Controls Engineer

Job Description The role The Manufacturing Controls Engineer is responsible for supporting, improving, and sustaining automation and plant-floor control systems within a stamping operation. The role partners closely with Production, Maintenance, Quality, Manufacturing Engineering, IT, skilled trades, suppliers, and central controls teams to maintain safe, reliable, and efficient production. This engineer will troubleshoot complex controls issues; lead equipment, software, and process improvements; support launches and major changes; and apply standardized controls solutions across stamping operations. The role also contributes to the plant’s digital-manufacturing evolution by enabling reliable device-level data collection. What you’ll do Core controls and plant support • Provide technical ownership for controls systems supporting stamping presses, material-handling equipment, conveyors, die-transfer systems, automation cells, safety circuits, HMIs, industrial networks, and related plant-floor applications. • Troubleshoot complex equipment, controls, communications, and integration issues; lead root-cause analysis and permanent corrective actions. • Develop, modify, test, validate, and document PLC, HMI, motion, safety, and related controls changes in accordance with GM standards and plant change-management processes. • Support production uptime, quality, safety, throughput, and cost objectives through controls improvements and problem solving. • Lead or support controls activities for new programs, equipment installations, launches, upgrades, model changes, and plant shutdown work. • Collaborate with Maintenance and skilled trades to create effective troubleshooting guides, standardized work, training, recovery plans, and spare-parts strategies. • Coordinate technical work with equipment suppliers, integrators, contractors, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, and IT partners. • Ensure controls designs and modifications meet applicable safety, cybersecurity, reliability, quality, and manufacturing standards. • Maintain accurate technical documentation, including electrical drawings, network layouts, control narratives, backup/recovery information, revision history, and lessons learned. • Share best practices and recurring-issue learnings with plant and central engineering teams. Required qualifications • Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related discipline; equivalent relevant experience may be considered. • 3+ years of experience in manufacturing operations, controls engineering, industrial automation, or a related technical field. • Hands-on experience troubleshooting and supporting PLC-based industrial automation systems in a production environment. • Working knowledge of PLC programming, HMI development or configuration, industrial controls hardware, electrical systems, and machine safety. • Experience with industrial Ethernet and fieldbus networks, such as Ethernet/IP, DeviceNet, ProfiBus, or comparable technologies. • Demonstrated ability to diagnose complex equipment or process issues, lead root-cause analysis, and implement sustainable corrective actions. • Ability to work effectively with Production, Maintenance, Quality, skilled trades, suppliers, and engineering partners. • Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain technical issues and risk clearly to varied audiences. • Independent judgment, sound prioritization, and a continuous-improvement mindset in a fast-paced production environment. • Ability to meet onsite and schedule-flexibility requirements for plant operations. Preferred qualifications • Experience supporting stamping, press, material