Chemelex · 4 hours ago
Controls Engineer – Advanced Manufacturing & Automation
Redwood City, CA, USA
Full-time
Onsite
Mid, Senior Level
$148K/yr - $212K/yr
3+ years expChemelex is a global leader in electric thermal and sensing solutions, and they are seeking a highly driven Controls Engineer to design, implement, and scale advanced automation and data-driven control systems within their Redwood City manufacturing facility. This role focuses on improving equipment reliability, throughput, quality, and real-time decision making by integrating controls engineering, software, AI/data science, and manufacturing operations.
Electrical & Electronic Manufacturing
Responsibilities
Design, develop, program, and commission industrial control systems using Siemens (TIA Portal, S7) and Allen-Bradley (ControlLogix, CompactLogix) PLC platforms
Develop and maintain HMI/SCADA systems, with a strong emphasis on Ignition for visualization, alarming, historian integration, and system scalability
Support new equipment installation, line expansions, retrofits, and continuous improvement projects from concept through production handoff
Troubleshoot complex electrical, controls, and software issues to minimize downtime and improve system robustness
Create and maintain controls standards, electrical schematics, network architectures, and commissioning documentation
Architect and maintain manufacturing data pipelines, integrating PLCs, SCADA, historians, and enterprise systems
Design and manage database structures (SQL-based preferred) to support scalable, reliable, and high-frequency data ingestion
Develop dashboards and analytics tools using Tableau and/or similar BI platforms to drive operational visibility and decision-making
Apply data science and AI techniques to manufacturing data to enable: Predictive maintenance, Anomaly detection, Yield, throughput, and quality optimization, Early fault detection and root cause analysis
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to translate operational problems into data-driven solutions
Design and review electrical control panels, I/O layouts, power distribution, and safety circuits in compliance with applicable codes and standards
Support safety systems including interlocks, E-stops, light curtains, and safety PLCs as required
Ensure systems meet reliability, cybersecurity, and maintainability requirements
Partner with Manufacturing, Operations, Quality, and Maintenance teams to define requirements and deliver solutions that improve OEE, uptime, scrap, and labor efficiency
Drive continuous improvement through standardization, automation, and advanced analytics
Mentor technicians and junior engineers on controls systems, data tools, and best practices
Support 24/7 manufacturing operations as needed during critical launches or escalations
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls/Automation Engineering, Mechatronics, Computer Engineering, or a related technical field
3–7 years of experience in controls engineering, industrial automation, or advanced manufacturing environments
Hands-on expertise in PLC programming, including Siemens (TIA Portal, S7) and/or Allen‑Bradley (ControlLogix, CompactLogix)
Strong experience with HMI/SCADA platforms, preferably Ignition, including visualization, scripting, historian integration, and alarm configuration
Proficiency with electrical/control system design, including control panels, schematics, I/O layouts, safety circuits, and applicable standards (NFPA 79, UL 508A, IEC)
Experience integrating industrial data systems, including PLC-to-database communication, data historians, SQL database structures, and data pipelines
Ability to develop dashboards/analytics using Tableau, Power BI, or similar tools for operational visibility and decision support
Strong understanding of networked industrial systems, including Ethernet/IP, Profinet, OPC UA, MQTT, and cybersecurity fundamentals
Demonstrated success supporting manufacturing equipment, troubleshooting complex issues, and improving uptime and system reliability
Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills; ability to translate operational needs into engineering solutions
Ability to lead projects, work independently, and support 24/7 operations during critical activities or escalations
Preferred
Master's degree preferred but not required
Familiarity with data science or machine-learning applications in manufacturing (predictive maintenance, anomaly detection, quality/throughput optimization) is strongly preferred
Company
Chemelex
Chemelex is a global leader in electric thermal and sensing solutions, protecting the world’s critical processes, places and people.
5001-10000 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageCompany data provided by crunchbase