Controls Engineer

At The Marzetti Company, our mission is to make every meal better through high-quality, flavorful food. The Automation & Controls Engineer is a hands‑on technical resource responsible for the reliability, improvement, integration, and cybersecurity of automation systems across food processing, packaging, plant utilities, and facility infrastructure.

Working with a high degree of independence, this role supports day‑to‑day production, resolves complex controls issues, modernizes legacy systems, and delivers automation projects that improve safety, food quality, throughput, equipment uptime, and the operator experience. The engineer partners closely with Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, Quality and Food Safety, Continuous Improvement, Information Technology, and external OEMs and system integrators.

Technology Environment:

• PLC and machine control:
  Allen-Bradley/Rockwell Automation Control Logix and Compact Logix using Studio 5000; additional platforms may include ABB, Bosch Rexroth, Mitsubishi, Omron, and Siemens.
• Visualization and manufacturing systems:
  Ignition SCADA and historian capabilities, Factory Talk View, Thin Manager, and manufacturing execution systems (MES).
• Connectivity and data:
  Ether Net/IP, OPC UA, Modbus TCP/RTU, MQTT, Profibus, IO-Link, Microsoft SQL Server, database interfaces, and Python scripting.
• OT infrastructure:
  Managed industrial switches, VLANs, segmented OT networks, firewall rules, Claroty xDome Secure Access for secure remote access, role-based access control, and Purdue Model/five-layer OT architecture.
• Plant systems:
  Processing and packaging equipment, robotics, servo and motion systems, VFDs, instrumentation, building management systems, and plant utility systems.

• Program, troubleshoot, maintain, and optimize PLC-based control systems, with primary emphasis on Allen-Bradley/Rockwell Automation Control Logix and Compact Logix platforms using Studio 5000.
• Support and troubleshoot other controls platforms deployed within the facility, which may include ABB, Bosch Rexroth, Mitsubishi, Omron, and Siemens systems.
• Develop, maintain, and improve SCADA/HMI applications using Ignition and Factory Talk, including tag structures, alarms, trends, historian data, reports, recipes, security roles, and operator interfaces.
• Identify and execute PLC, HMI, SCADA, historian, and controls-infrastructure improvements, upgrades, migrations, obsolescence-risk mitigation, and standardization initiatives.
• Troubleshoot VFDs, servo and motion systems, instrumentation, remote I/O, industrial robots, safety systems, and machine-to-machine communications.
• Maintain accurate controls documentation, including software backups, change records, I/O lists, control narratives, network diagrams, wiring schematics, and operating or troubleshooting procedures.

• Partner with Information Technology and OT cybersecurity teams to support the design, documentation, implementation, and ongoing improvement of segmented OT networks aligned with the Purdue Model and a five-layer manufacturing technology stack.
• Support managed industrial Ethernet switches, VLANs, IP addressing, network paths, and device communications; partner with IT to coordinate firewall-rule changes, Claroty xDome Secure Access, and secure connectivity for internal and third-party users.
• Implement and maintain role-based access, least-privilege permissions, user groups, and account governance across PLC, SCADA, Thin Manager, historian, MES, server, and network environments.
• Integrate OEM equipment, sensors, PLCs, SCADA, MES, historians, databases, and enterprise systems using Ether Net/IP, OPC UA, Modbus, MQTT, serial or gateway…