Controls Engineering Manager

PPS is seeking an experienced Controls Engineering Manager to lead its controls and automation function. This is a hands-on leadership opportunity for an experienced controls professional who can manage a technical team while also providing expertise in PLCs, HMI/SCADA, industrial networks, instrumentation, and automated piping/process systems.

The ideal candidate will bring a strong background in industrial controls, electrical systems, and automation, along with the leadership skills needed to manage engineers, technicians, programmers, contractors, and vendors.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, schedule, and develop a team of controls engineers, automation technicians, and programmers.
• Oversee the design, programming, integration, commissioning, and maintenance of PLC, HMI, SCADA, and control systems.
• Support automated piping, fluid-handling, and process systems, ensuring reliable operation and system performance.
• Provide technical leadership for new system installations, upgrades, retrofits, and modernization of legacy control systems.
• Troubleshoot complex controls, electrical, instrumentation, and industrial-network issues while minimizing equipment downtime.
• Develop and maintain controls standards, programming practices, documentation, electrical schematics, and system architectures.
• Partner with operations, maintenance, engineering, project management, and field teams to resolve technical issues and improve system reliability.
• Manage controls-related projects, including scope development, budgeting, estimating, scheduling, procurement, and commissioning.
• Coordinate contractors, integrators, equipment suppliers, and other external vendors.
• Ensure control-system designs and installations comply with applicable UL, NFPA, OSHA, electrical, and industrial safety requirements.
• Participate in critical troubleshooting and provide technical direction during system failures and production-impacting events.
• Identify opportunities to improve automation, reliability, efficiency, maintainability, and overall system performance.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Industrial Automation, or a related technical discipline.
• 5–8+ years of controls/automation engineering experience, with at least 2–5 years in a supervisory or management capacity.
• Strong hands-on experience with PLC programming and industrial automation systems.
• Experience with platforms such as Allen-Bradley/Rockwell, Siemens, or DeltaV.
• Experience developing or supporting HMI and SCADA systems.
• Working knowledge of industrial communication networks, including Ethernet/EtherNet/IP, Modbus, or similar protocols.
• Ability to read and interpret electrical schematics, control drawings, instrumentation diagrams, and related technical documentation.
• Experience troubleshooting both legacy and modern control systems.
• Strong understanding of industrial electrical safety and applicable NFPA, UL, and OSHA standards.
• Demonstrated experience leading technical teams and coordinating contractors or vendors.
• Strong analytical, communication, project-management, and problem-solving skills.