Illuminate USA · 15 hours ago
PLC Controls Engineer Senior - Day Shift
Pataskala, OH
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level
5+ years expIlluminate USA is a joint venture in renewable energy focused on transforming solar panel manufacturing in Central Ohio. They are seeking an experienced PLC Controls Engineer to support and improve manufacturing equipment controls systems, emphasizing PLC programming, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement of automation performance.
ManufacturingRenewable EnergySolar
Responsibilities
Maintain, troubleshoot, and improve PLC-controlled manufacturing equipment to meet uptime and throughput targets
Develop and support PLC logic updates, interlocks, safety conditions, and machine sequencing to improve stability and eliminate recurring faults
Provide hands-on support for equipment controls issues including communication faults, sensors, actuators, VFDs/servo drives, and industrial networks
Lead root cause investigations for controls-related downtime using structured problem solving (5-Why, 8D, fault tree, etc.)
Own controls software lifecycle including backup/restore, change control, version tracking, and release management
Maintain validated golden copies of PLC programs, HMI projects, and machine configuration files
Support factory controls standards including naming conventions, alarms, documentation, and configuration baselines
Ensure appropriate documentation of software changes and communicate updates to stakeholders
Identify opportunities to improve equipment reliability through automation enhancements, standardization, and reduction of controls-related downtime
Support and drive improvements in OEE, scrap reduction, cycle time stability, and equipment recovery procedures
Create recovery/playbooks for critical tools to improve shift-level response and reduce time-to-recover
Partner with OEMs, Dispatch teams, and internal stakeholders to resolve machine controls issues, implement upgrades, and close technical gaps
Work alongside Maintenance and Equipment Technicians to improve troubleshooting capability through training and standardized procedures
Support commissioning, retrofits, upgrades, and line expansions requiring PLC/HMI integration
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Automation Engineering, or equivalent technical discipline
Minimum 5 years of hands-on PLC controls engineering experience in a manufacturing environment
Strong experience with PLC programming and troubleshooting (ladder logic, structured text, etc.)
Strong experience with HMI/SCADA support and interface troubleshooting
Strong experience with industrial networking (Ethernet/IP, Profinet, Modbus, etc.)
Strong experience with controls-related documentation and disciplined change management
Ability to work independently, prioritize production-impacting issues, and communicate clearly under pressure
Preferred
Experience supporting high-volume manufacturing lines (automation-intensive environments preferred)
Exposure to safety systems and machine guarding interlocks (LOTO awareness, safety circuits)
Experience with SQL/data logging, historian systems, or integration to manufacturing databases
Familiarity with servo systems, motion control, and robotics integration
Prior experience supporting OEM-developed controls platforms and multilingual technical teams
Benefits
Competitive pay
Comprehensive benefits
Continuous opportunities for career growth
Company
Illuminate USA
Illuminate USA is a solar panel manufacturer.
1001-5000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Illuminate USA has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (8)
2024 (5)
2022 (1)
2020 (1)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageLeadership Team
Brittany Rogers, CPCC
Chief Human Resources and People Officer - CHRO | CPO
Nicholas Crandall, MBA, SHRM-SCP
Human Resources Business Partner
Recent News
2025-08-13
2025-08-13
Dayton Business Journal
2025-03-26
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