Controls Engineer & Automation Engineer Jobs
Design, program and commission the control systems that run machines, production lines and process plants.
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Controls engineers -- also called automation engineers or control systems engineers -- design the systems that make industrial equipment run on its own. They choose the PLCs, drives and instruments, draw the control panels, write the PLC and HMI programs, and then commission the system on site until it runs the way the process needs it to.
The work sits between electrical engineering and software. A typical project takes a machine or process from a functional spec to I/O lists, panel drawings and code, then through factory and site acceptance testing. Employers range from the vendors that make the equipment (Siemens, ABB, Rockwell, Emerson, Honeywell) to robotics and material-handling companies and the manufacturers and systems integrators that build and run the plants.
Hiring By Employer
ABB
131
Dematic
64
Rockwell Automation
17
KUKA
6
Jobs by Location
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Controls Engineer & Automation Engineer Jobs: Common Questions
What does a controls engineer do?
A controls engineer designs and programs the systems that run industrial equipment: selecting PLCs, drives and instruments, designing control panels, writing PLC and HMI code, and commissioning the system on site. Day to day that mixes desk work (design, programming, documentation) with time at the machine or plant testing and troubleshooting.
How much does a controls engineer make?
Across the 35 open US Controls Engineer & Automation Engineer postings on ControlsCompass that state an annual pay range, the median is $112K (middle half $100K–$133K), using the midpoint of each range. Pay varies with location, experience and shift or travel premiums; each job page shows the range when the employer states one.
Are controls and automation engineers in demand?
ControlsCompass lists 497 open Controls Engineer & Automation Engineer jobs right now from 8 employers; 130 of those jobs are in the US. The most come from ABB, Siemens and Honeywell. The count updates daily as new postings come in and closed ones drop off.
Which PLC and SCADA platforms do employers ask for?
33% of open Controls Engineer & Automation Engineer postings name a specific PLC, SCADA, DCS or robot brand. The most asked for: TIA Portal (36), Allen-Bradley (35), Siemens S7 (29) and WinCC (29). The rest ask for controls experience in general. See the most in-demand brands across all controls jobs on the brand demand page.
Do controls engineers travel?
Of the 153 open Controls Engineer & Automation Engineer postings that state a travel requirement, the median is up to 35% travel, and 23% ask for under 25%. The rest don't say. Field service and commissioning roles travel the most; plant-based and design roles the least.
How do I get into automation engineering?
The usual routes are an engineering degree (electrical, mechatronics, mechanical or computer) followed by an entry-level controls or automation role, or moving up from a controls or electrical technician job. Hands-on PLC experience on one major platform -- Allen-Bradley or Siemens -- matters to employers as much as the degree, and many vendors run graduate and training programs.
Can AI replace controls engineers?
AI tools can help write and review PLC code and documentation, but the job is tied to physical equipment: wiring, safety systems, commissioning and troubleshooting on a real machine with production on the line. Employers still post these roles in volume -- see the open positions on this page.
Numbers are calculated from the open jobs on ControlsCompass and update daily.