Job Type: Contract
Contract Length: Long-term engagement
Pay Range: $46 - $95 / hour
Target Start Date: ASAP
Location: Reno, NV or Fremont, CA (Travel to Reno will be required a few times during the contract period if based in Fremont, with travel costs covered. Candidates can work 50+ hours per week.)
About the Opportunity:
Our client, a leader in Automotive Manufacturing and Advanced Technology, is looking for a skilled Manufacturing Controls Development Engineer, Automation to join their team for a long-term engagement. This project involves contributing to the design and development of new automation equipment and assembly lines, creating robust system architectures, and programming all controls components for high-volume manufacturing. This is a high-impact role that requires a self-motivated professional who can hit the ground running and deliver results quickly.
Key Responsibilities & Deliverables:
This role is focused on the successful completion of specific tasks and deliverables. Your responsibilities will include:
- Equipment Conceptual Development: Participate in the initial conceptual development of equipment, carefully balancing product specifications, process control requirements, layout complexity, cost, quality, and lead-time limits.
- Safety System Implementation: Implement control reliable safety systems (ANSI/RIA 15.06 and OSHA compliant) for safeguarding robots, gantries, conveyors, and other high-volume manufacturing equipment.
- PLC and Subsystem Programming: Architect, write, and debug clean, well-organized PLC logic. Architect, write, and debug programs for all controls components and subsystems such as robots, vision systems, and manufacturing execution systems (MES).
- Electrical/Pneumatic Design: Select and size electrical and electromechanical components, generate aesthetically simple HMI screens, and lay out new industrial electrical control panels that are NFPA 79, NEC, and UL 508A compliant.
- Deployment and Training: Manage electrical cabinet builds, field wiring, and plumbing. Introduce automated processes into production, and train maintenance and production teams to support after deployment.
We are looking for someone with a proven track record of successful contract engagements. The ideal candidate will have:
- 5+ years of experience in a similar Controls or Automation Engineering role.
- Deep expertise in standard and safety PLC programming (Siemens TIA Portal, Allen Bradley Studio 5000, Beckhoff TwinCAT 3, Rockwell) and robot programming (Fanuc, Kuka, ABB). This isn't a learning role—you need to be a subject matter expert.
- Demonstrated ability to work autonomously and manage your own time effectively to meet project goals.
- Experience with script-based programming (Python, Go, SQL) and in-depth knowledge of equipment safety (ANSI/RIA 15.06, OSHA) and electrical standards (NFPA 79, NEC, UL 508A).
- Strong communication skills to provide clear and concise status updates to the project team and work with cross-functional teams (design, quality, production, maintenance).
