Controls & Electrical/Mechatronics Engineer

Job Description The Controls & Electrical/Mechatronics Engineer is responsible for owning the physical integration, machine controls, electrical systems, and mechatronic implementation of automation and robotic systems across the organization. This role supports a broad range of automation projects, including conveyors, sensors, cameras, robotic systems, material-handling equipment, safety systems, and custom fixtures or mechanisms. This role assesses applications and sites, designs and integrates equipment, programs and troubleshoots controls, commissions systems in live warehouse environments, and supports deployed automation throughout its lifecycle. This role is expected to own projects and equipment issues from assessment through resolution with minimal oversight, and to work closely with operations leadership, OEMs, and integration partners to keep automated systems running reliably in a live, production-critical environment. Duties and Responsibilities Design, implement, and document electrical systems for automation and robotic equipment, including control panels, field wiring, I/O architecture, power distribution, grounding, and equipment interfaces Develop, modify, troubleshoot, and commission PLC-based control systems using platforms such as Rockwell Studio 5000 Logix Designer, Siemens TIA Portal, or equivalent systems, including Ladder Logic, Structured Text, and/or Function Block programming as appropriate Configure and integrate HMIs, VFDs, servo drives, motion systems, encoders, remote I/O, and other control components; design and troubleshoot industrial communication architectures using protocols such as EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, EtherCAT, Modbus TCP, IO-Link, or equivalent technologies Select, mount, wire, configure, and troubleshoot sensors, cameras, actuators, safety devices, and other field equipment used in automated systems Design and integrate conveyor, sortation, and material-handling systems and coordinate their operation with robots and higher-level automation Lead the mechanical integration of robotic end-effectors, fixtures, mounts, guards, actuators, and other machine hardware, applying practical mechanical design and CAD principles as appropriate Design, implement, troubleshoot, and validate machine-safety functions, including E-stops, safety relays/PLCs, safety-rated I/O, light curtains, safety scanners, guard interlocks, and Safe Torque Off (STO) or equivalent functions Integrate robots and automation equipment with machine controls, navigation and sensing interfaces, WCS/WES/WMS platforms, fleet-management systems, and other higher-level systems as required by the application Perform site assessments, installation, commissioning, acceptance testing, startup, and production troubleshooting; diagnose electrical, controls, mechanical, networking, and low-level integration issues on live equipment and apply structured root-cause analysis to improve system reliability, reduce recurring downtime, and support equipment-uptime targets and service-level commitments Manage OEM and system-integrator relationships throughout installation, commissioning, and warranty periods, including holding vendors accountable to project timelines, documentation, and performance specifications Communicate technical issues, project status, and system performance clearly to operations leadership and other non-technical stakeholders Provide hands-on troubleshooting support during peak-volume and other production-critical periods, prioritizing rapid triage and system uptime under time pressure Required Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, Mechanical Engineering, Controls Engineering, or a related field 2+ years of hands-on experience designing, programming, commissioning, and supporting physical automation equipment in real-world production environments Experience with machine safeguarding and safety-control concepts, including safety relays/PLCs, safety-rated I/O, Safe Torque Off, E-Stops, interlocks, and formal machine-safety risk assessment or validation processes Experience designing, wiring, integrating, and troubleshooting industrial electrical systems, control panels, field I/O, and power/control circuits Practical experience integrating sensors, pneumatic systems, actuators, cameras, conveyors, robots, and other equipment into production systems Working knowledge of industrial networking and communication between PLCs, drives, remote I/O, robots, and other automation components Experience integrating and supporting autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), AGVs, or other autonomous mobile equipment, including coordination with fleet-management software and higher-level orchestration systems Ability to read, create, and troubleshoot electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, I/O documentation, and related engineering drawings Ability and willingness to work hands-on around operating warehouse and material-handling equipment, including site work, commissioning, troubleshooting, and occasional off-hours deployment support and travel when required. Preferred Rockwell Studio 5000 Logix Designer or Siemens TIA Portal experience specifically; experience with both is a plus VFDs, servo drives, motion control, encoders, positioning, and coordinated machine motion Deeper experience with specific industrial network protocols, such as EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, EtherCAT, Modbus TCP, or IO-Link Experience with AutoCAD Electrical, EPLAN, SolidWorks Electrical, or comparable electrical/CAD tools Hands-on experience with specific named AMR or robot platforms (e.g., Locus, 6 River, Fetch, Geek+, Fanuc, ABB, KUKA, Universal Robots) or robotic end-effector integration, beyond general AMR/robot integration Experience with dedicated vision systems or machine-vision equipment, beyond general camera integration Experience in logistics, warehousing, material handling, manufacturing, or other industrial automation environments Programming experience beyond PLC logic, such as Python or C++, for controls-adjacent tools, diagnostics, data collection, or integration Location: Mount Vernon/Evansville, IN or Greenville, SC