Principal Industrial Automation & Controls Engineer

Location: Onsite in Pueblo, Colorado, United States. Travel up to 15% may be required within the continental United States.

Salary: $140,000–$170,000 USD base salary per year, excluding benefits and bonuses.

Company

hirify.global develops mission-critical technologies for space, defense, national security, and energetic materials manufacturing.

What you will do

• Act as a principal technical authority for industrial automation and controls, defining standards, architectures, and design guidelines.
• Design, program, commission, and continuously improve PLC-based control systems and robotic work cells across multiple vendor platforms.
• Define the automation technology roadmap, including machine vision, machine learning-driven process optimization, and advanced robotics.
• Design NEC- and UL508A-compliant electrical systems, hazardous-area installations, cabinets, field wiring, and plant networking.
• Develop HMI/SCADA systems, data architectures, statistical process control, and plant-wide optimization solutions.
• Mentor engineers and collaborate with Manufacturing, Manufacturing Development, Safety, and Compliance teams.

Requirements

• 10+ years of industrial automation and controls experience with a relevant bachelor’s degree, 8+ years with a relevant master’s degree, or 14 years of hands-on experience in lieu of a degree.
• Expertise in PLC ladder logic, structured text, and function block programming across platforms such as Allen-Bradley/Rockwell, Siemens, AutomationDirect, Fanuc, or Mitsubishi.
• Experience designing, integrating, and commissioning robotic manufacturing systems, including end-of-arm tooling, safety systems, and motion control.
• Expert knowledge of NEC, UL508A, hazardous-area classifications C1D1/C2D1, 4–20 mA, Ethernet networking, HMI/SCADA, and SPC data architecture.
• Must work onsite in Pueblo, Colorado, and meet U.S. person and export-authorization requirements under ITAR.
• Must satisfy applicable explosives-license, background-investigation, drug-free workplace, and physical requirements, including the ability to lift up to 50 pounds.

Nice to have

• Experience with energetic materials, explosives, or other hazardous manufacturing environments.
• Experience with machine learning, advanced manufacturing analytics, vision inspection, predictive maintenance, or adaptive process control.
• Experience with 2D electrical schematics and 3D CAD, including SolidWorks.
• Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma Green or Black Belt certification.

Culture & Benefits

• Mission-driven environment focused on space, defense, national security, and critical technologies.
• Flexible time off and programs supporting physical and mental well-being.
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and families.
• 401(k) plan with a 50% company match on contributions up to 8%.
• Gym membership options, voluntary benefits, and employee support resources.