Controls Engineer

Modesto Facility, 555 Mariposa Road, Modesto, California, United States of America

Posted Tuesday, December 23, 2025 at 6:00 AM

About Sun Opta

Sun Opta delivers customized supply chain solutions and innovation for top brands, retailers, and food service providers across a broad portfolio of beverages, broths, and better-for-you snacks. With over 50 years of expertise, Sun Opta fuels customers’ growth with high-quality, sustainability-forward solutions distributed through retail, club, food service, and e-commerce channels across North America.

Job Summary:

• The Controls Engineer is responsible for the manufacturing automation and controls systems design, specification, documentation, programming, simulation, testing, and start-up assistance.
• The Controls Engineer possesses operational, technical equipment, process, troubleshooting, and automation systems programming expertise.
• They assist enterprise-wide with managing and overseeing operational automated controls and capital project programming protocols and installations, as well as manufacturing-related processes.
• The Controls Engineer plans, directs, documents, and coordinates the day-to-day operations of the Information Systems, Maintenance Instrumentation & Controls Technicians.
• They are responsible for ensuring and improving the overall efficient performance, productivity, and operational compliance of the plant automation through the provision of effective methods, controls, and strategies.

Essential Functions of the Job:

• Develop and implement standard electrical and automation engineering practices.
• PLC logic programming.
• Design, configure, integrate, and implement process control solutions for various manufacturing specifications.
• Develop control system validation/testing protocols.
• Familiar with TCP/IP, Modbus, and Devicenet communication protocols.
• Experience with controls and calibration utilizing best practices per relevant IEEE and IEC standards.
• Practical experience integrating transducers of types such as pressure, temperature, conductivity, PH, and flow with automated systems.
• Experience with developing and modifying Add on instructions for PLC logic.
• Proportional Integral Derivative (PID) tuning and applications.
• Responsible for 3rd party calibration of transducers per company guidelines on frequency.
• Provides reliability engineering expertise that supports our maintenance and reliability efforts and assures asset life at or beyond the standards.
• Integrating VFD’s with PLCs in automated processes, to include acceleration deceleration tuning, and HMI screens for operator interface.
• Responsible for Factory Acceptance Testing, and Provisional Acceptance Testing approval for newly installed 3rd party equipment to ensure fulfillment of contract specifications, provide integration support with existing equipment, as necessary.
• Collaborates with cross-functional groups including Production, Human Resources, Quality, Supply Chain, Warehouse, and Finance to meet production targets.
• Develops, recommends, and implements measures to improve machines and plant equipment to maximize efficiency.
• Lead, coach, and manage the performance of the maintenance Instrument Control Technician team in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Train operators, managers, and IC Technicians on control systems
• Oversees installation, modifications, quality control testing, operating procedure, and inspection processes adhering to engineering principles and safety regulations.
• Serves as a safety model, promoting a high level of safety awareness and continuous improvement in safety practices.
• Ensures effective employee relations. Provides employee coaching and development. Resolves employee issues through problem resolution.
• Responsible for Food safety and quality of food. Demonstrates a commitment to Quality.
• Facilitates coordination between maintenance and operations in solving process issues.
• Adheres to company GMP’s (good manufacturing practices), safety procedures and all other quality processes.
• Continuously improve process control systems through Advanced Process Control, Alarm Management, and Operator Interface Optimization
• Design, write programs, implement, test and…