Controls Group Leader

IFA Rotorion • Summerville, SC

12d

About The Position

The Controls Lead is responsible for leading the Controls Engineering team and overseeing the plant’s production network strategy. This high-impact role provides technical leadership, manages projects, ensures standards are met, and supports automation and traceability initiatives. The ideal candidate will own both the leadership and infrastructure aspects of the controls team, ensuring production equipment and network systems are highly available, scalable, and secure.

Requirements

• 7+ years in automation and controls, including leadership or mentorship experience.
• Strong understanding of industrial networking, cybersecurity, and protocol integration.
• Expertise in PLCs (Siemens S7, Allen Bradley ControlLogix), HMIs, and SCADA.
• Familiarity with production traceability and data logging systems.
• Working knowledge of IT infrastructure as it applies to manufacturing.
• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Automation, or Mechatronics Engineering.

Nice To Haves

• Prior leadership experience in a high-volume manufacturing setting.
• Experience with SAP, MES, or other ERP integrations.
• Familiarity with ISO 14001, IATF 16949, and OSHA compliance.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor Controls Engineers and Technicians; assign work, coach talent, and ensure skills development.
• Own the design, implementation, and reliability of the production network infrastructure.
• Develop and enforce automation and controls standards, including PLC, HMI, safety, and network practices.
• Champion traceability projects and integrations between machines and MES/ERP platforms.
• Coordinate with IT and Engineering to ensure alignment on network security and data communication protocols.
• Support capital equipment projects from specification to implementation, including network and controls architecture.
• Maintain documentation, backups, and lifecycle management of control systems and industrial networks.
• Drive standardization across the plant’s automation and data collection systems.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees