Summary:
Lead the development of control systems for industrial machinery including selecting suitable control hardware, generating schematics, fabricating control electronics, and developing machine code and user interfaces for vision systems, industrial motion controllers, loT systems, PLC and PC based systems.
Principal Duties and Required Skills:
- Works with mechanical and process engineers, as well as customers to understand control system and machine requirements.
- Selects suitable controls hardware within the constraints of cost, capability and customer requirements.
- Generates a complete control system schematic in SolidWorks Electrical.
- Creates, tests and debugs industrial control software written in a variety of standard languages such as Ladder Logic, VB.NET, and C#, as well as hardware-specific languages such as Aero Basic.
- Modifies pre-existing software after careful study of the new requirements and existing hardware, electronics, existing software.
- Designs and develops functional user interfaces using VB.NET, C#, or dedicated UI hardware and software, including Siemens and Allen Bradley platforms.
- Documents all code for future review and revision.
- Works with other engineers and writers to prepare customer ready documentation of software features.
- Works and communicates with hardware original equipment manufacturers to interface with their provided application program interfaces.
- Assists mechanical and electrical engineers with control system development issues.
- Works one-on-one or in groups with customers to provide training and support.
- Assists with the fabrication of control panels and enclosures.
- Develops machine vision programs and strategies.
- Assists with mechanical assembly.
- Develops desktop software when CoTS solutions do not exist.
- Develops plug-ins and interfaces to allow easy communication with minimally supported hardware.
- Peer review electrical design work of other controls engineers and technicians to ensure quality and manufacturability to the JTA standards.
Required Qualifications:
- Ability to understand and create code in a variety of languages including VB.NET, SQL, STL and Ladder Logic.
- Solid understanding of electrical theory.
- Experience troubleshooting panels with multimeters and oscilloscopes.
- Experience with control system development on Siemens PLC platforms.
- Experience programming industrial robotics.
- Ability to design and program effective and ergonomic user interfaces.
- Ability to communicate effectively with other employees, customers, and vendors.
- Highly motivated to adapt to situations requiring multi-disciplinary thinking.
- Self-sufficient and independent work style with general supervision.
- Bachelor's degree in software engineering, computer science, controls engineering, robotics engineering or equivalent.
- Knowledge of industrial standards, NEC, NFPA 79, UL 508A.
- Willingness to travel to customer sites for machine installation and SAT.
Desired Qualifications:
- 5+ years of experience with control systems.
- Experience with control system development on Siemens motion control platforms, such as Sinumerik.
- Experience with Allen Bradley PLC and motion control solutions.
- Experience with multi-threaded desktop programming.
- Knowledge of industrial control communications such as Profibus, ProfiNet. Modbus, TCP/IP, Serial, and EtherCAT.
- Knowledge of G code.
- Experience with a variety of industrial control vendors such as Siemens, Automation Direct, Aerotech, SMC, Keyence, Cognex, etc.
- Some mechanical design exposure.
- Familiarity with laser systems and/or motion systems.
- Experience with SCADA and MES systems.
