Industrial PLC and Safety Controls Engineer

AMAX•Fremont, CA

23d•$90,000 - $110,000

About The Position

Design, build, program, and validate industrial electrical control and safety systems, including PLCs, safety relays, contactors, and power distribution components. The position includes implementing Safety Integrity Level 3 (SIL 3) safety functions and developing, programming, and testing microcontroller-based printed circuit boards (PCBs). The engineer designs PLC-based control and functional safety circuits, develops electrical schematics and control panel layouts, selects and integrates electrical components, and programs PLCs and safety PLCs. The role also involves building, wiring, troubleshooting, and commissioning control panels; designing and assembling PCB prototypes; developing embedded firmware and communication interfaces; and carrying out functional and safety testing. The engineer documents designs, test procedures, and results and ensures compliance with applicable industry standards. AMAX describes itself as a globally recognized provider of GPU-accelerated IT infrastructure, serving sectors including AI, cloud computing, autonomous vehicles, and high-performance computing. The position is based at AMAX’s location between I-680 and I-880, with nearby BART and bus access. The stated annual salary range is $90,000 to $110,000.

Requirements

Degree in Electrical Engineering, Automation Engineering, or equivalent practical experience.
Hands-on experience with industrial PLC programming, electrical control panel design, assembly, and commissioning.
Demonstrated knowledge and implementation experience with SIL 3 safety requirements, including safety architectures, diagnostics, verification, and validation.
Strong understanding of electrical safety circuits, power switching, contactor monitoring, interlocks, and emergency-stop systems.
Experience with industrial automation platforms such as Siemens, Allen-Bradley, or Beckhoff.
Proficiency in electrical CAD tools such as EPLAN or AutoCAD Electrical, and familiarity with PCB design tools such as Altium Designer or KiCad.
Practical experience with microcontroller-based circuit design, PCB prototyping, embedded programming in C/C++, and I²C and SPI communication.
Proficiency with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, multimeters, and other electrical test equipment.
Ability to independently design, assemble, program, troubleshoot, and validate industrial control systems and embedded electronics.

Responsibilities

Design industrial PLC-based control and functional safety circuits, including safety functions meeting SIL 3 requirements.
Develop electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, and control panel layouts.
Select and integrate electrical components, including contactors, relays, circuit breakers, power supplies, and safety devices.
Program and configure PLCs and safety PLCs, including interlocks, emergency-stop functions, diagnostics, and fault handling.
Build, wire, troubleshoot, and commission electrical control panels.
Develop schematics and PCB layouts for microcontroller-based control, monitoring, and interface applications.
Assemble and bring up PCB prototypes, perform hardware debugging, and verify circuit performance.
Develop and test embedded firmware and communication interfaces, including I²C and SPI.
Perform functional testing, fault-response testing, and safety validation; document designs, test procedures, and results.
Ensure compliance with applicable standards, including IEC 60204-1, ISO 13849, IEC 62061, and NFPA 79.