Field Controls Engineer
About The Position
We are seeking a Field Controls Engineer to join our team, focusing on deploying AI-powered quality control systems for manufacturing. This role involves hands-on field work, including hardware installation, PLC integration, real-time troubleshooting, and ensuring the reliable operation of vision systems on production lines. You will own the technical execution from configuration to production validation, working directly with customers, their maintenance teams, and production engineers. This position requires significant travel (60-80%) to manufacturing facilities, where you will spend weeks on-site, operating under downtime pressure and solving problems within real manufacturing constraints. This is a field-heavy, highly technical role with high ownership, ideal for those who want to work in manufacturing, get hands-on with hardware and PLCs, and directly impact production operations.
Requirements
- 2+ years working directly with PLC systems (Allen Bradley, Siemens, GE Automation, or similar)
- Experience configuring I/O, programming logic, and troubleshooting connectivity
- Comfortable reading PLC documentation and understanding ladder logic or structured text
- Hands-on experience integrating systems with production equipment
- Experience installing, configuring, or integrating hardware on production lines
- Understanding of how to work with existing controls without breaking them
- Ability to troubleshoot electrical and hardware issues on-site
- Comfortable with a multimeter, oscilloscope, or continuity tester
- Understanding of basic electrical concepts (voltage, current, signal integrity)
- Experience diagnosing and fixing real-world hardware problems
- Experience in live production environments (manufacturing floors—assembly, packaging, machining, automotive, food processing, etc.)
- Understanding of downtime pressure and the reality of production constraints
- Willingness to travel 60–80% to customer manufacturing facilities
- Comfortable being on-site for weeks at a time
- Ability to work with customer shift schedules and production priorities
- Desire to be on-site where the equipment is, not remote
Nice To Haves
- Experience with vision systems or cameras in manufacturing (including setup, focus, lighting)
- Familiarity with industrial communication protocols (Ethernet, Profibus, Modbus, serial)
- Experience training operators and engineers on new systems
- Comfort working independently and making technical decisions in the field
- Track record of owning technical projects from start to finish
- Background in plant engineering, maintenance, or manufacturing support
- Experience with specific platforms: Allen Bradley CompactLogix/ControlLogix, Siemens S7-1200/S7-1500
- Exposure to industrial networking or controls system security
Responsibilities
- Install and Integrate Vision Systems with PLC Platforms
- Physically install Overview cameras and lighting on production lines
- Configure systems to work with existing PLCs (Allen Bradley, Siemens, GE, Beckhoff)
- Map I/O, set up communication protocols, and validate connectivity
- Work directly with customer engineers and maintenance teams to coordinate integration around production schedules
- Troubleshoot Hardware, Electrical, and Integration Issues On-Site
- Diagnose problems in real production environments: connector issues, electrical continuity, signal timing, encoder feedback, I/O mapping
- Work with oscilloscopes, multimeters, network analyzers—and with your hands
- Collaborate with plant electricians and equipment technicians when needed
- Solve problems under the constraint of live production (no long redeploys, no taking systems offline without customer approval)
- Ensure Systems Meet Production Requirements
- Validate system performance on actual production lines (speed, accuracy, reliability)
- Tune systems for real-world constraints: lighting conditions, equipment vibration, material variations
- Document configuration and create setup guides for customer teams
- Train operators and engineers on system operation and basic troubleshooting
- Support Customers Through Deployments
- Be the technical point of contact during installation and ramp-up
- Provide ongoing support during the first weeks of production operation
- Respond to technical issues and help customers troubleshoot independently over time
- Feed back real-world constraints and issues to the product team
Benefits
- Competitive compensation + equity (startup scaling trajectory)
- Hardware and tools: You'll have what you need to do the job
- Training on our systems before your first deployment
- Clear runbooks and technical documentation
- Direct support from our engineering team when you hit complex issues
- A team that understands manufacturing realities and respects the work you do
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Education Level
No Education Listed
