Controls Systems Reliability Engineer (Material Handling)

Controls Systems Reliability Engineer (Material Handling)

Step into a role where your decisions directly raise uptime, safety, and throughput across mission-critical operations. Your day blends hands-on controls engineering with systems thinking—optimizing preventive strategies, tuning PLC logic, and strengthening industrial networks that power conveyors, sortation, scanners, vision, print-and-apply, and SCADA platforms.

A day in the life

• Start by scanning SCADA dashboards and equipment metrics to spot trends that could impact performance, safety, or availability.
• Dive into PLC/PC controls (primarily Allen-Bradley ControlLogix/CompactLogix with RSLogix 5000) to troubleshoot, modify, and deploy improvements that keep material handling equipment operating within design parameters.
• Serve as the first-call escalation—on-site or remote—during and after business hours, rapidly stabilizing controls software issues and coordinating additional help as needed.
• Walk the system: inspect conveyors, sorters, drives, and networks to verify conditions align with client specifications and operational targets.
• Partner with contractors to scope, schedule, and validate work—from licensed installs and upgrades to specialized systems maintenance and proprietary integrations.
• Engineer reliability and process solutions from concept through network-wide implementation.
• Continuously monitor Ethernet, ControlNet, DeviceNet, Profibus, AS‑i, motor/servo/frequency drives, and electrical distribution to preempt faults.
• Collaborate with site leaders, operations, and maintenance to resolve electrical issues that create performance gaps; communicate timelines, risks, and production impacts clearly.
• Lead failure reviews and process analyses; recommend fixes, improvements, or retraining to prevent recurrence.
• Conduct periodic controls assessments to maintain and elevate equipment reliability.
• Cultivate strong working relationships with the Client and Operations Maintenance team.
• Contribute wherever needed—other job-related duties as assigned.

What you bring

• Bachelor's degree preferred with 2–5 years of relevant experience; in lieu of a degree, a blend of education and experience will be considered.
• Background in at least two design cycles (specification, component selection, programming).
• 2+ years with PLC programming, robotics controls/components, and SCADA-based monitoring and control.
• Comfort with flexible schedules, including nights, weekends, and holidays.
• Ability to work independently—interpreting general instructions and solving problems with minimal oversight.
• Meets physical demands: stooping, standing, walking, climbing stairs/ladders, and lifting/carrying 50+ lbs.
• Skilled at guiding the exchange of sensitive or complex information, setting expectations, and resolving issues.

Preferred

• 2+ years apprenticeship or equivalent experience in control systems troubleshooting/programming.
• Experience across multiple conveyor and sortation platforms.
• Hands-on robotic maintenance exposure.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.).
• Exceptional organization and a curious, investigative mindset.
• Strong math ability, including percentages, fractions, and financial-related calculations.

Core proficiencies

• Troubleshooting industrial automation equipment
• PLC programming
• SCADA

Tech you’ll touch

• Programmable Logic Controllers: Allen-Bradley, Siemens, Fanuc

Work authorization

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship now or in the future.