About the Job
Controls Specialist
PLC Support / Pilot Line / Manufacturing Automation
Position Overview
Controls & Automation Consultants LLC is a systems integrator and engineering services provider supporting industrial automation, controls engineering, and manufacturing technology needs for customers across the United States and internationally.
CAC is seeking experienced Controls Specialists for immediate opportunities across California, Pennsylvania, and Texas. These roles will support automated manufacturing equipment, PLC-controlled systems, pilot production lines, installation activities, startup support, and commissioning activities in fast-paced industrial manufacturing environments.
These role is well suited for hands-on controls professionals with strong troubleshooting skills, the ability to read and interpret electrical documentation, and experience supporting PLC-based automation systems on the manufacturing floor.
Selected candidates will work closely with controls engineers, installation leads, commissioning teams, maintenance, and manufacturing operations to support pilot line development, production readiness, equipment installation, troubleshooting, startup, and commissioning activities.
The environment may include:
- Automated production equipment
- PLC-controlled machinery
- HMIs
- Industrial networks
- Sensors and actuators
- Drives and remote I/O
- Control panels
- Electrical documentation
- Calibration documentation
- Related automation hardware
Reporting Structure
The Controls Specialist will work under the direction of:
- Lead engineers
- Controls engineers
- Installation leads
- Commissioning leads
- Maintenance leadership
- Manufacturing operations teams
These teams are responsible for automation system performance, simulation testing, staging, pilot line readiness, equipment installation, production uptime, startup support, and commissioning execution.
Key Responsibilities
- Troubleshoot and resolve machine faults, PLC alarms, sensor issues, actuator issues, communication faults, wiring issues, and other controls-related problems across automated manufacturing equipment and production systems.
- Support pilot line automation equipment during installation, development, testing, production readiness, startup, and commissioning phases.
- Provide hands-on controls support for PLC-controlled equipment, industrial automation systems, automated production cells, and manufacturing support equipment.
- Monitor, diagnose, and support PLC-controlled equipment using platforms such as Codesys, Inovance, Siemens, Allen-Bradley, Omron, Mitsubishi, or similar systems.
- Troubleshoot PLC hardware and related automation devices, including I/O, logic, communications, wiring, and equipment interface issues.
- Review and troubleshoot PLC logic, tags, alarms, function blocks, ladder logic, structured text, and equipment sequences to support installation, startup, commissioning, and production activities.
- Read and interpret electrical wiring diagrams, electrical schematics, panel layouts, equipment manuals, installation drawings, calibration documentation, and technical procedures.
- Read and follow electrical manuals, device manuals, calibration documentation, startup procedures, checkout procedures, and equipment support documentation.
- Work from punchlists to complete assigned installation, checkout, troubleshooting, verification, documentation, and corrective action items.
- Follow direction from lead technicians, lead engineers, controls engineers, installation leads, and commissioning leads during equipment installation, startup, and commissioning activities.
- Perform field verification of wiring, terminations, devices, sensors, actuators, I/O points, panels, and control system components.
- Perform I/O checkout, device verification, sensor validation, actuator testing, network checks, calibration support, loop checks, and functional testing for automated equipment.
- Identify wiring, installation, calibration, documentation, or equipment discrepancies and communicate findings clearly to the appropriate lead or engineering team.
- Create redlines and markups to electrical drawings, wiring diagrams, schematics, installation drawings, calibration documents, punchlists, and other technical documentation when field changes or discrepancies are identified.
- Assist controls engineers with PLC testing, validation, documentation updates, equipment checkout, and minor program changes as directed.
- Support commissioning, startup, and production ramp-up activities for new or modified manufacturin