Sr. Controls Engineer
Vulcan ElementsResearch Triangle Park, North Carolina, United States · Posted 28 days agoDescription
Vulcan Elements is manufacturing American rare-earth permanent magnets for a secure, resilient future. With a focus on national security and economic resiliency, we serve critical industries such as defense, aerospace, and automotive powering a high-technology future. Vulcan Elements is building a team of ambitious professionals committed to Mission Focus, Technical Excellence, and Transparency.
As the Senior Controls Engineer you will lead the controls and software integration for a massive 1 million square foot manufacturing facility expansion. You will be responsible for technical leadership of a team of controls engineers, establishing site-wide automation standards, and owning the hardware/software interface of all production and material handling equipment. This is a high-impact, high-ownership leadership role requiring deep technical expertise in industrial automation. Domestic and international travel to OEM facilities up to ~20% during test campaigns.
Responsibilities
- Lead hands-on programming, debugging, and commissioning of Siemens and Allen Bradley/Rockwell PLCs and HMIs for new and existing automation equipment.
- Develop, modify, and maintain PLC code structures, HMI screens, safety circuits, device mapping, and networking configurations to ensure robust and standardized automation performance across all equipment.
- Own and evolve the site controls standard: code architecture, state machines, alarm and HMI conventions. Author the controls specification issued with every OEM equipment package and build the templates and code libraries that let area engineers and integrators execute consistently.
- Own the ISA-88 physical and procedural models; execute the batch-engine placement study (PLC-resident vs. supervisory vs. MES-driven), decision, and implementation.
- Define safety PLC and functional safety conventions (ISO 13849 performance levels, SIL-rated loops) with EHS and equipment vendors.
- Support the integration and commissioning of robotics, vision systems, AGVs, conveyors, and motion control systems—including servos and VFDs - to enable seamless material flow and high reliability production operations.
- Configure and maintain communications between PLCs/HMIs and higher level systems (SCADA). Own the controller-side data interface - exposed tags, handshakes, and the phase-logic contract - to the supervisory layers
- Review vendor electrical schematics, controls architectures, and PLC/HMI logic. Hold code review and acceptance authority for all delivered OEM PLC code. Support Factory Acceptance Tests (FATs) and Site Acceptance Tests (SATs) to ensure full compliance with functional and safety requirements.
- Serve as a senior-level escalation point for diagnosing complex automation issues involving networks, motion systems, instrumentation, and industrial communication protocols.
- Analyze OEE, downtime data, and SCADA/MES insights to identify and implement automation improvements that increase throughput, safety, and reliability.
- PLC code architecture, HMI screens, vision inspection programs, tag databases, MES/SCADA transaction lists, network IP lists, password inventories, and system backups.
- Controls risk assessments, interlock/guarding logic, and safety rated PFMEA inputs.
- Controls layouts, network topology layouts, station cycle times, sequence diagrams, and automation simulations.
- Electrical schematics, pneumatic drawings, controls panel layouts, and industrial network architecture.
- Controls standard revisions, OEM controls specifications, code library and template releases, and the batch-engine placement study.
Responsibilities and tasks outlined are not exhaustive and may change as determined by the needs of the business
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s or Masters degree in electrical engineering, Automation Engineering, Mechatronics, or related field with 8+ years of direct industrial automation and controls engineering experience.
- Strong hands on experience programming and commissioning Siemens and Allen Bradley/Rockwell PLCs and HMIs.
- Demonstrated authorship of controls standards, specifications, or code libraries used by other engineers and vendors. ISA-88 batch control: physical and procedural models, phase logic design, equipment/recipe separation.
- Deep understanding of servos, VFDs, highspeed conveyors, robotic cells, and automated material handling systems.
- Safety PLC programming competence and ISO 13849 / IEC 62061 interlock design judgment with the discipline to accept, reject, and defend decisions to OEMs with varying standards.
- Proficiency with Ethernet/IP, Profinet, EtherCAT, OPCUA, Modbus, serial, and similar industrial communication standards.
Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export-controlled information or facilities
Preferred Skills
- Working experience with multi - axis robotic systems (Fanuc, Kuka, ABB) and machine vision platforms (Cognex, Keyence)
- Experience in heavy industrial, greenfield, chemical, or metallurgical manufacturing environments.
- Experience developing SCADA applications in Ignition, FactoryTalk, Wonderware, or similar platforms.
- AGV infrastructure design and integration experience
- Familiarity with Python, C++, or other high level languages for automation or data analytics.
- Experience in regulated industries such as Defense, Aerospace, or Automotive and/or Batch/Hybrid processes (chemicals, materials, metals, pharma)
Physical and Environmental Requirements
The position requires regular presence on the production floor and the ability to navigate all areas of the facility. Candidates must be able to climb stairs, stand and walk for extended periods, and work in environments that may be hot, humid, or noisy. The role also requires the use of personal protective equipment, including respirators, and adherence to all applicable safety policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements. Employees must be able to complete required fit testing, wear appropriate PPE for the duration of assigned tasks, and respond safely to changing conditions within the production environment.
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