Hiring: Controls Engineer Company: Vulcan Elements Location: Durham, NC Job Posted Time: 2026-09-16 12:34:53 Employment Type: On-site Target Skills & Keywords : Python, SQL About the job Experience: •4+ years of direct industrial automation and controls engineering experience. Required Skills: •Lead hands-on programming, debugging, and commissioning of Allen-Bradley/Rockwell, Siemens, and other industrial control hardware. Apply internal standards across grinding, wire saw, EDM, tumbling, coating, magnetization, and in-line inspection equipment. •Own the integration and commissioning of robot cells(Fanuc, ABB, Kuka) - cell layout review, end-of-arm tooling, PLC-to-robot handshaking, machine vision, and coordinated motion with indexing conveyors, rotary tables, and servo feed systems. •Execute task-based risk assessments to ISO 10218-1/-2, ISO/TS 15066, and ANSI/RIA R15.06; specify and validate safety functions — safe soft limits and zone monitoring, enabling devices, guard interlocks, and safety-rated stops — and demonstrate each one at Factory Acceptance Test rather than discovering it on site. •Configure and maintain communications between PLCs, robots, CNC-class machine controls, and the site SCADA/MES layer, including tag mapping, alarming, and data acquisition. •Review vendor electrical schematics, controls architectures, robot programs, and PLC/HMI logic. Lead controls Factory Acceptance Tests (FATs) and Site Acceptance Tests (SATs) to ensure full compliance with functional and safety requirements. •Integrate dimensional and defect inspection, profilometry, and analytical test instrumentation into cell control and the plant data layer - measurement-to-reject interlocks, SPC data flow, and the disposition logic. •Serve as the first-line, hands-on responder for diagnosing complex automation issues involving robots, networks, motion systems, instrumentation, and industrial communication protocols - on both the new facility and the running pilot. •Deliverables You Will Develop, Review, or Support Qualifications: •Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Automation Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related field with 4+ years of direct industrial automation and controls engineering experience. •Strong hands-on experience programming and commissioning Allen-Bradley/Rockwell, SIemens PLCs and HMIs, including safety PLCs such as GuardLogix. •Hands-on experience integrating multi-axis robots – FANUC, ABB, and/or KUKA - including teaching, program review, PLC handshaking, and safety zone configuration. •Grinding, wire saw, EDM, or lapping equipment; mass finishing and deburring lines; conveyorized coating and cure ovens. •Servos, VFDs, indexing conveyors, rotary tables, and automated feed systems; proficiency with Ethernet/IP, OPC UA, and similar industrial communication standards. •Demonstrated FAT and SAT participation — you have tested machines at vendor shops and commissioned them in the field — with structured troubleshooting, disciplined change control, and honest escalation. •Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export-controlled information or facilities Interested candidates, please apply directly through the job posting on company's career page or try via AI auto apply on this platform. Don't miss this opportunity to join a forward-thinking team!