Controls Engineering Manager

Overview

At Link Snacks, we design and operate highly automated food manufacturing facilities to deliver safe, high-quality meat snacks. We focus on uptime, reliability, and continuous improvement of automation platforms to support safety, quality, and operational efficiency.

The Controls Engineering Manager is responsible for leading the strategy, performance, and development of all automation, controls, and SCADA systems within a highly automated food manufacturing facility. This role ensures maximum equipment uptime, system reliability, and continuous improvement of automation platforms.

• Own the site-wide automation strategy aligned to production and reliability goals.
• Standardize PLC, HMI, SCADA, and network architecture across the facility.
• Drive long-term roadmap for system modernization, obsolescence mitigation, and digital integration (data, MES, analytics).
• Ensure 24/7 controls system support model is in place and act as escalation owner for major automation failures and chronic downtime issues.
• Partner with Maintenance to reduce MTTR for controls-related failures; define and implement troubleshooting standards and root cause analysis for automation failures.
• Lead a team of controls and SCADA engineers; set performance expectations, development plans, and technical standards; build bench strength for a multi-shift automated environment.
• Collaborate with Reliability Engineering to eliminate repeat failure modes and build predictive/preventative automation strategies; support TPM initiatives including focused improvement and autonomous maintenance enablement via automation.
• Lead automation scope for capital projects (line installations, system upgrades, process improvements) and ensure design standards, commissioning excellence, and seamless startup performance.
• Own SCADA/MES data accuracy and availability; enable real-time visibility into downtime, performance, and process control parameters; partner with CI and data teams to convert data into actionable insights.
• Work closely with Operations, Maintenance, Reliability, CI/OpEx to integrate and improve controls across the plant; participate in daily/weekly performance reviews and loss elimination processes.
• Monitor KPIs such as OEE improvement, MTTR reduction, automation-related downtime, project delivery, and data integrity.

• Strong hands-on experience with PLCs (e.g., Allen-Bradley, Siemens), HMI/SCADA systems, and industrial networks (e.g., Ether Net/IP, Profinet).
• Experience with motion control, vision systems, and robotics (preferred); system integration and commissioning; familiarity with CMMS and reliability/TPM principles.

• Systems thinker with ability to understand end-to-end process flows.
• Bias for action under high-pressure downtime situations; strong cross-functional influencer.
• Ability to translate technical issues into business impact and develop technical talent pipelines.

Within 12 months, this leader:

• Establishes stable, standardized control systems across all lines.
• Reduces automation-driven downtime by 25–40%.
• Implements a 24/7 automation support model and fully integrates controls into the reliability strategy and daily performance management.
• Builds a high-performing controls and automation team.

• Reports to:
  
  Plant Engineering Manager
• Direct Reports:
  Sr. Controls Engineers, SCADA Engineer
• Indirect Influence:
  Automation Technicians, Maintenance Supervisors, Reliability Engineers

Required Qualifications:

• 8+ years in controls/automation engineering in manufacturing
• 3+ years in a leadership/management role
• Experience in high-speed, highly automated environments (food manufacturing preferred)

Preferred Qualifications:

• 12+ years in controls/automation engineering in manufacturing
• 5+ years in leadership/management role

The pay range for this role is $140k - $155k (Annual). Base pay is one component of Jack Link’s Total Rewards package, which may include incentives and program-specific awards. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance, 401k participation, paid holidays, and paid…