PPS is seeking an experienced Controls Engineering Manager to lead its controls and automation function. This is a hands-on leadership opportunity for an experienced controls professional who can manage a technical team while also providing expertise in PLCs, HMI/SCADA, industrial networks, instrumentation, and automated piping/process systems.
The ideal candidate will bring a strong background in industrial controls, electrical systems, and automation, along with the leadership skills needed to manage engineers, technicians, programmers, contractors, and vendors.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead, mentor, schedule, and develop a team of controls engineers, automation technicians, and programmers.
- Oversee the design, programming, integration, commissioning, and maintenance of PLC, HMI, SCADA, and control systems.
- Support automated piping, fluid-handling, and process systems , ensuring reliable operation and system performance.
- Provide technical leadership for new system installations, upgrades, retrofits, and modernization of legacy control systems.
- Troubleshoot complex controls, electrical, instrumentation, and industrial-network issues while minimizing equipment downtime.
- Develop and maintain controls standards, programming practices, documentation, electrical schematics, and system architectures.
- Partner with operations, maintenance, engineering, project management, and field teams to resolve technical issues and improve system reliability.
- Manage controls-related projects, including scope development, budgeting, estimating, scheduling, procurement, and commissioning.
- Coordinate contractors, integrators, equipment suppliers, and other external vendors.
- Ensure control-system designs and installations comply with applicable UL, NFPA, OSHA, electrical, and industrial safety requirements .
- Participate in critical troubleshooting and provide technical direction during system failures and production-impacting events.
- Identify opportunities to improve automation, reliability, efficiency, maintainability, and overall system performance.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Industrial Automation, or a related technical discipline .
- 5–8+ years of controls/automation engineering experience , with at least 2–5 years in a supervisory or management capacity .
- Strong hands-on experience with PLC programming and industrial automation systems.
- Experience with platforms such as Allen-Bradley/Rockwell, Siemens, or DeltaV .
- Experience developing or supporting HMI and SCADA systems .
- Working knowledge of industrial communication networks, including Ethernet/EtherNet/IP, Modbus , or similar protocols.
- Ability to read and interpret electrical schematics, control drawings, instrumentation diagrams, and related technical documentation.
- Experience troubleshooting both legacy and modern control systems.
- Strong understanding of industrial electrical safety and applicable NFPA, UL, and OSHA standards .
- Demonstrated experience leading technical teams and coordinating contractors or vendors.
- Strong analytical, communication, project-management, and problem-solving skills.