Controls Engineer

Since 1987, Cafe Valley has been baking smiles one cupcake, muffin, cake, and croissant at a time. We add care and craftsmanship into every product we make. Our people are the heart of our success. We’re committed to fostering a positive, team-focused workplace where collaboration, innovation, and respect are part of everyday operations—because the best baked goods come from people who love what they do.

Our employees are our special ingredient. With more than 1,700 team members baking a difference every day, we operate state-of-the-art production facilities in Phoenix, AZ and Marion, IN, where quality, safety, and teamwork rise together.

We are seeking an experienced Controls Enginee
r with strong Allen-Bradley PL
C expertise and hands‑on experience in the commercial baking industr
y. This role will support, design, and optimize automation systems for high-volume bakery production lines, including ovens, mixers, conveyors, proofers, and packaging equipment. The ideal candidate understands the unique challenges of food production environments and thrives in fast‑paced manufacturing settings

• Design, program, troubleshoot, and maintain Allen-Bradley PLC and HMI syste
  ms (Control Logix, Compact Logix, Panel View, Factory Talk).
• Support automation for commercial baking processes including mixing, proofing, baking, cooling, and packaging.
• Diagnose and resolve controls‑related downtime issues to ensure maximum line efficiency and throughput.
• Collaborate with maintenance, production, and quality teams to improve equipment reliability and food safety compliance.
• Develop and maintain electrical schematics, PLC programs, and technical documentation.
• Lead or support equipment installations, upgrades, and commissioning activities.
• Interface with OEMs, integrators, and vendors for new and existing bakery equipment.
• Ensure systems comply with food safety, sanitation, and regulatory standar
  ds.
• Provide training and technical support to maintenance and operations team

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Automation, or equivalent experience.
• 3+ years of hands‑on Allen‑Bradley PLC programming and troubleshoot
  ing in an industrial environment.
• Direct experience in the commercial baking or food manufacturing ind
  us
  try.
• Strong knowledge of industrial control systems, VFDs, servo systems, and industrial networking.
• Experience working in high‑speed, continuous production environments.
• Ability to read and create electrical schematics and control documentation.
• Comfortable working on the plant floor in a production environment.

• Experience with Factory Talk View, Historian, or MES syst
  ems.
• Familiarity with bakery equipment such as tunnel ovens, spiral freezers, proofers, and automated packaging lines.
• Experience with process optimization, line efficiency improvements, and root cause analysis.
• Understanding of food safety standards (GMPs, HACCP, USDA/FDA environments.

Cafe Valley is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to diversity in the workplace. We encourage applications from qualified individuals regardless of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.