Vulcan Elements
Sr. Controls Engineer
Research Triangle Park, NC · Senior
Sponsorship not specifiedDetected 1 day ago
PythonC++Code ReviewRoboticsPLCElectrical EngineeringControlsLeadershipCommunicationSCADA
> stay_score
odds of building a lasting career here
37Risky
Cap-exempt (no lottery)0
Sponsors this role80
Entry-level history0
PERM / green-card track0
Lottery odds40
Fits your clock70
Thin sponsorship signal and lottery-bound. A low-probability bet with your clock running. Prioritize cap-exempt roles and proven entry-level sponsors first.
Lottery odds assume a STEM candidate.
Personalize to your clock →> community_outcomes
No reports yet — be the first to help the next applicant.
About the role
- Vulcan Elements is manufacturing American rare-earth permanent magnets for a secure, resilient future.
- With a focus on national security and economic resiliency, we serve critical industries such as defense, aerospace, and automotive powering a high-technology future.
- You will be responsible for technical leadership of a team of controls engineers, establishing site-wide automation standards, and owning the hardware/software interface of all production and material handling equipment.
Responsibilities
- Lead hands-on programming, debugging, and commissioning of Siemens and Allen Bradley/Rockwell PLCs and HMIs for new and existing automation equipment.
- Develop, modify, and maintain PLC code structures, HMI screens, safety circuits, device mapping, and networking configurations to ensure robust and standardized automation performance across all equipment.
- Own and evolve the site controls standard: code architecture, state machines, alarm and HMI conventions.
- Author the controls specification issued with every OEM equipment package and build the templates and code libraries that let area engineers and integrators execute consistently.
- Own the ISA-88 physical and procedural models
- Configure and maintain communications between PLCs/HMIs and higher level systems (SCADA). Own the controller-side data interface - exposed tags, handshakes, and the phase-logic contract - to the supervisory layers
- Support Factory Acceptance Tests (FATs) and Site Acceptance Tests (SATs) to ensure full compliance with functional and safety requirements.
- Analyze OEE, downtime data, and SCADA/MES insights to identify and implement automation improvements that increase throughput, safety, and reliability.
- Own the ISA-88 physical and procedural models; execute the batch-engine placement study (PLC-resident vs. supervisory vs. MES-driven), decision, and implementation.
Requirements
- Bachelor's or Masters degree in electrical engineering, Automation Engineering, Mechatronics, or related field with 8+ years of direct industrial automation and controls engineering experience.
- Proficiency with Ethernet/IP, Profinet, EtherCAT, OPCUA, Modbus, serial, and similar industrial communication standards.
- Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export-controlled information or facilities
- Experience in heavy industrial, greenfield, chemical, or metallurgical manufacturing environments.
- Familiarity with Python, C++, or other high level languages for automation or data analytics.
- The position requires regular presence on the production floor and the ability to navigate all areas of the facility.
- Candidates must be able to climb stairs, stand and walk
- Strong hands on experience programming and commissioning Siemens and Allen Bradley/Rockwell PLCs and HMIs.
- Demonstrated authorship of controls standards, specifications, or code libraries used by other engineers and vendors.
- Deep understanding of servos, VFDs, highspeed conveyors, robotic cells, and automated material handling systems.
- Safety PLC programming competence and ISO 13849 / IEC 62061 interlock design judgment with the discipline to accept, reject, and defend decisions to OEMs with varying standards.
- Working experience with multi - axis robotic systems (Fanuc, Kuka, ABB) and machine vision platforms (Cognex, Keyence)
- Experience developing SCADA applications in Ignition, FactoryTalk, Wonderware, or similar platforms.
- AGV infrastructure design and integration experience
- Experience in regulated industries such as Defense, Aerospace, or Automotive and/or Batch/Hybrid processes (chemicals, materials, metals, pharma)
Nice to have
- Preferred Skills
Benefits
- Support the integration and commissioning of robotics, vision systems, AGVs, conveyors, and motion control systems-including servos and VFDs - to enable seamless material flow and high reliability production operations.
- PLC code architecture, HMI screens, vision inspection programs, tag databases, MES/SCADA transaction lists, network IP lists, password inventories, and system backups.
Visa & Work Authorization
- Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U
Apply directly at Vulcan Elements →Create a free account for alerts like thisView Vulcan Elements immigration profile
This listing is sourced directly from Vulcan Elements's careers page and normalized into a canonical job model.