Sr. Eng, Controls

Senior Controls Engineer

At Magna, you can expect an engaging and dynamic environment where you can help to develop industry-leading automotive technologies. We invest in our employees, providing them with the support and resources they need to succeed. As a member of our global team, you can expect exciting, varied responsibilities as well as a wide range of development prospects. Because we believe that your career path should be as unique as you are.

The Mechatronics, Mirrors and Lighting group specializes in automotive technologies that are driving the future of mobility. Combining a deep systems knowledge to develop unique vehicle access experiences, intelligent vision systems and advanced automotive lighting technologies, MML's expertise light the path to innovation, safety and styling.

Job Responsibilities:

The Senior Controls Engineer is a key technical leader responsible for the design, development, implementation, and sustainment of automated control systems across manufacturing operations. This role combines deep hands-on expertise in PLC, HMI, SCADA, robotics, and industrial networks with the ability to drive system architecture decisions, establish standards, and mentor controls engineering talent.

The Senior Controls Engineer leads the full lifecycle of controls engineering projects—from concept and design through commissioning and continuous improvement—and serves as a primary technical authority for internal stakeholders and external partners. The role plays a central part in advancing Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing initiatives by integrating data-driven, connected automation solutions into the production environment.

Role Scope & Career Level Expectations:

This role is expected to operate with a high degree of autonomy and technical authority. The Senior Controls Engineer is accountable for leading complex initiatives, influencing technical direction beyond a single cell or line, and driving consistency across equipment, systems, and sites.

Key expectations at this level include:

• Independently leading complex, multi-discipline controls projects from concept through sustainment.

• Making and defending technical decisions related to system architecture, platforms, and standards.

• Providing guidance and technical direction to other engineers and technicians without direct supervision.

• Influencing plant-level and regional controls strategies through standards development and best practices.

• Representing the controls function in cross-functional and leadership discussions.

• Demonstrate leadership‑level availability and schedule flexibility to support plant operations during critical events, including off‑shift commissioning, escalations, and systemic issue resolution.

• Set expectations and coordinate coverage plans to ensure effective controls and automation support across operating hours.

• Responsibilities and expectations for this role are cumulative by level.

Advancement does not remove prior responsibilities; instead, each level retains accountability for all expectations of previous levels while expanding scope, technical judgment, leadership influence, and ownership.

Higher level roles are expected to demonstrate greater depth of knowledge, broader system ownership, and increased responsibility for quality, safety, reliability, documentation, and outcomes across automation and industrial systems.

Essential

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

Technical Leadership & Execution:

• Lead and support controls engineering efforts for new equipment launches and existing production systems.

• Design, program, commission, and troubleshoot PLC, HMI, SCADA, vision, and robotic systems.

• Serve as the technical lead for complex troubleshooting and root-cause analysis impacting safety, quality, throughput, and uptime.

• Define scopes of work, technical requirements, and acceptance criteria for controls-related projects.

• Support installation, startup, and sustained production activities on the plant floor and at customer sites as required.

Controls Architecture & Standards:

• Lead system architecture reviews and establishes controls standards, best practices, and documentation requirements.

• Define…