Lead Automation Controls Engineer – Ground-Up PLC​/HMI Development

Location: Germantown, WI |
Schedule: Full-time, on-site with 25%–50% domestic travel |
Compensation: Up to $110,000 base salary + profit sharing

A fast-growing systems integration firm that has doubled its footprint year-over-year is seeking a Lead Automation Controls Engineer to build custom PLC/HMI solutions from the ground up. This is a hands‑on role for an engineer who wants full ownership of projects from design through on‑site commissioning, working on everything from sortation networks to robotic welding cells and multi‑axis servo systems.

• Architect ground‑up PLC programs and HMI interfaces for automated machinery, robotic cells, and sorting systems using Studio 5000 and Factory Talk View
• Integrate operator interfaces and build enterprise‑level data tracking using Visual Studio, C#, and relational databases
• Review and validate electrical panel layouts and control schematics in AutoCAD against Bills of Materials (BOMs) and safety standards
• Set up, calibrate, and troubleshoot Ether Net/IP communications, multi‑axis servo drives, machine vision systems, and safety PLCs
• Serve as the primary technical authority during client field commissioning, supervising installations and executing final system sign-offs

• 2+ years of professional experience designing, building, and programming controls software from scratch using Rockwell / Allen‑Bradley platforms (Studio 5000 / RSLogix)
• Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Automation Technology, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a closely related technical discipline
• Willingness to travel domestically 25%–50% for commissioning, with guaranteed weekend comp days
• Demonstrated career stability, accountability, and long‑term tenure with prior engineering teams
• Residence within a 45‑minute commute of the Greater Milwaukee / Washington County area
• Must be a U.S. Citizen or Green Card holder

• Hands‑on setup of multi‑axis servo motion systems or industrial vision platforms (Cognex, Keyence)
• High‑level programming fluency in C#, , or SQL database structures
• Direct experience teaching, programming, or integrating FANUC or similar industrial robotics

• Up to $110,000 starting base salary, calibrated for Junior, Mid, and Senior experience depth
• Profit sharing
• Comprehensive corporate benefits package
• Guaranteed, immediate comp days for weekend startup work

This role offers full ownership of custom automation projects from design through startup, with a strictly enforced travel‑balancing policy that guarantees comp time for weekend field work and a zero‑bureaucracy engineering culture with direct access to project leadership.