Class 1A, Controls Technician​/Programmer

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Full Time Class 1A Watsonville, CA, US

30+ days ago Requisition

Salary Range: $46.91 To $46.91 Hourly

Job Title: Class 1A, Controls Technician & Programmer

Department:Engineering and Maintenance

Reports To:Engineering & Maintenance Project Manager

Position Type:Full-time, Regular

Shift:Day, Swing, Night

Location:Watsonville, CA

FLSA Status:Non-exempt, Union

Company Overview

Since 1868, the Martinelli family has been producing award-winning apple juice. Located in the cool California Central Coast, the fertile Pajaro Valley produces the most flavorful apple varieties in the world. Since winning its first gold medal in 1890, Martinelli’s has received more than fifty gold medals for product excellence. Distribution of Martinelli’s Gold Medal® products now extends to every state in the U.S. and globally.

Job Summary

The Controls Technician/Programmer is responsible for maintaining, troubleshooting, and optimizing the electrical control systems that support production equipment across the facility, including bottling lines and the filter department. This role provides technical expertise in PLC and HMI systems (primarily Allen-Bradley, as well as Siemens, Omron, and vendor-specific platforms), VFDs, servo drives, motion controls, and SCADA/industrial network systems to ensure reliable and efficient operation of machinery.

The Controls Technician/Programmer will lead controls-related projects, including system modifications, panel adjustments, programming, and HMI interface development. They collaborate closely with engineering, maintenance, and production teams to integrate new or modified control systems seamlessly into existing equipment, driving continuous improvement and automation efficiency.

Key responsibilities include diagnosing hardware and instrumentation issues, performing calibration and functional testing, maintaining accurate digital documentation, and supporting system upgrades to improve equipment performance, reliability, and safety. This position is critical to ensuring optimal operation of automation systems, supporting process improvements, and enabling high-performance production outcomes.

Job Functions

• Troubleshoot and maintain all production electrical controls related equipment, systems and OT network devices to ensure maximum operational equipment effectiveness OEE.
• Assist in the proper operation and maintenance of Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), etc.
• Support the research, design, development, and installation of electrical control systems for production equipment and machinery.
• Contribute to managing projects to ensure they are completed on time, within budget, and meet customer requirements.
• Help maintain digital documentation of control systems, including programs, modifications, electrical design, schematics, and drawings.
• Stay updated on control hardware and software obsolescence and assist in necessary updates.
• Contribute to the establishment and maintenance of automation processes.
• Support a team of controls and programming technicians/mechanics in their daily tasks.
• Assist with organizing and participating in training sessions for the control team, maintenance personnel, and operators to ensure proper hardware and software usage.
• Provide regular updates and reports to senior management on the performance of the controls and programming team, including training progress, project updates, budget status, and any issues or risks.
• Collaborate with Maintenance Management and Production Supply Planner to help schedule manpower and resources for effective production and maintenance outcomes.
• Respond promptly to requests or emails from internal and external stakeholders, ensuring alignment of objectives, requirements, and project timelines.
• Assist other department heads in implementing strategies to improve process efficiency.
• Follow and help implement policies and procedures to ensure consistent and effective controls and programming practices across the organization.
• Adhere to Collective…