Senior Controls & Manufacturing Systems Engineer (SCADA / OT)

Location: Buffalo Grove, IL (Onsite)

Compensation: $150,000–$175,000

Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, PTO, 401(k)

Overview

We are seeking a Senior Controls & Manufacturing Systems Engineer to support the continued expansion of our advanced medical device manufacturing operations. Reporting to the Director of Operations Engineering, this role will serve as the technical lead for both industrial automation and plant-wide manufacturing systems integration.

Unlike a traditional controls engineering role focused primarily on machine-level PLC programming, this position requires an engineer who understands how production equipment connects across the manufacturing enterprise. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience integrating PLC-controlled equipment into SCADA, Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), Industrial Networks, Operational Technology (OT), and connected manufacturing environments.

This individual will lead automation architecture, improve manufacturing visibility through data acquisition and SCADA platforms, support digital manufacturing initiatives, and ensure reliable communication between production equipment, plant systems, and enterprise applications.

Key Responsibilities
Design, program, commission, and support PLC-based automation systems for highly automated manufacturing equipment.
Develop and maintain PLC logic, HMI applications, motion control, robotics, and machine safety systems.
Support new equipment installations, upgrades, commissioning, and validation activities.
Troubleshoot complex automation issues affecting production equipment and manufacturing throughput.
Develop electrical schematics, control panel designs, and automation standards.
Manufacturing Systems / OT Integration
Design and maintain plant-wide SCADA infrastructure supporting automated manufacturing operations.
Integrate manufacturing equipment with SCADA, MES, Historian, and enterprise manufacturing systems.
Develop communication architectures connecting PLCs, HMIs, industrial PCs, servers, databases, and manufacturing applications.
Support Industrial IoT (IIoT) initiatives and connected factory technologies.
Implement data collection strategies to improve manufacturing visibility, OEE reporting, downtime tracking, and production analytics.
Support Manufacturing IT initiatives involving Operational Technology (OT), industrial networking, and secure manufacturing infrastructure.
Partner with Manufacturing IT teams to deploy new automation technologies and improve plant connectivity.
Manufacturing Engineering
Improve equipment reliability, uptime, and manufacturing efficiency.
Support continuous improvement projects using production data and automation technologies.
Work closely with Operations, Maintenance, Validation, Quality, and Manufacturing Engineering teams.
Coordinate with external system integrators and automation vendors.
Develop automation standards, documentation, SOPs, and engineering specifications.

Required Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Computer Engineering, Automation Engineering, or related discipline.
10+ years of experience supporting automated manufacturing environments.
Strong experience integrating PLC-controlled equipment into plant-wide manufacturing systems.
Demonstrated experience supporting SCADA platforms within manufacturing environments.
Experience with Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) integration.
Strong understanding of Operational Technology (OT) architecture.
Experience with Industrial Ethernet networks and industrial communication protocols.
Hands-on experience with Allen-Bradley, Siemens, Mitsubishi, Beckhoff, Omron, or similar PLC platforms.
Experience programming HMIs using FactoryTalk View, WinCC, Ignition, or similar software.
Experience supporting industrial databases, historians, or manufacturing data collection systems.
Strong troubleshooting skills involving controls, networking, communications, and manufacturing systems integration.
Experience leading automation projects from concept through commissioning.
Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Preferred Qualifications
Medical device, pharmaceutical, life sciences, or regulated manufacturing experience.
Experience with Ignition SCADA, FactoryTalk, Wonderware, WinCC, AVEVA, or similar SCADA platforms.
Experience with OSI PI, Canary, Ignition Historian, or other historian platforms.
Knowledge of ISA-95 manufacturing architecture.
Experience integrating PLCs with SQL databases.
Familiarity with OPC UA, MQTT, Modbus TCP/IP, Ethernet/IP, Profinet, or EtherCAT.
Experience supporting manufacturing cybersecurity and industrial network segmentation.
Python, C#, SQL, or scripting experience.
Experience with Industrial IoT (IIoT), Edge devices, or smart manufacturing initiatives.
Knowledge of FDA, cGMP, GAMP 5, or 21 CFR Part 11 requirements.

Desired Technical Skills
Controls
Allen-Bradley
Siemens
Beckhoff
Mitsubishi
Omron
Studio 5000
TIA Portal
TwinCAT
GX Works
FactoryTalk
Manufacturing Systems
SCADA
MES
Historian
Manufacturing IT
Operational Technology (OT)
IIoT
OPC UA
MQTT
Ignition
Wonderware
AVEVA
WinCC
Networking
Ethernet/IP
Profinet
EtherCAT
Modbus TCP
Industrial Ethernet
Network Architecture
Industrial Switches
Managed Networks
Manufacturing
OEE
Downtime Analytics
Data Acquisition
Connected Factory
Smart Manufacturing
Digital Manufacturing
Equipment Integration