Controls Technician III

The Employee Connect • San Leandro, CA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

Our client, an industrial automation and production organization, is seeking an experienced Controls Technician for an onsite, six-month contract engagement in San Leandro, California. The role owns the automation and control systems that keep production equipment operating reliably and safely. This is a senior technical position for someone who is confident with PLCs, drives, and instrumentation and who can diagnose a control problem methodically rather than by trial and error. It offers substantive automation work in an established facility.

Requirements

• Substantial prior experience as a controls, automation, or instrumentation technician in a manufacturing or industrial environment is required, consistent with a senior-level position.
• Hands-on troubleshooting capability with PLC-controlled equipment.
• Working knowledge of variable frequency drives and motor control.
• Ability to read and interpret electrical schematics, ladder logic, and control drawings.
• Electrical safety competency is mandatory, including lockout/tagout, arc flash awareness, and safe work practice around energized equipment.
• Must be available onsite for the full assignment, including response to breakdowns outside standard hours where required.
• Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States for the duration of the engagement.

Nice To Haves

• Hands-on experience with Allen-Bradley or Siemens platforms and their programming environments is strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with industrial networks such as EtherNet/IP, Profibus, or DeviceNet is highly valued.
• An associate degree or technical certification in electrical technology, automation, mechatronics, or a related discipline is preferred.
• Robotics or vision system experience.
• SCADA exposure.
• Experience in food, beverage, or other regulated manufacturing are all advantageous.
• Experience with HMI and SCADA development platforms is valued.
• Exposure to data historians and production reporting systems.
• Familiarity with machine safety standards and safety-rated control components.
• Experience commissioning new equipment alongside OEM engineers.
• Any PLC programming from scratch.

Responsibilities

• Troubleshoot, maintain, and repair automated production equipment and control systems, diagnosing faults across PLCs, HMIs, variable frequency drives, servo systems, sensors, and field instrumentation to restore production quickly and safely.
• Work within PLC programs to diagnose logic-related faults, make approved modifications under change control, and support the commissioning of new or relocated equipment.
• Perform HMI screen adjustments and drive parameter configuration.
• Calibrate and verify instrumentation, maintain control panels and electrical enclosures, trace and repair control wiring.
• Ensure that machine safety systems including interlocks, light curtains, and emergency stop circuits remain functional and compliant at all times.
• Document control system changes, wiring modifications, and maintenance work accurately.
• Maintain current copies of programs and drawings.
• Support continuous improvement projects aimed at reducing downtime.
• Provide technical guidance to maintenance and production colleagues.
• Maintain accurate control system documentation including current program backups, revision history, and as-built electrical drawings.
• Support root cause analysis on recurring faults, using historical data, alarm logs, and trend information to distinguish genuine control issues from mechanical or process problems.

Benefits

• Six-month contract engagement
• Extension or conversion may be possible
• Work with a range of automation platforms and equipment
• Build a highly transferable automation skill set
• Support throughout the assignment from onboarding to end-of-contract planning
• Actively look for the next opportunity for people who deliver well
• Many contract placements lead to extensions, repeat assignments, or permanent conversion
• Equal opportunity employer

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Associate degree