Industrial Controls Engineer (PLC)

Location: Portland, TN, USA; onsite, full-time. Travel: 10–20%.

Company

Flex-Tek, a division of Smiths, is a global manufacturing organization serving aerospace, construction, thermal, and industrial applications.

What you will do

• Evaluate automation opportunities and develop reliable controls solutions for manufacturing equipment.
• Design electrical schematics, control panels, panel layouts, wiring, and networked control systems.
• Program PLCs and configure HMIs and SCADA systems for intuitive and dependable production operation.
• Integrate controls with mechanical, electrical, robotic, and process equipment, including sensors, actuators, and drives.
• Support installation, startup, commissioning, troubleshooting, optimization, and system checkout at manufacturing sites.
• Maintain control documentation and provide technical guidance and hands-on training to internal teams.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, mechatronics, automation, controls engineering, engineering technology, or a related technical field; equivalent hands-on experience may be considered.
• 5+ years of experience in industrial controls and automation.
• Proficiency in PLC programming with platforms such as Allen-Bradley, Automation Direct, Siemens, or Mitsubishi.
• Experience with HMI/SCADA systems such as C-more, FactoryTalk, WinCC, or Ignition.
• Understanding of Ethernet/IP, Modbus, and Profibus, plus familiarity with electrical design software such as Solidworks Electrical Schematic, Draftsight, or EPLAN.
• Knowledge of Cat. 1–4, NFPA 70E, UL508A, and ISO 13849 safety standards, along with strong problem-solving and communication skills.

Nice to have

• Experience with robotics and motion control systems.
• Knowledge of Industry 4.0 technologies and IIoT integration.
• Experience managing multiple projects and prioritizing tasks.
• Ability to read, create, and interpret electrical schematics, panel layouts, wiring diagrams, and control documentation.

Culture & Benefits

• Permanent employee position within the Flex-Tek Innovation Team.
• Hands-on work with meaningful automation projects and visible impact across Flex-Tek businesses.
• Collaboration with engineering, operations, maintenance, operators, technicians, and leadership.
• Inclusive workplace grounded in equality, ethics, and respect for diverse perspectives.