Controls & Automation Engineer

Role name: Controls & Automation Engineer
Work Location: Richmond, VA (Onsite) Hopkinsville, KY or Clarksville, TN (Onsite)
Start date: Immediate availability.
Job Type: Contract
Interview: Phone/Video.

Position Overview
We are seeking an experienced and detail-oriented Controls Engineer to design, develop, implement, and maintain industrial automation and OT connectivity solutions. In this role, you will be primarily responsible for programming and commissioning Rockwell Automation (Allen-Bradley) control platforms, as well as configuring and managing PTC Kepware (KEPServer/EX) middleware to ensure seamless data communication between shop-floor control devices, SCADA, MES, and enterprise systems.

Key Responsibilities
PLC / HMI / SCADA Programming & Commissioning
Design, develop, test, and deploy PLC logic using Studio 5000 / RSLogix 5000 / 500 for ControlLogix, CompactLogix, and GuardLogix platforms.
Design and configure operator interfaces using FactoryTalk View ME/SE and integrate motion control systems (e.g., PowerFlex VFDs, Kinetix servo drives).
Perform on-site system commissioning, start-up, loop tuning, and functional testing.
Industrial Connectivity & Middleware (Kepware)
Configure and maintain PTC KEPServer/EX for real-time OT data acquisition, device bridging, and protocol conversion across disparate manufacturing assets.
Implement and troubleshoot OPC DA, OPC UA, MQTT, REST, and IoT Gateway plugins within Kepware to pass telemetry to SCADA, MES, Historian, or Cloud platforms.
Manage device drivers, tag addressing, channel optimization, and security certificates within KEPServer/EX.
Industrial Networking & OT Architecture
Configure and troubleshoot industrial communication protocols (EtherNet/IP, CIP, Modbus TCP/RTU, Profinet).
Collaborate with IT/OT teams to implement managed industrial switches (e.g., Cisco, Stratix), VLAN segmentation, NAT routers, and network diagnostics.
Troubleshooting, Maintenance & Compliance
Perform root-cause analysis on hardware, logic, and communication failures to minimize operational downtime.
Maintain comprehensive engineering documentation: electrical schematics, P&IDs, I/O lists, network architecture diagrams, and Functional Design Specifications (FDS).
Ensure all systems adhere to machine safety standards (ISO 13849, IEC 62061 / 61508) and cybersecurity best practices (ISA/IEC 62443).