Siemens PLC & HMI/SCADA Specialist
Department: Equipment/ maintenance
Company / Location: WorldWise Plastics (WWP) – Minth Group / Lewisburg, TN
Reports To: Maintenance Manager
Employment Type: Full-Time / Exempt (subject to classification review)
About CompanyMinth Group is a global automotive supplier specializing in exterior and structural automotive components, serving automotive OEMs through advanced manufacturing technologies and operational excellence.
Job SummaryThe Controls Engineer designs, programs, troubleshoots, maintains, and optimizes industrial automation systems in a high-volume Tier 1 automotive manufacturing environment. The role requires proficiency in Siemens SIMATIC PLCs, TIA Portal, STEP 7, and WinCC HMI/SCADA, supporting production equipment, new installations, reliability, safety, quality, and continuous improvement.
Key ResponsibilitiesSiemens PLC Programming & Automation Controls- Develop, program, troubleshoot, and maintain Siemens SIMATIC S7-1200, S7-1500, and applicable legacy S7-300/S7-400 PLC systems.
- Use TIA Portal and STEP 7 for Ladder Logic, Function Block Diagram, and Structured Control Language (SCL).
- Diagnose PLC hardware, software, I/O, and communication faults; maintain program backups, version control, and change documentation.
- Support commissioning, validation, and integration of automated manufacturing equipment.
- Design, configure, troubleshoot, and maintain Siemens WinCC HMI and SCADA applications.
- Develop operator interfaces, alarms, status displays, and production monitoring screens.
- Integrate PLC and HMI/SCADA systems for reliable real-time equipment and process information.
- Support controls for injection molding, painting, chroming, assembly, and material-handling operations.
- Troubleshoot automated lines, sensors, actuators, servo drives, VFDs, and control components.
- Coordinate with Maintenance and Production to resolve downtime, cycle-time losses, and recurring faults while meeting OEM delivery objectives.
- Configure and troubleshoot PROFINET, PROFIBUS, Industrial Ethernet, and applicable OPC UA interfaces.
- Integrate PLCs, HMIs, remote I/O, drives, sensors, and MES or production monitoring systems.
- Maintain accurate network configurations and control-system architecture documentation.
- Support design, installation, commissioning, startup, and validation of automated equipment.
- Review electrical schematics, control panel designs, and equipment specifications.
- Coordinate with vendors and integrators on FAT, SAT, new product launches, and engineering changes.
- Improve machine uptime, cycle time, OEE, and automation performance.
- Perform root cause analysis of recurring failures and implement approved corrective actions.
- Support preventive and predictive maintenance, Lean, 5S, and Kaizen initiatives.
- Support IATF 16949-aligned processes, customer requirements, error-proofing, traceability, and production quality monitoring.
- Follow OSHA, Lockout/Tagout, and applicable machine safety standards.
- Support safety PLCs, interlocks, emergency stops, guarding, and validated engineering changes.
- Maintain PLC programs, HMI configurations, electrical drawings, and troubleshooting records.
- Develop troubleshooting guides and train Maintenance Technicians, Electricians, and Production personnel.
- Communicate technical risks, project status, and corrective actions to Engineering and plant leadership.
- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Controls, Automation, or Mechatronics Engineering, or equivalent technical education and substantial relevant experience.
- 3–5 years of industrial automation, PLC programming, or controls engineering experience.
- Hands-on Siemens SIMATIC PLC programming and troubleshooting; proficiency with TIA Portal, STEP 7, and WinCC.
- Understanding of electrical controls, sensors, actuators, motor controls, PROFINET, PROFIBUS, and Industrial Ethernet.
- Ability to read electrical schematics and independently diagnose complex manufacturing automation problems.
- Tier 1 automotive supplier or OEM experience; injection molding, painting, chroming, or automated assembly experience.
- Advanced Siemens S7-1500, WinCC Unified/Professional, SINAMICS, motion control, and industrial robotics experience.
- Familiarity with IATF 16949, APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, OEE, MES, and Industry 4.0 systems.
- Machine safety and safety PLC experience.
- Follow company policies, OSHA requirements, and Lockout/Tagout procedures.
- Use required PPE and report unsafe equipment or electrical conditions.
- Validate control changes to protect machine safeguards and personnel.
- Stand, walk, bend, kneel, and access equipment and control cabinets safely.
- Occasionally lift up to 50 pounds with assistance as appropriate.
- Use programming and electrical diagnostic tools in active production environments.
- Fast-paced Tier 1 automotive manufacturing environment with machinery, noise, and automated equipment.
- Occasional evenings, weekends, overtime, shutdown, and launch support as needed.
WorldWise Plastics provides equal employment opportunities without regard to any characteristic protected by applicable law.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Controls, Automation, or Mechatronics Engineering, or equivalent technical education and substantial relevant experience
- 3-5 years of industrial automation, PLC programming, or controls engineering experience
- Hands-on Siemens SIMATIC PLC programming and troubleshooting
- Proficiency with TIA Portal, STEP 7, and WinCC
- Understanding of electrical controls, sensors, actuators, motor controls, PROFINET, PROFIBUS, and Industrial Ethernet
- Ability to read electrical schematics and independently diagnose complex manufacturing automation problems
- Tier 1 automotive supplier or OEM experience
- Injection molding, painting, chroming, or automated assembly experience
- Advanced Siemens S7-1500, WinCC Unified or Professional, SINAMICS, motion control, and industrial robotics experience
- Familiarity with IATF 16949, APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, OEE, MES, and Industry 4.0 systems
- Machine safety and safety PLC experience
MINTH GROUP Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about MINTH GROUP and has not been reviewed or approved by MINTH GROUP.
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Fair & Transparent Compensation — Pay is considered competitive in some locations and roles, with starting wages described as reasonable for local markets. Feedback suggests compensation structures are viewed as solid for manufacturing settings when overtime opportunities are available.
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Healthcare Strength — Medical coverage is considered good by some employees and is highlighted as a stabilizing aspect of the package. Feedback suggests health insurance provisions meet or exceed expectations in certain roles or regions.
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Strong & Reliable Incentives — Opportunities for overtime are seen as reliable and meaningful to overall take-home pay. Feedback suggests bonuses and short-term incentives are available in some cases, complementing base pay.
MINTH GROUP Insights
What We Do
Minth Group stands as a global leader in the manufacturing of exterior and structural automotive parts. With a workforce of 27,367 employees distributed across four business units and 78 global plants and offices, our operations span four continents and 15 countries. We take immense pride in serving a diverse clientele, encompassing over 80 automobile brands from all over the world. Leveraging one of the world’s most comprehensive and diverse customer platforms, Minth has made significant investments in the electrification of the automotive industry, positioning itself as the world's largest supplier of battery enclosures and body structure components. At Minth Group, our commitment extends beyond business success to the creation of a sustainable society and future for all. We champion green innovations and increasingly adopt green energy in our operations. Concurrently, we are dedicated to providing high-performance, superior-quality automotive parts that adhere to the highest global standards, continually driving innovation within the automotive industry.
