Controls Engineer

Controls Engineer

Job Title: Controls Engineer - Production Support

Location: Columbus, Ohio

Employment Type: Full-Time

Experience: 3-8 Years

Position Overview: We are seeking an experienced Controls Engineer to join our Production Support team supporting critical manufacturing operations. The ideal candidate will possess hands-on experience with Siemens automation platforms including PLC and NC systems, with strong troubleshooting and support capabilities in a production environment.

Key Responsibilities

Production Support & Troubleshooting

Provide day-to-day production support for Siemens PLC and NC-controlled manufacturing equipment.

Diagnose and resolve automation, controls, and machine-related issues impacting production.

Perform root cause analysis (RCA) for recurring system, machine, and process failures.

Work closely with manufacturing and maintenance teams to minimize equipment downtime.

Troubleshoot field devices, drives, motors, HMI systems, sensors, communication networks, and machine interfaces.

Siemens PLC Programming & Support

Support, modify, troubleshoot, and optimize Siemens PLC applications.

Work on Siemens S7-based control systems including S7-300, S7-400, S7-1200, and S7-1500.

Analyze PLC logic and implement approved modifications.

Support machine commissioning, upgrades, and control system enhancements.

Siemens NC Systems Support

Support Siemens CNC/NC platforms used in manufacturing operations.

Troubleshoot NC program execution issues, machine communication problems, and control system errors.

Work with machine builders and maintenance teams to optimize machine performance.

Support machine parameterization, diagnostics, and recovery activities.

Engineering Tool Support

Utilize Siemens Step7 and TIA Portal for program troubleshooting, online diagnostics, program backups and restores, software modifications, and hardware configuration.

Maintain PLC source code repositories and version control practices.

Continuous Improvement

Identify opportunities for automation improvements.

Support productivity, quality, and OEE improvement initiatives.

Participate in machine modernization and upgrade projects.

Recommend improvement opportunities to improve reliability and maintainability.

Documentation & Compliance

Maintain technical documentation including PLC backups, functional specifications, network diagrams, change records, and troubleshooting guides.

Support change management and validation activities where.

Ensure compliance with plant safety standards and engineering procedures.

Cross Functional Collaboration

Work closely with Operations, Maintenance, Manufacturing Engineers, Quality Teams, OEM Vendors, and IT/OT Support Teams.

Participate in on-call support and emergency troubleshooting when.

Technical Skills

Minimum 3+ years of hands-on experience in industrial controls engineering. Strong experience with Siemens PLC systems. Practical experience with Siemens NC/CNC controls. Hands-on experience using Siemens Step7 and TIA Portal. PLC troubleshooting and logic modification experience. Understanding of industrial automation architectures. Experience supporting manufacturing equipment in a production environment. Knowledge of industrial communication protocols such as Profinet, Profibus, Ethernet/IP, OPC UA, and Modbus TCP.

Preferred Skills

Experience in automotive, packaging, consumer products, metal processing, or industrial manufacturing industries. Experience with Siemens SINUMERIK controls. Exposure to SCADA systems. Knowledge of Industrial IoT and Industry 4.0 initiatives. Basic understanding of SQL databases. Experience with MES integrations. Familiarity with OT cybersecurity concepts.

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, Automation Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related Engineering Discipline.

Competencies

Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills. Excellent problem-solving mindset. Ability to perform under production-critical situations. Strong verbal and written communication skills. Ability to work collaboratively across functions. Customer-focused and result-oriented approach. Ability to prioritize multiple activities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Candidate Profile Summary: The ideal candidate is a hands-on Controls Engineer who has supported Siemens PLC and NC systems in live manufacturing operations, possesses strong troubleshooting capabilities in Step7 and TIA Portal environments, and can quickly resolve production issues while contributing to operational excellence and continuous improvement initiatives.