Controls Engineer

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Full Time Decatur, AR, US

Salary Range: $90,000.00 To $ Annually

Location: 2577 AR-59, Decatur, AR
Job Type: Full-Time, On-Site

United Petfood is a private label producer of high-quality dry & wet pet food, biscuits and snacks. We are a Belgian family business with 25 high-tech pet kitchens in Europe and the US.

Joining us, means joining an international, passionate and driven team with one common goal: a healthy planet filled with healthy pets! But it doesn’t stop there: we truly care about building encouraging, supportive, long-lasting partnerships, both inside as well as outside of our fast-growing family company. By only working with the very best ingredients and most innovative technology available, we ensure a spot in which you can grow, bloom and make thousands of pets happy worldwide!

The Controls Engineer is responsible for the design, programming, troubleshooting, documentation, and continuous improvement of plant-wide automation, instrumentation, electrical controls, and manufacturing control systems at United Petfood's Decatur, Arkansas facility.

This position provides technical expertise in Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), Human-Machine Interfaces (HMIs), Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems, industrial networking, and process control integration. The Controls Engineer supports production equipment reliability, automation projects, and the effective integration of control systems throughout the manufacturing process.

Working closely with Maintenance, Production, Engineering, Operations, and external vendors, this role identifies opportunities to improve equipment performance, reduce downtime, enhance process efficiency, and maintain safe, reliable manufacturing operations.

The ideal candidate combines hands-on industrial controls experience with strong technical problem-solving, project management, and communication skills.

• Design, develop, program, modify, and maintain PLC-based automation and control systems supporting manufacturing and facility operations.
• Develop and maintain HMI, SCADA, and graphical operator interface applications.
• Program, configure, and troubleshoot Allen-Bradley Control Logix controllers using RSLogix 5000 or Studio 5000 software.
• Support Add-On Instructions (AOIs), reusable control logic, and structured programming practices.
• Configure and maintain industrial control networks, including Ether Net/IP communications and managed industrial switches.
• Design and engineer control and instrumentation systems to support production processes, equipment, and utilities.
• Support the integration of manufacturing equipment, instrumentation, and control systems with plant-wide software and data collection platforms.
• Develop and implement software modifications and customized control solutions based on operational requirements.
• Maintain accurate PLC programs, HMI applications, control system backups, configuration files, and technical documentation.
• Support plant and corporate software initiatives, system upgrades, and automation technology rollouts.

• Design, evaluate, and support electrical control systems for manufacturing equipment and facility utilities.
• Configure, calibrate, and troubleshoot industrial instrumentation, including sensors, transmitters, load cells, weighing systems, and process measurement devices.
• Program, configure, and troubleshoot variable frequency drives (VFDs), including Allen-Bradley Power Flex systems.
• Read, interpret, develop, and maintain electrical schematics, control panel layouts, wiring diagrams, and instrumentation drawings.
• Support control panel design, equipment wiring modifications, and electrical system improvements.
• Perform input/output (I/O) loop testing, wire tracing, and control circuit troubleshooting.
• Evaluate electrical and instrumentation components for equipment upgrades, replacements, and new installations.
• Support control systems associated with process utilities, including steam, water, compressed air, and other facility systems.
• Ensure controls and instrumentation work is performed in accordance with applicable electrical standards and established company safety procedures.

• Provide technical support to Maintenance and Production personnel in…