Senior PLC​/SCADA Engineer - Industrial Automation Career

Market Compensation

While no salary is listed, senior controls/automation engineers in the US typically earn $95,000–$135,000 annually
, with top candidates in HVAC/building automation markets often reaching $140,000+. The absence of salary transparency is a mild yellow flag.

High-Demand Skill Development

This role builds expertise in areas experiencing rapid growth:

• Rockwell Automation (Allen-Bradley) — dominant in North American industrial markets
• Ignition SCADA — fast-growing platform replacing legacy systems
• Industrial networking protocols (Ethernet/IP, PROFINET, Modbus TCP/IP) — foundational for IIoT integration
• HVAC/building automation — a sector increasingly driven by energy efficiency mandates and smart building trends

Green Flags

Broad platform exposure (Rockwell, Emerson, GE, Schneider, Ignition), leadership of Factory Acceptance Testing, and cross-functional customer-facing responsibilities accelerate career growth toward Principal Engineer or Engineering Manager tracks.

Considerations

The 30% travel requirement may impact work-life balance. No mention of professional development budgets or certification sponsorship — worth asking about given the preferred certifications list (ISA CAP, RA Certified Programmer). Albireo Energy is a mid-size, growth-stage company in building automation, offering exposure to varied project types.

Description

The Senior Controls Design Engineer is responsible for leading the design and development of complex HVAC/industrial control systems, with a strong focus on PLC logic design, HMI/SCADA architecture, and electrical control systems engineering. This role emphasizes upfront design, programming, and documentation using industry-standard platforms including Rockwell Automation, Emerson, GE, Schneider Electric, Ignition, and others. The position requires a strong understanding of systems and a commitment to delivering high-quality design packages and control solutions.

In

this position your duties will include

• Developing PLC logic design and programming based on control narratives, sequences of operation, and project requirements.
• Designing HMI/SCADA system architecture, graphics, and standards.
• Creating and reviewing detailed electrical control schematics and panel designs.
• Preparing design documentation including I/O lists, network architectures, control narratives, and bill of materials.
• Supporting field activities such as commissioning, functional testing, and design validation.
• Integrating systems using a wide variety of serial and Ethernet-based industrial communication protocols.
• Leading and/or supporting Factory Acceptance Testing and design reviews.
• Supporting proposal development, including reviewing plans, specifications, and scope documents.
• Presenting technical designs and solutions to customers and internal stakeholders.
• Preparing technical reports and design deliverables.

Position Parameters

This role requires approximately 30% national travel, including travel to client sites, regional offices, and project locations as needed to support business operations.

Requirements

• 7+ years of PLC/PAC logic design and programming experience using IEC-61131 languages.
• 7+ years of HMI/SCADA system design experience, including multi-node or distributed architectures.
• 5+ years of electrical design experience related to control panels and industrial automation systems.
• Demonstrated experience with industrial communication protocols including Modbus TCP/IP, Ethernet/IP, PROFINET, and serial equivalents.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, Computer Science, or related field; or equivalent demonstrated experience.

Preferred Certifications (or willingness to obtain)

• Rockwell Automation…