Find & Apply For Network Engineer / Architect Jobs in Olivet, Michigan

Job Title:

Dairy Automation & Controls Engineer Job Description:

You own automation projects from idea through startup: Identify opportunities on farm and in the industry — not only fix what already exists. Specify components, design the panel and field wiring, build and bench-test in-house. Write PLC and HMI programs from scratch and adapt standard circuits when a new project needs it. Install, commission (including ABB and Allen-Bradley VFDs), document, and support. Remote-diagnose with TeamViewer when that is the right first move; go on site when it is not. Work is a mix of shop design/build and farm fieldwork: livestock, weather, electricity, machinery, travel, and on-call.

Responsibilities:

Survey dairies and propose automation that is worth building: animal handling, cooling, water, ventilation, feed, parlor-adjacent equipment, and one-off problems producers actually have. Design electrical schematics, panel layouts, and bills of material. AutoCAD is not required; clear, buildable drawings and a complete parts list are. Build, wire, and bench-test control panels. Program Allen-Bradley and AutomationDirect Productivity Suite PLCs and HMIs. New programs, not only small edits to someone else's logic. Commission VFDs (ABB and Allen-Bradley) and bring systems live on site.

Troubleshoot existing farm automation:

crowd gates, fans, sprinklers, stall soakers, side curtains, and similar equipment — hardware, field I/O, and software. Write service notes that the next person can use. Talk to producers in plain language. Travel to customer facilities, drive a company vehicle, take on-call including nights, weekends, and emergency calls. Work safely around livestock, live power, and equipment.

Who this is for:

You are energized by a dirty parlor and a half-formed idea: "we could automate that." Then you can choose the I/O, draw the panel, write the logic, and start it up without a separate designer and a separate programmer. People who only hang and wire panels, only service existing systems, or only maintain one plant's standard PLC program will not fit. Corporate controls engineers who have never specified a full job or stood in manure to commission it will not fit unless they have also owned design + code + startup themselves.

Required:

High school diploma or equivalent; extra schooling helps only if you have also built and programmed real systems. Valid driver's license and acceptable record. Demonstrated ability to write PLC and HMI programs from scratch and to change standard designs for a new machine or farm layout. Ability to design a control panel and specify every component for purchase. Ability to troubleshoot PLC, HMI, field devices, VFDs, and wiring on site. Lift 50-70 lb; work in confined spaces, at height, and in farm weather. Work independently and with the shop/field team.

Strongly preferred:

2+ years of PLC programming you can show (programs, panels, or projects — not only coursework). Industrial automation, electrical controls, ag equipment, or dairy equipment. Comfort selling a simple idea to a producer: problem, proposed control scheme, what it will take to build.

Stack we use:

Allen-Bradley, AutomationDirect Productivity Suite, TeamViewer, ABB and A-B VFDs. Other platforms are useful if you can still think in I/O, safety, and sequences.

Benefits:

401(k) 401(k) matching Dental insurance Health insurance Health savings account Paid time off Vision insurance

License/Certification:

Driver's License (Required)

Work Location:

In person