Senior Industrial Automation & Controls Engineer

Voyager Technologies • Pueblo, CO

5d • Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Industrial Automation & Controls Engineer works onsite in Pueblo, Colorado, supporting solid rocket motor production and energetic materials manufacturing at Voyager Energetics. The role designs, deploys, maintains, and continuously improves automation and controls systems, while serving as a technical anchor and mentor with a growth path toward leading the automation and controls group. It involves PLC and robotic systems, electrical design and construction, plant networking, data acquisition, HMI/SCADA, and process optimization. The engineer collaborates with Manufacturing, Manufacturing Development, Safety, and Compliance teams across research and development and production programs, and applies Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma methods to improve safety, quality, reliability, cost, and throughput.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related engineering discipline and 7 years of industrial automation and controls experience; or a relevant master’s degree and 5 years of experience; or 11 years of hands-on automation and controls experience in lieu of a degree.
• Extensive, platform-agnostic proficiency in PLC programming, troubleshooting, and optimization across multiple vendor platforms.
• Proven experience designing and integrating robotic systems into manufacturing environments, including robotic work cells, end-of-arm tooling, safety systems, and motion control.
• Working knowledge of machine-learning applications in manufacturing, such as vision-based inspection, predictive maintenance, or adaptive process control.
• Hands-on experience building electrical cabinets, running field wiring, and creating and maintaining electrical schematics, documentation, and bills of materials.
• Ability to solve complex problems from first principles with minimal supervision, independently and as a team member in a fast-paced startup environment.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills and ability to explain technical concepts to cross-functional stakeholders.
• Commitment to safety and ability to work within rigorous regulatory environments, including OSHA, ITAR, and hazardous or energetic materials standards.
• Ability to travel up to 10%, including possible overnight trips within the continental United States.
• Ability to lift, move, or carry items or equipment weighing up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to stand, walk, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, and crouch in a manufacturing environment, and to use required personal protective equipment.
• Must meet eligibility requirements to obtain and maintain applicable state and federal explosives licenses, including minimum age of 21, drug-free workplace requirements, and successful completion of legally required background investigations.
• Must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain required U.S. Department of State authorizations for compliance with ITAR.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with energetic materials, explosives, or other hazardous manufacturing environments, including C1D1/C2D1 or equivalent.
• Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma certification (Green or Black Belt) and demonstrated application in automated production environments.
• Experience with Codesys-based PLC platforms such as Beckhoff, Beijer, or Wago, and ABB, Yaskawa, or Fanuc robot platforms.

Responsibilities

• Design, program, commission, maintain, optimize, and troubleshoot PLC-based control systems and robotic integration across multiple hardware platforms.
• Evaluate, select, and deploy automation solutions, including robotic work cells, machine vision systems, and machine-learning-driven process optimization.
• Design electrical systems compliant with NEC and UL508A requirements, including systems for C1D1/C2D1 hazardous environments.
• Build electrical cabinets and install field wiring to production standards.
• Design plant networking architecture connecting sensors, valves, PLCs, and control room systems using analog 4–20 mA and Ethernet protocols; implement data acquisition and remote access functionality.
• Design HMI/SCADA screens and systems focused on operator simplicity, readability, and troubleshooting feedback.
• Create and maintain schematics, documentation, and bills of materials for electrical and control systems.
• Collaborate with Manufacturing, Manufacturing Development, Safety, and Compliance teams to apply automation and controls best practices throughout the product lifecycle.
• Apply Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies to improve safety, quality, reliability, cost, and throughput in automated production environments.
• Mentor and guide junior engineers and technicians in controls programming, electrical design, troubleshooting, and automation best practices.

Benefits

• Flexible Time Off (FTO).
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and their families, with a significant portion of premiums covered by the company and many benefits paid at 100% for employees.
• Flexible, affordable gym memberships with access to more than 12,700 options nationwide, plus on-demand workout videos.
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match of up to 4%.
• Company wellness programs supporting physical and mental well-being.
• Additional voluntary benefits and employee support resources.
• Opportunity to work alongside a talented team in an innovative, mission-driven environment.

What This Job Offers

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