Controls & Automation Systems Engineer

Sai Kumar Gandi

+ United States # ********************@*****.*** 203-***-**** ï LinkedIn

Professional Summary

• Controls, Automation, and Systems Engineer with 4+ years of hands-on experience supporting PLC-based automation, manufacturing equipment, facility controls, and high-availability operational environments.

• Strong experience in PLC programming, troubleshooting, commissioning, and production support using Siemens TIA Portal, Allen-Bradley Studio 5000, RSLogix 5000, FactoryTalk View, Siemens WinCC, and Wonderware InTouch.

• Hands-on experience supporting conveyors, sortation systems, motors, VFDs, motor starters, pumps, sensors, actuators, pneumatic devices, control panels, and automated industrial equipment.

• Experienced in troubleshooting control systems including 480V 3-phase power, 110VAC circuits, 24VDC control power, digital and analog I/O, field wiring, relays, fuses, contactors, and device-level faults.

• Practical experience working with conveyor field devices including photo eyes, proximity sensors, limit switches, reflectors, encoders, scanners, safety switches, and other input/output devices used in automated material handling systems.

• Strong background in control logic, equipment sequencing, interlocks, permissives, alarms, fail-safe logic, startup routines, shutdown routines, and fault recovery logic to support safe and reliable operations.

• Proficient with industrial communication protocols including EtherNet/IP, Modbus TCP/IP, Modbus RTU, BACnet/IP, BACnet MSTP, and basic exposure to Profinet-based automation environments.

• Experienced in HMI and SCADA support including alarm review, trend analysis, equipment status monitoring, operator screens, KPI visibility, and real-time fault diagnosis.

• Hands-on experience with HVAC, utility, and facility control systems including AHUs, VAVs, chillers, boilers, cooling towers, exhaust systems, pumps, dampers, valves, and related instrumentation.

• Skilled in commissioning and validation activities including point-to-point checkout, I/O validation, loop checks, functional testing, alarm testing, sequence verification, startup support, and post-commissioning troubleshooting.

• Familiar with electrical drawings, wiring diagrams, panel layouts, I/O lists, control narratives, sequences of operation, and as-built documentation used for troubleshooting, upgrades, and system handover.

• Familiar with industrial electrical safety practices including QEW electrical safety training, NFPA 70, NFPA 70E awareness, OSHA-based electrical safety practices, LOTO, arc flash awareness, and safe troubleshooting methods. Technical Skills

PLC Platforms: Siemens S7-300/400/1200/1500, Allen-Bradley ControlLogix, CompactLogix BMS / SCADA: Wonderware InTouch, Siemens WinCC, FactoryTalk View SE HVAC Systems: Air Handling Units (AHUs), VAV Boxes, Chillers, Boilers, Cooling Towers, Exhaust Systems Communication Protocols: BACnet/IP, BACnet MSTP, Modbus TCP/IP, Modbus RTU, EtherNet/IP Field Devices: VFDs, Temperature Sensors, Pressure Sensors, Flow Sensors, Dampers, Control Valves Engineering Tools: Siemens TIA Portal, Studio 5000, RSLogix 5000 Commissioning & Testing: Point-to-point checkout, Loop tuning, FAT, SAT, Field commissioning Data & Databases: SQL, Basic data analysis, Trend reporting, Historian data review Operating Systems: Windows, Linux, Python Basics

Education

Sacred Heart University, USA August 2023 – Dec 2024 Master of Science in Computer Science

Relevant Coursework: Advanced Computer Networking, Distributed Systems, Data Analytics, Object-Oriented Programming, Artificial Intelligence

Bapatla Engineering College, India Jun 2017 – May 2021 Bachelor of Technology in Electronics and Communication Engineering Relevant Coursework: Control Systems, Industrial Automation, Embedded Systems, Microprocessors and Microcontrollers, Digital Electronics, Signals and Systems, Electrical Machines, PLC Fundamentals, Sensors and Instrumentation Professional Experience

Ford, Chicago, USA Feb 2025 – Present

Role: Controls Systems Engineer

• Supported controls and automation systems for HVAC, utilities, and facility equipment in a regulated manufacturing environment, ensuring reliable operation of critical plant systems and stable environmental conditions across production areas.

• Performed day-to-day support for AHUs, exhaust systems, make-up air units, chilled water systems, pumps, dampers, valves, and associated field devices used in facility and process-support applications.

• Modified and troubleshot PLC logic using Siemens TIA Portal and Allen-Bradley Studio 5000 to resolve issues related to equipment sequencing, interlocks, alarms, sensor failures, and process deviations.

• Supported control system integration between PLCs, field controllers, and supervisory platforms using BACnet/IP, BACnet MSTP, Modbus TCP/IP, Modbus RTU, and EtherNet/IP, including diagnosis of communication faults and controller-level issues.

• Developed and refined control logic for startup and shutdown sequences, fail-safe behavior, alarm handling, permissives, and interlocks to improve system reliability, maintainability, and safe equipment operation.

• Maintained and updated HMI and SCADA graphics, alarms, trends, and operator-facing views using Wonderware InTouch, Siemens WinCC, and FactoryTalk View SE to improve operator visibility and troubleshooting efficiency.

• Executed commissioning and validation activities including point-to-point checkout, I/O validation, loop checks, functional testing, sequence verification, and startup support for new installations and control system modifications.

• Performed root cause analysis on recurring control and HVAC issues by reviewing alarm history, trend data, control narratives, and field conditions, then implemented corrective logic updates and tuning improvements.

• Supported field troubleshooting of instrumentation and control devices including temperature, pressure, and flow sensors, VFDs, actuators, dampers, control valves, and digital and analog I/O modules.

• Reviewed sequences of operation, control drawings, panel layouts, wiring diagrams, and as-built documentation to validate field implementation and support troubleshooting, upgrades, and equipment replacements.

• Coordinated with facilities, maintenance, mechanical, electrical, validation, and vendor teams to plan outages, resolve controls-related issues, and execute system changes with minimal impact to operations.

• Participated in FAT and SAT activities for controls and HVAC-related projects, verifying PLC logic, alarms, interlocks, graphics, and overall system behavior prior to deployment in live environments. Cognizant, Hyderabad, India Dec 2020 – June 2023

Role: Systems Engineer

• Supported controls and automation systems for data center facilities, focusing on PLC-based control, monitoring, and optimization of HVAC and critical infrastructure systems in high-availability environments.

• Programmed, modified, and troubleshot PLC logic using Siemens platforms to support operation of AHUs, CRAH/CRAC units, chilled water systems, pumps, exhaust systems, and associated utility equipment.

• Developed and validated control logic for equipment sequencing, interlocks, alarm conditions, permissives, fail-safe behavior, and redundancy strategies to meet uptime, reliability, and operational requirements.

• Supported BMS integration and supervisory monitoring using Wonderware InTouch and Siemens WinCC for real-time system visibility, alarm management, trend analysis, and operator support.

• Integrated field devices, PLCs, and supervisory systems using BACnet/IP, BACnet MSTP, Modbus RTU, and Modbus TCP/IP, and resolved controller communication faults, device-level issues, and network-related integration problems.

• Executed commissioning and startup activities including point-to-point checkout, I/O validation, loop checks, functional testing, loop tuning, and redundancy validation for new installations and system upgrades.

• Participated in FAT and SAT activities, verifying PLC logic, control sequences, alarms, graphics, and system behavior against design intent and operational requirements.

• Troubleshot PLC logic issues, field wiring faults, controller failures, sensor deviations, and communication drops to support stable operation of live HVAC and utility systems in mission-critical facilities.

• Reviewed sequences of operation, schematic diagrams, control drawings, wiring diagrams, panel layouts, and as-built documentation to support troubleshooting, commissioning, and controls modifications.

• Coordinated with mechanical, electrical, facilities, and vendor teams during testing, commissioning, and handover activities to ensure smooth transition into operations.

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