Junior Controls Engineer

Ralliant • Village of Fairport, NY

31d • Onsite

About The Position

As a Junior Controls Engineer, you will support the design, implementation, maintenance, and continuous improvement of manufacturing automation and control systems. Working closely with experienced engineers, manufacturing teams, and the Smart Factory Data Engineer, you will help connect production equipment to Qualitrol's digital manufacturing ecosystem. This role plays a key part in enabling reliable machine connectivity, data acquisition, and operational improvements that support our Industry 4.0 and Smart Factory initiatives.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Electromechanical Engineering, Controls Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 3+ years of experience in controls engineering, industrial automation, and manufacturing control systems.
• Strong experience designing, programming, commissioning, and troubleshooting PLC platforms such as Allen-Bradley/Rockwell, Siemens, Schneider Electric, or Mitsubishi.
• Experience developing and supporting HMI and SCADA systems including FactoryTalk View, Ignition, WinCC, Wonderware, or equivalent platforms.
• Strong knowledge of industrial communication protocols including Ethernet/IP, Profinet, Modbus TCP, DeviceNet, OPC UA, and related industrial networking technologies.
• Experience with variable frequency drives (VFDs), servo systems, motion control, robotics, machine vision, and automated manufacturing equipment.
• Ability to read, interpret, and develop electrical schematics, control panel drawings, wiring diagrams, and P&IDs.
• Demonstrated expertise in troubleshooting complex automation systems using structured root cause analysis and implementing sustainable corrective actions.
• Experience leading automation and capital improvement projects while collaborating with Manufacturing, Quality, Operations, Maintenance, and Engineering teams.
• Working knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, continuous improvement methodologies, and manufacturing performance metrics such as OEE.

Nice To Haves

• Experience utilizing Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to improve engineering productivity, troubleshooting, documentation, programming assistance, and process optimization.
• Demonstrated willingness to continuously learn and adopt emerging AI technologies to enhance manufacturing, automation, and engineering processes.
• Basic understanding of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) concepts connected manufacturing architectures, and Smart Factory initiatives.
• Familiarity with manufacturing data collection systems, industrial historians, and production data analytics.
• Exposure to industrial data connectivity technologies including OPC UA, MQTT, and industrial edge gateways.
• Experience supporting manufacturing dashboards, KPI reporting, or production analytics is preferred.
• Familiarity with Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), ERP systems, SQL databases, or manufacturing data platforms is preferred.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with Software Engineering, IT, Data Engineering, and Digital Manufacturing teams to support factory automation and digital transformation initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Configure PLCs, HMIs, SCADA systems, sensors, and industrial devices to provide reliable operational data to manufacturing information systems.
• Collaborate with the Smart Factory Data Engineer to enable secure connectivity between shop-floor equipment, Industrial IoT platforms, MES systems, and cloud-based analytics solutions.
• Support implementation of industrial communication protocols including OPC-UA, MQTT, Ethernet/IP, and Modbus to improve equipment connectivity and data availability.
• Assist in validating manufacturing data quality, equipment signals, and production event data used for dashboards, reporting, and operational analytics.
• Participate in Smart Factory and Industry 4.0 initiatives by supporting connected manufacturing technologies, edge devices, and digital production systems.
• Work with Operations, Quality, and IT to improve equipment performance, data visibility, and manufacturing efficiency through automation.
• Analyze equipment and process performance data while partnering with the Smart Factory Data Engineer to improve manufacturing visibility, operational analytics, equipment utilization, OEE, and continuous improvement initiatives.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level