines to support engineering workflows.
Benefits
- Competitive salary
- Meaningful early-stage equity
- Health insurance
- Dental insurance
- Vision insurance
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
