Job Description

Controls Engineer – Automated Equipment (Motion & Servo)

Location: Northern Twin Cities Metro, MN (On-site)
Industry: Custom Automation / Industrial Machine Building
Travel: 15–20% (primarily domestic, possible international in the future)

About the Opportunity

Our client is an established machine builder with more than 30 years of experience designing and manufacturing automated equipment for the building products industry. Their machines range from single stand-alone stations to complete turnkey production lines, including high-speed automated systems and robotic work cells. Several of their designs are patented, and customers rely on the equipment to boost output, accuracy, and ergonomics on the production floor.

They're looking for a seasoned Controls Engineer to take projects from concept through installation. The ideal candidate comes from a manufacturing background and has deep hands-on experience with motion control and servo programming. You'll design the control systems, program the machines, debug them in-house, and travel to customer plants to bring them online.

What You'll Do

Design the Control System

• Create electrical and pneumatic designs for custom automated machinery, following company standards and customer build specifications.
• Select and specify control components, and produce complete documentation for each system.
• Design control panels to UL 508A requirements.
• Engineer safety circuits, program safety PLCs, and conduct risk assessments to choose and implement the right safety devices.

Program and Debug

• Write and troubleshoot PLC, HMI, motion, and servo programs for high-speed production equipment.
• Integrate robots, servo-driven axes, pneumatics, and hydraulics into complete machine control solutions.
• Debug equipment in-house and prepare machines for customer run-off and acceptance.

Install and Start Up

• Travel to customer manufacturing plants to install, commission, and start up equipment.
• Support customers through final acceptance so machines are production-ready.

What You Bring

• 10+ years of experience designing and programming control systems for automated equipment.
• A manufacturing background, ideally with machine builders, OEMs, or integrators.
• Strong hands-on experience with motion control and servo programming.
• Proficiency with Allen-Bradley platforms, including Studio 5000, RSLogix 500, and FactoryTalk View.
• Experience with PLCs, HMIs, robotics, pneumatics, and hydraulics.
• Proficiency in AutoCAD for electrical design.
• Experience with safety PLCs and machine risk assessment.
• Willingness to travel 15–20% for installations and startups.

Nice to Have

• Associate degree or higher in electrical engineering, automation, or a related field.
• Experience with UL 508A panel design and certification.
• Background with high-speed production lines or robotic work cells.
• Prior international installation experience.

Why This Role

• Full ownership of projects from concept to installation.
• Work on innovative, high-speed equipment, including patented machine designs.
• A compressed schedule with a shortened Friday.