PLC Software Engineering Lead

PLC Software Engineering Lead (Hybrid - Chemung, NY / Norfolk, NE / Grapeland, TX / Brigham City, UT / Fort Payne, AL)

Optomi, in partnership with a leading steel manufacturing company, is seeking a Software Engineer Team Lead for its Chemung, NY / Norfolk, NE / Grapeland, TX / Brigham City, UT / Fort Payne, AL locations. Candidates should have strong hands-on experience with PLC systems, manufacturing systems, and integrating software with production hardware, along with a strong .NET background. The ideal candidate will have experience leading and mentoring engineering teams, full-stack development experience, and an interest in innovative technologies.

What the right candidate will enjoy:

• Leading a team of approximately 3–4 engineers while remaining actively involved in technical development.
• Working with manufacturing technologies and software that directly interfaces with production hardware.
• Having the opportunity to influence project priorities, provide technical guidance, and help shape solutions alongside business stakeholders.
• Spending approximately 50–60% of their time performing hands-on technical work.
• Mentoring and developing less experienced engineers while helping drive continuous improvement.

What type of experience does the right candidate have:

• Strong hands-on experience working with PLC systems.
• Experience supporting manufacturing systems and production environments.
• Experience integrating software applications with production hardware.
• Strong .NET development background.
• Previous technical leadership experience, including mentoring and guiding engineering teams.
• Full-stack development experience is preferred.
• Blazor experience and familiarity with AI-related initiatives are nice to have.
• An innovative mindset, strong collaboration skills, and the ability to adapt to new technologies.

What the responsibilities are of the right candidate:

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of approximately 3–4 engineers.
• Build and maintain software solutions that interface directly with production hardware.
• Pull data from PLCs and send data back into PLC systems.
• Support application development initiatives within the manufacturing environment.
• Help establish project priorities, gather requirements, and provide technical direction.
• Partner with business stakeholders to understand their needs and communicate available technology solutions.
• Remain hands-on with software development while providing leadership and technical guidance to the team.