Senior Electrical Controls Engineer

** US Citizenship or US Permanent Residency (Green Card) is required.

Locations: Fort Smith, Arkansas or Lamar, AR (or in between)

An established industrial engineering and automation organization is seeking a Senior Controls Engineer to lead the development and delivery of custom industrial control systems. This role offers the opportunity to own projects from initial system architecture and estimating through engineering design, programming, testing, commissioning, and customer startup.

This is a hands-on technical leadership position for an engineer who can manage project execution, guide other technical professionals, work directly with customers, and deliver reliable automation solutions. You’ll collaborate with engineering, production, project management, and field installation teams while maintaining responsibility for technical quality, schedules, budgets, and customer requirements.

Project Leadership & Engineering Strategy

Lead multiple automation projects, coordinating technical resources, project schedules, budgets, and deliverables.

Develop control system architectures, define project scope, and support estimating and execution planning.

Work with customers and internal project teams to evaluate requirements and manage changes.

Mentor engineers and field personnel while providing technical direction and troubleshooting support.

Controls Design & Hardware Development

Oversee electrical control panel design, component selection, hardware specifications, layouts, and wiring diagrams.

Develop engineering drawings using AutoCAD and coordinate design reviews.

Manage procurement of controls components and materials.

Coordinate panel fabrication, assembly, and production activities.

Develop and modify PLC and HMI applications and configure associated control system components.

Establish testing procedures for factory acceptance testing (FAT) and site acceptance testing (SAT).

Lead system debugging, startup, commissioning, and customer acceptance activities.

Implement quality assurance practices to verify system performance and identify potential issues before deployment.

Field Execution & Technical Coordination

Coordinate controls-related subcontractors and outside technical resources.

Support electrical installation, field device placement, sensor integration, and equipment startup.

Review installation activities and verify that field work aligns with engineering drawings and functional requirements.

Provide technical support to installation teams and customers.

Documentation & Process Improvement

Prepare functional specifications, operating manuals, sequences of operation, testing procedures, and training materials.

Develop reusable programming templates and standardized engineering processes.

Improve troubleshooting methods, documentation practices, and consistency across projects.

Evaluate emerging automation technologies and implement practical improvements.

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline.

At least five years of relevant engineering or industrial automation experience.

Strong background in industrial control system design, implementation, and troubleshooting.

Experience taking ownership of projects with minimal supervision.

Ability to lead, mentor, and develop technical team members.

Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills when working with customers, vendors, subcontractors, and internal teams.

Proficiency with AutoCAD and Microsoft Office applications.

Familiarity with 3D modeling tools such as Solid Works.

Willingness to travel to customer…