Senior Controls Engineer Job Ashland area,Virginia USA,Engineering

We’re the Thinkers who make machines speak.

We’re the Doers who make their stories matter.

At Gray Matter, we uncover the industrial intelligence buried in clipboards, legacy systems, and human memory. We discover it, transform it, and turn it into insight. From the drill press to the boardroom, we help you think smarter and do better—by listening to the machines you already trust.

And that’s where you come in.

Gray Matter is dedicated to creating a team of unmatched talent in industrial technology. Our organizational culture encourages opportunities to learn and collaborate. Six core values make Team Gray Matter stand above the rest:
Bias to Action, Batteries Included, Unbounded Curiosity, Everybody Wins, Built to Last, Actionable Insight
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We are seeking a Senior Engineer to join our Gray Matter team and lead the design, development, and implementation of complex industrial automation solutions. This individual will apply advanced technical expertise across SCADA, HMI, PLC, and MES technologies to optimize client operations and deliver successful project outcomes. The Senior Engineer will work closely with customers, project teams, and business partners while providing technical leadership, mentoring engineers, and driving continuous improvement.

Location:

Ashland, Virginia. This position requires approximately 30% travel, including occasional overnight stays.
General

Job Duties:

Lead the technical design, system architecture, development, and implementation of complex industrial automation solutions while independently managing engineering assignments.
Design, program, configure, test, document, and troubleshoot industrial software and hardware systems to meet customer requirements and engineering standards.
Deliver high-quality engineering services within established project scopes, budgets, and timelines while meeting utilization expectations and ensuring customer satisfaction.
Partner with customers and internal stakeholders to assess operational needs, define technical requirements, and develop solutions that improve system performance and efficiency.
Lead technical project activities, including design reviews, system testing, onsite pilots, commissioning, troubleshooting, and solution demonstrations.
Collaborate with Project Managers and Engineering Team Leads to coordinate resources, monitor deliverables, manage technical risks, and identify potential scope changes.
Provide technical support, training, and troubleshooting assistance to customers through onsite engagements, remote support, and application-specific guidance.
Mentor less experienced engineers, share technical expertise, and promote engineering best practices to strengthen team capabilities and project execution.
Support Sales and Commercial Operations through technical consultations, solution development, proposals, bills of materials, customer presentations, and workshops.
Develop reusable code, engineering templates, and standardized processes to improve solution quality, project efficiency, and continuous improvement.

Knowledge, Skills, and Experience Needed:

Required:

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related technical field; or an associate degree with four additional years of relevant experience.
7–10 years of relevant industrial automation engineering experience in addition to applicable degree requirements.
Advanced experience designing, programming, configuring, and troubleshooting SCADA, HMI, PLC, and/or MES systems.
Experience with industrial software platforms such as GE iFIX, Historian, or comparable industrial automation technologies.
Strong technical expertise in system architecture, industrial software and hardware integration, networking, and TCP/IP configurations.
Demonstrated ability to independently lead complex…