Controls Software Engineer

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Astec is a global, environmentally focused infrastructure and manufacturing company of asphalt road building and aggregate processing. Our mission is to design and build the most innovative products for the industries we serve. Leveraging innovative solutions and technologies, we serve customers all over the world.

At Astec, we are building a world class electrical and software engineering team that values free thought for innovative idea generation and disciplined engineering for the realization of those ideas to drive solutions for our customers. By freeing our creative minds, we bring solutions our customers haven’t even realized they need yet. Through disciplined engineering we ensure the solutions we provide are effective, simple to use, reliable, and cost effective.

The Controls Software Engineer will be a part of a dynamic team of engineers working on the development of control/automation code for heavy construction equipment such as road pavers, road mills, rock crushers, wood chippers, etc. The engineer will be involved in the creation of product requirements, decomposition to software requirements, structured software decomposition, code development, software design reviews, and software unit and integration testing.

The engineer will move from project to project as required and may be working on multiple projects within a given timeframe.

Software will be developed on PLCs, embedded controllers, and HMI displays. Some legacy systems are coded in Ladder Logic, but all new systems will be coded in either Code Sys or C/C++. The Control Software Engineer will work with the Electrical Engineer(s) on a project to map I/O, define necessary configurations, understand sensor input requirements as well as device output drive requirements.

The Control Software Engineer will work cooperatively with the Electrical and Mechanical Engineer(s) to develop the appropriate control algorithms to produce the equipment functionality required by the customer and Product Management.

The Control Software Engineer will also work with other cross‑functional teams, including but not limited to sales, manufacturing, purchasing, and service to ensure the successful completion of projects and launch of equipment.

Controls Software Engineers may at times be asked to travel for project testing and system integration testing, as well as to develop business relationships with customers, dealers, and suppliers. They may also participate in product focus groups to gain critical customer application and design suggestions to assist in the development of product lines.

• Use a structured systems engineering approach for the development of the software used to control heavy construction equipment.
• Use knowledge of process automation techniques to advance the simplicity of operation and troubleshooting of equipment to maximize productivity by enhancing operator functionality and the minimization of equipment downtime.
• Use structured software design techniques to distill product requirements into a product software specification, product software design, and product software test plan and create the corresponding documents.
• Complete the controller/PLC programming and the HMI screen programming for product projects based on the software design.
• Perform unit testing and integration testing of all controller/PLC/HMI systems to ensure performance and realization of all product requirements.
• Develop the software test plans for new designs and changes to existing designs, and coordinate the testing and validation using these plans.
• Contribute to the development of product documentation, including production work instructions, training manuals, troubleshooting guides, and product test plans.
• Identify improvement opportunities and enhancements for product enhancements and/or cost reductions.
• Contribute to project teams to ensure the successful completion of project objectives, including schedule, budget, and feature set.
• Contribute to the development of new processes and procedures to enhance the software and hardware design capabilities and work products of the engineering…