A Manufacturing Automation Engineer designs, programs and improves automated machinery and processes within a manufacturing environment. Are responsible for the design specifications, documentation and troubleshooting of the equipment. Often work within vehicle manufacturing and food processing plants, where robots or machines are used to perform specific functions.
Shelbyville, KY (Onsite)
Join a Leading Manufacturing Organization
Our client, a well-established global manufacturer, is seeking a Controls Engineer to join its engineering team in Shelbyville, Kentucky. This role offers the opportunity to work on advanced manufacturing equipment, automation systems, and continuous improvement projects while collaborating with maintenance, production, and engineering teams across multiple facilities.
This position is ideal for an engineer who enjoys balancing hands-on troubleshooting with project-based controls design and automation improvements in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
Responsibilities
Design, develop, troubleshoot, and improve electrical control systems for manufacturing equipment.
Program, modify, and support PLCs, HMIs, motion control systems, and industrial automation equipment.
Lead electrical controls projects from concept through implementation and startup.
Support maintenance and production teams by diagnosing complex machine and automation issues.
Develop controls solutions that improve equipment reliability, safety, quality, and production efficiency.
Coordinate machine startups, commissioning, and system testing.
Create and maintain electrical documentation, drawings, and project records.
Work with equipment vendors, contractors, and internal engineering teams on new equipment and system upgrades.
Recommend and implement continuous improvement initiatives and emerging automation technologies.
Support multiple manufacturing locations as needed with occasional travel.
Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering preferred. Mechanical or Industrial Engineering degrees will also be considered with applicable controls experience.
2+ years of controls, automation, or manufacturing engineering experience.
Experience supporting manufacturing equipment in an industrial environment.
Strong troubleshooting skills involving PLCs, HMIs, drives, sensors, and automation systems.
Comfortable working directly on the manufacturing floor to support production and maintenance operations.
Preferred Technical Experience
Experience with several of the following technologies is highly desired:
Allen-Bradley ControlLogix or CompactLogix PLCs
FactoryTalk and PanelView HMIs
Kinetix Servo Drives
Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs)
Ethernet/IP, DeviceNet, or other industrial communication networks
Siemens S7 PLCs
Beckhoff automation systems
Motion control systems
AutoCAD or AutoCAD Electrical
Microsoft Project
SQL databases or programming languages
Robotics (Yaskawa preferred)
Machine startup and commissioning
Preferred Industry Experience
Candidates with experience supporting automated manufacturing processes involving any of the following are encouraged to apply:
Metal manufacturing
Roll forming
Heavy industrial equipment
Automated production lines
Hydraulics
Pneumatics
Compensation & Benefits
Competitive salary: $90,000-$120,000, depending on experience
Comprehensive benefits package
Opportunity to work with a collaborative engineering team
Career growth within a stable, global manufacturing organization
This is an onsite position based in Shelbyville, Kentucky, with approximately 10% travel to support additional manufacturing facilities. Candidates should either reside within commuting distance or be willing to relocate.
