What are the responsibilities and job description for the Mid-Level Process Controls Engineer position at CEC Controls Company?
Job Title: Mid-Level Process Controls Engineer
Location: Lansing/Warren - Southeast Michigan (Hybrid eligible after onboarding, approximately 75% work from home, 25% on jobsite)
Company: CEC Controls – Michigan Branch
Employment Type: Full-Time Travel: 10% (primarily within Michigan)
About CEC Controls
CEC Controls is a leading instrumentation and controls integrator headquartered in Michigan with a strong, long-standing presence in the water and wastewater industry and continued growth across industrial automation and process facilities throughout the state.
Position Overview
We are seeking a Mid-Level Process Controls Engineer with 4–8 years of hands-on experience designing, programming, and commissioning industrial control systems. This role will primarily support our water/wastewater and general industrial process clients while offering exposure to a variety of challenging automation projects.
Key Responsibilities
- Design, program, and commission PLC/HMI/SCADA systems for water/wastewater and industrial process applications
- Develop PLC programs using RSLogix Studio 5000 or Siemens Step 7 (TIA Portal) or Opto22 PAC Control
- Develop and maintain SCADA applications using Trihedral VTScada, Inductive Automation Ignition, or GE Vernova iFIX
- Design electrical control panels that adhere to UL508A standards
- Perform factory acceptance testing (FAT) and site acceptance testing (SAT)
- Configure and troubleshoot industrial networks including managed Ethernet switches, VLANs, VPN tunnels, cellular routers, and firewalls
- Integrate field devices via HART, PROFINET, EtherNet/IP, and Modbus TCP
- Provide on-site startup, commissioning, and client training
- Collaborate with electrical contractors, general contractors, and project stakeholders
- Participate in design reviews, risk assessments, and scope development for new bids
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Computer Engineering, experience will be considered in lieu of degree.
- 4–8 years of experience programming and commissioning PLC/SCADA systems in water/wastewater or industrial environments
- Hands-on experience with Trihedral VTScada, Ignition, or GE Vernova iFIX
- Strong knowledge of Allen-Bradley ControlLogix/CompactLogix or Siemens S7 platforms, Opto 22 would also be an asset
- Familiarity with industrial networking: managed switches, VPN, cellular routers, firewalls, and network security best practices
- Ability to read and red-line P&IDs, loop drawings, and network architecture diagrams
- Valid driver’s license and ability to pass background checks for municipal and industrial sites
Assets (Strongly Preferred)
- Familiarity with design requirements for hazardous locations (ie. Class 1, Div 1 and Div2)
- Familiarity with industrial instrumentation such as pressure, flow, level, temperature and analytical instruments
- Scripting/development skills in HTML, CSS, Python
- Experience with Relational Databases (ie. MySQL, PostgreSQL, etc,)
- Experience with Rockwell FactoryTalk View SE/ME, Wonderware, AVEVA System Platform, PAC Display, Groov View
- Knowledge of OPC UA, historian configuration (OSIsoft PI, Ignition Historian), and high-availability SCADA architectures
- Cybersecurity fundamentals (IEC 62443, NIST) applied to OT environments
What We Offer
- Competitive salary
- Full benefits (health, dental, vision, 401k match, life/disability)
- Mileage compensation and travel expenses for site work
- Clear path to Senior Engineer and Project Management roles
- Ongoing work on a diverse mix of municipal and industrial automation projects across Michigan
If you thrive on turning complex process requirements into reliable, redundant control systems and want to grow with a stable Michigan-based integrator, we want to hear from you.