Automation and Controls Engineer or Associate Engineer
Location: Danville, VA
ABOUT AEROFARMS:
AeroFarms is transforming agriculture with people and the planet in mind. As a Certified B Corporation and a pioneer in indoor vertical farming, we have built a proprietary agriculture platform to grow products, delivering superior flavor, better quality, and improved nutrition and food safety in our industry.
Join AeroFarms in revolutionizing indoor farming and high-speed packaging operations as our Automation and Controls Engineer at our cutting-edge facility in Danville, VA. We're seeking an experienced leader to drive operational excellence and ensure adherence to industry-leading standards in vertical farming and packaging efficiency demonstrating superior leadership in Food GMP Standards, and Employee Safety and Wellbeing.
Job Description: We are seeking a highly motivated and skilled Automation and Controls Engineer or Associate Engineer to join our team. The ideal candidate will be responsible for improving, troubleshooting, and maintaining robotic and PLC controlled automation equipment in our manufacturing indoor farming facility.
Key Responsibilities:
- Improve, troubleshoot, and maintain robotic and PLC controlled automation equipment.
- Perform work in an FDA/USDA regulated industry like food or medical manufacturing, ensuring compliance with industry standards and regulations.
- Be Fluent to perform PLC troubleshooting and able to modify code as needed in existing PLC programs to optimize efficiency and plant performance while using good change control practices.
- Learn and become proficient in multiple PLC branded platforms including Allen Bradley, Siemens, Schneider, Control Logix, Wago, etc. type systems.
- Maintain and troubleshoot servo and stepper-controlled systems, weigh scales, ink jet printers, network devices, sensors, motors, valves, LED lighting, pumps, environmental sensors, automated packaging lines.
- Troubleshoot and maintain motion-controlled system with integrated robotic work cell systems.
- Understand VFD motor-controlled systems and troubleshoot for optimal performance and maintenance.
- Willingness to work with a 12-hour production shift rotation schedule.
- Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, Controls Engineering, or related field, and 3+ years of industrial manufacturing experience; OR
- Associate's degree in Automation and Controls or related field, and 7-10 years of experience supporting highly automated facilities and equipment.
- Strong problem-solving skills and ability to think analytically.
- Must be fluent in PLC understanding, troubleshooting and ability to program ladder logic.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team environment.
- Adaptability and willingness to learn new technologies and systems.
- Attention to detail and commitment to quality.
- Knowledge of safety protocols and procedures in industrial settings.
- Willingness to work on 12-hour rotation schedule with production team.
Summary of Benefits:
Base salary range is $100,000–$130,000 annually, annual company/performance bonus, eligible for equity, matching 401k with no vesting period, 4+ weeks of vacation/sick time/PTO, group health plan including medical, dental, vision etc.
In accordance with organizational protocol, employees will at times be required to fill absences in the operation process that are equal to or lower than their positional hierarchy. Additionally, if an employee is absent, the role of the absent employee is to be completed by their immediate superior.
Internal candidates seeking a promotion must have completed a minimum of six months in their current role and/or have less than four attendance points, with no corrective actions before becoming eligible for consideration.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, or a related field, plus 3 or more years of industrial manufacturing experience
- Alternatively, an Associate's degree in Automation and Controls or a related field, plus 7 to 10 years of experience supporting highly automated facilities and equipment
- Fluency in PLC understanding and troubleshooting
- Ability to modify existing PLC programs and program ladder logic
- Ability to troubleshoot and maintain robotic, motion-controlled, servo, stepper, VFD, and automated packaging systems
- Knowledge of safety protocols and procedures in industrial settings
- Willingness to work a 12-hour production shift rotation schedule
- Strong problem-solving and analytical skills
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively
What We Do
AeroFarms is on a bold mission to grow the best plants possible for the betterment of humanity. We are an award-winning indoor farming company and Certified B Corporation transforming agriculture with people and planet in mind. Using the latest breakthroughs in vertical farming, artificial intelligence and plant biology, we are fixing our broken food system and improving the way fresh produce is grown and distributed locally and globally. We have built a proprietary agriculture platform to grow a wide array of products, delivering superior flavor, better quality and improved nutrition with the most sophisticated levels of traceability & food safety in our industry. The unique way we grow indoors creates the perfect conditions for healthy plants to thrive, allowing us to deliver the highest quality produce to our customers all year round, while using up to 95% less water, 99% less land, 390X more productivity and zero pesticides compared to traditional field farming. We have been leading the indoor farming industry for over a decade, and proud to have been recognized with over 50 Awards for our breakthrough technology, commitment to people and planet, and the achievements of our world-class team, including TIME's Best Inventions, Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies and Fast Company's World Changing Ideas for 4 years in a row. Join our team and let's reach new heights: https://www.aerofarms.com/careers/
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