Our Equipment Automation Engineering (EAE) team seeks a professional and innovative individual to join our team in Pullman WA or Lewiston ID. SEL is a 100 percent employee-owned company that specializes in creating and manufacturing digital products and systems that protect and control power systems around the world.
The Equipment Automation Engineering team supports manufacturing and vertical integration teams by understanding our manufacturing processes, recommending solutions, and executing projects.
The successful candidate will be dependable, responsible, and self-motivated, and work closely with EAE mechanical engineers, Production representatives, and related Engineering teams to develop, successfully implement, and support manufacturing automation solutions. These solutions often include fully custom automation designs.
As a Senior Controls Engineer, a typical day might include the following:
1. Mentoring engineers and technicians.
2. Leading in initial equipment concept development and carefully balancing product specifications, process control requirements, layout complexity, cost, quality, and lead-time limits.
3. Laying out new industrial electrical control panels which are NFPA79/NEC/UL508A compliant and create electrical schematics.
4. Architecting, writing, and debugging PLC ladder logic with an emphasis on generating code that is organized, structured, documented, maintainable and reusable. PLC code will interact with subsystems such as conveyors, robots, Manufacturing Execution System (MES), machine vision, and 3rd party equipment.
5. Managing electrical cabinet builds.
6. Creating machine interactions with plant-wide Manufacturing Execution System (MES).
7. Introducing automated machines and processes into production, and training Maintenance and Production teams to support after deployment of equipment.
8. Creating and reviewing specifications and providing technical evaluations for outsourced automated equipment purchases.
9. Performing as technical lead on assigned projects.
10. Other duties as assigned.
This job might be for you if you have:
1. B.S./M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Mechatronics, or related discipline
2. 12+ years relevant experience in designing and implementing automation solutions in a manufacturing environment.
3. Strong technical expertise in the application of PLCs (example: Allen Bradley, Mitsubishi), HMI/GUI layout, Field Bus Networks, Safety Systems, Vision Systems, and integration of Robotics.
4. Familiarity with electrical prints and standards for industrial equipment.
5. Excellent technical presentation and training skills.
6. Demonstrated advanced proficiency in programming PLCs, with a well-defined methodology for maintaining code structure and organization.
7. Ability to program state machines for complex processes which involve multi-station parallel processing, pick and place automation, data acquisition, and PID control.
8. Proven ability to design reliable systems with error handling and recovery processes.
Competitive pay. Superior benefits. Inspiring work.
People are at the core of our company and we hire employee-owners. We welcome you to learn more about how we support employees.
We’re 100% employee owned. Retirement benefits include an employer funded stock ownership plan (ESOP) and personal 401(k) options.
We offer top tier medical, prescription, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance.
We recognize the importance of a healthy life balance and offer: 10 paid holidays, annual vacation accrual starting at 12 days, 9 paid sick days, and paid family and medical leave that covers 90% of your pay.
We foster growth and development of our employees through avenues such as STEM courses, apprenticeships, tuition assistance, and engineering development programs.
Ask our team about other benefits including wellness, fertility, adoption, and flexible spending benefits.
Pay Range Data
New hires generally start between $160,600 - $230,000. We base our starting pay offer on location and job-related factors such as candidate experience, training, knowledge, and skills. Our salary ranges are determined by job, responsibility, and location.
Communication with Applicants
We communicate with all applicants. If you do not receive a response about your application, please check your SPAM filter or reach out to us at [email protected].
SEL is an Equal Opportunity Employer: Vets/Disabled.
Communication with Applicants
We communicate with all applicants. If you do not receive a response about your application, please check your SPAM filter or reach out to us at [email protected].
SEL is an Equal Opportunity Employer: Vets/Disabled.
Skills Required
- B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Mechatronics, or related discipline
- 12+ years relevant experience designing and implementing automation solutions in a manufacturing environment
- Strong technical expertise with PLCs (Allen Bradley, Mitsubishi)
- Advanced proficiency programming PLC ladder logic with organized, maintainable methodology
- Experience with HMI/GUI layout, Field Bus Networks, Safety Systems, Vision Systems, and Robotics integration
- Familiarity with electrical prints and industrial equipment standards (NFPA79/NEC/UL508A)
- Ability to program state machines for multi-station parallel processing, pick-and-place, data acquisition, and PID control
- Proven ability to design reliable systems with error handling and recovery processes
- Excellent technical presentation and training skills; ability to train Maintenance and Production teams
- Experience creating machine interactions with plant-wide Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)
Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) and has not been reviewed or approved by Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL).
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Healthcare Strength — Medical, dental, and vision coverage is described as comprehensive, with the employer covering a significant share of premiums. Feedback suggests on-site clinics, EAP, and wellness programs further strengthen day-to-day health support at major campuses.
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Retirement Support — Employee ownership through an ESOP is positioned as a meaningful long-term benefit for full-time employees. Feedback suggests many view the ownership model and retirement programs as strong components of total rewards.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Paid vacation and sick time are characterized as generous alongside company holidays and special leave options. Feedback suggests time off begins accruing immediately and supports key life events.
Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) Insights
What We Do
SEL serves the power industry worldwide through the design, manufacture, supply and support of products and services for power system protection, monitoring, control, automation, communications and metering. For more than 30 years, SEL has offered unmatched local technical support, a 10‐year, worldwide warranty and a commitment to making electric power safer, more reliable and more economical.
