Controls Engineering Manager

Responsibilities

• Automation & Controls Strategy
• 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
• Digital integration (data, MES, analytics)
• Uptime & Technical Support
• Ensure 24/7 controls system support model is in place
• 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
• Root cause analysis for automation failures
• Controls Engineering Team Leadership
• Lead team of: Controls Engineers
• SCADA Engineers
• (Indirect) Automation Technicians
• Set performance expectations, development plans, and technical standards
• Build bench strength for a multi-shift automated environment
• Reliability & TPM Integration
• Partner with Reliability Engineering to: Eliminate repeat failure modes
• Build predictive and preventative automation strategies
• Support TPM initiatives: Focused improvement (FI)
• Autonomous maintenance (AM) enablement via automation
• Project Execution
• Lead automation scope for capital projects: Line installations
• System upgrades
• Process improvements
• Ensure: Design standards
• Commissioning excellence
• Seamless startup performance
• Data & Digital Systems
• Own SCADA/MES data accuracy and availability
• Enable real-time visibility into: Downtime
• Performance
• Process control parameters
• Partner with CI and data teams to convert data into actionable insights
• Cross-Functional Integration
• Work closely with: Operations → support throughput and line stability
• Maintenance → ensure execution capability
• Reliability → eliminate root causes
• CI/OpEx → implement improvements
• Participate in daily/weekly performance reviews and loss elimination processes
• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
• Line OEE improvement (automation-driven losses)
• MTTR reduction (controls-related issues)
• Automation-related downtime (% of total downtime)
• Project delivery (on-time, on-budget, startup performance)
• Controls system standardization compliance
• SCADA/data integrity and uptime
• Technical Expertise
• Strong hands-on experience with: PLCs (Allen-Bradley, Siemens, etc.)
• HMI/SCADA systems
• Industrial networks (EtherNet/IP, Profinet, etc.)
• Experience with: Motion control, vision systems, robotics (preferred)
• System integration and commissioning
• Understanding of: CMMS systems
• Reliability/TPM principles
• Leadership Competencies
• Systems thinker (understands end-to-end process flows)
• Bias for action in high-pressure downtime situations
• Strong cross-functional influencer
• Ability to translate technical issues into business impact
• Builds and develops technical talent pipelines
• Success Profile (What Good Looks Like)
• Within 12 months, this leader:
• Establishes stable, standardized control systems across all lines
• Reduces automation-driven downtime by 25-40%
• Implements 24/7 automation support model
• Fully integrates controls into: Reliability strategy
• Daily performance management
• Builds a high-performing controls + automation team
• Reporting Structure
• Reports to: Plant Engineering Manager
• Direct Reports: Sr. Controls Engineers
• SCADA Engineer
• Indirect Influence: Automation Technicians
• Maintenance Supervisors
• Reliability Engineers
• Why This Role Matters
• In a plant of this size and automation level:
• The Controls Engineering Manager is the single biggest lever for uptime, throughput, and operational stability.
• This role directly determines whether the facility operates at:
• Average performance (reactive, unstable), or
• Top-quartile performance (predictable, optimized, data-driven
• Required Qualifications:
• 8 + years in controls/automation engineering in manufacturing
• 3 + years in leadership/management role
• Experience in high-speed, highly automated environments (food manufacturing preferred)
• Preffered Qualifications:
• 12+ years in controls/automation engineering in manufacturing
• 5+ years in leadership/management role

Benefits

Additional Information

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 to support world-class safety, quality, and operational efficiency. This leader is a critical driver of OEE, downtime reduction, and digital plant capability, partnering closely with Operations, Maintenance, Reliability, and OpEx & CI.

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