PLC Engineer - Industrial Automation Safety Specialist

PLC Engineer - Industrial Automation Functional Safety Specialist

Location: Liberty, North Carolina

Cross Safety supports leading automotive manufacturing programs across North America with expert technical talent. Our Functional Safety Specialists work at the intersection of standards compliance, safety controls, and production engineering
—auditing, validating, and improving Safety Control Systems (SCS) that protect people, equipment, and operations.

You will drive functional safety compliance and validation for complex production equipment and lines (e.g., body, paint, battery/pack, assembly). The role includes auditing SCS designs
, closing non‑conformities, verifying control categories/performance levels, and guiding cross‑functional teams and 3rd‑party consultants to meet schedule, quality, and safety targets.

This position is ideal for senior safety/controls professionals with deep knowledge of ISO 13849-1, ANSI B11
, and Safety PLC programming in high‑volume automotive environments.

• Audit Safety Control Systems (SCS) for compliance with ISO 13849‑1 and ANSI B11
• Identify/document non‑conformities; design and verify countermeasures to achieve target control category and PL (performance level)
• Audit SCS design changes to ensure correlation with intended design and hazard analysis

• Read, interpret, modify, and configure Safety PLC logic
• Support PLC/SPLC communication protocols and system integration across cells/zones
• Perform hands‑on troubleshooting during trials, startup, and production support

• Build area‑level project plans with deliverables, milestones, risks, and KPIs
• Manage 3rd‑party safety consultants by milestones, concerns, and KPI performance
• Lead cross‑functional communication to ensure timely issue resolution and clear status reporting

• Produce clear written/verbal updates for engineering and leadership stakeholders
• Mentor the Control Reliability team and coach plant personnel on functional safety best practices

• Functional Safety certification (e.g., TÜV Functional Safety Engineer or equivalent) — include credentials on resume
• 5+ years of functional safety engineering experience in industrial/automation environments
• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in a related technical discipline (engineering or controls/industrial technology)
• In‑depth knowledge of ISO 13849‑1, ANSI B11, and relevant machine safety standards
• Safety PLC experience: ability to read, interpret, modify, and configure logic
• Experience with PLC/SPLC communications and system integration
• Advanced problem‑solving with proven countermeasure implementation
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Power Point
• Availability to support weekends, off‑shifts, holidays, and planned shutdowns (e.g., July/December)
• Ability to travel up to 30% (domestic/international) based on project timing
• Physical capability to navigate large facilities (standing, walking, stairs, bending, kneeling) and safely lift/push/pull up to 25 lbs

• Experience with risk assessment tools, FMEA/FMEDA
• Proficiency with one or more Safety PLC platforms, such as:
• Allen‑Bradley Guard Logix
• Siemens (TIA Portal / Step 7 Safety)
• Omron Sysmac (Safety)
• Toyopuc – PCWin Safe
• Keyence – GC Configurator
• Automotive manufacturing background (body, paint, assembly, battery/pack)
• Experience leading multi‑site or regional compliance initiatives

• High‑volume automotive manufacturing environment
• Required PPE: steel‑toe shoes and safety glasses; additional PPE (hard hat, vest, gloves, paint suit, etc.) provided per site policy

• Shape the safety performance of cutting‑edge automotive manufacturing systems
• High visibility and impact across cross‑functional engineering teams
• Opportunities for continued professional growth in functional safety and controls
• Join a collaborative, mission‑driven team focused on protecting people and enabling production

Cross Safety is committed to an inclusive, respectful workplace. Accommodations are available upon request. Only candidates selected for interview will be contacted.