Principal Controls Engineer

Design Hire LLC • Indianapolis, IN

1d • $135,000 - $185,000

About The Position

The Principal Controls Engineer will help establish the technical foundation of the Controls & Automation group by building standardized engineering resources and repeatable workflows that strengthen team performance. The role offers the opportunity to shape technical direction, improve engineering consistency, and mentor a team delivering automation solutions for complex manufacturing and industrial operations.

The position leads development of Rockwell/Allen-Bradley PLC control solutions, AutoCAD Electrical standards and shared design resources, PLC programming standards and controls architecture, FactoryTalk View/HMI applications, and industrial networking and system integration. It also directs PLC testing, commissioning, and troubleshooting while establishing technical standards, documenting best practices, standardizing workflows, and training engineers to implement systems and libraries consistently.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Automation Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in controls engineering, industrial automation, and PLC-based system development.
• Demonstrated experience creating controls standards, shared libraries, and engineering workflows from scratch.
• Advanced proficiency with AutoCAD Electrical, including creating and organizing standardized design resources.
• Extensive hands-on experience with Allen-Bradley hardware, Rockwell automation platforms, and Studio 5000 Logix Designer.
• Strong knowledge of PLC architecture, reusable programming methods, HMI development, and industrial communication systems.
• Proven ability to mentor engineers, deliver technical training, and drive consistent implementation of engineering standards across a team.
• Experience providing technical leadership, resolving complex automation challenges, and improving control-system reliability and maintainability.

Responsibilities

• Lead Rockwell/Allen-Bradley PLC programming using Studio 5000 Logix Designer to develop reliable controls for industrial equipment and automated systems.
• Build and maintain AutoCAD Electrical standards and shared resources, including standardized symbols, templates, electrical schematics, and panel design documentation.
• Establish PLC programming standards and controls architecture, including developing Add-On Instructions (AOIs) and reusable programming libraries.
• Develop FactoryTalk View/HMI applications and lead industrial networking and system integration to support communications between control systems, equipment, and operator interfaces.
• Direct PLC testing, commissioning, and troubleshooting.
• Develop technical standards, standardize engineering workflows, document best practices, and train engineers to implement systems and libraries consistently.
• Mentor engineers, provide technical leadership, resolve complex automation challenges, and improve the reliability and maintainability of control systems.

What This Job Offers

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