What are the responsibilities and job description for the Controls Technician position at Chicago Metalcraft Inc?
Job Title: Controls Technician
This is a first shift 7:30-4:30pm Full Time M-F opportunity.
Location: Chicago Metalcraft Inc. 885 Schneider Drive, South Elgin, IL. 60177
About Us: Chicago Metalcraft Inc. is a leader in designing and manufacturing OEM-quality stainless steel fabrications, conveyors, and machinery for the food production industry. Our team delivers reliable, hygienic, and precision-engineered equipment that meets stringent industry standards. We value craftsmanship, collaboration, and continuous improvement in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
Chicago Metalcraft seeks a Controls Technician to join our South Elgin, Illinois workshop as part of our Assembly Engineering Group. The role focuses on industrial automation control systems, including wiring, programming, and debugging of electrical and control components. You will work extensively with PLCs (Keyence, Allen-Bradley), HMIs, motor controls and machine vision systems. The position is hands-on (approximately 70%) with the remaining time (30%) supporting sales engineering and schematic development. Occasional short-term travel to customer sites, including overnight stays, may be required, and a clean driving history is necessary. Typical projects include conveyor systems, servo-positioning systems, dedicated automation and prototyping, machine vision, and inspection systems, supporting manufacturing and equipment assembly.
Key responsibilities
- Wire, program, and debug industrial automation control systems and electrical components
- Design control schematics and wire control components
- Program and configure PLCs (Keyence, Allen-Bradley) and HMIs
- Set up and integrate motor controls
- Diagnosing and resolving issues in control programs and equipment
- Support sales engineering activities and contribute to schematic development (approximately 30% of time)
- Work as a member of the Assembly Engineering Group to support equipment assembly, integration, testing, and startup activities
- Collaboration on manufacturing efforts and equipment assembly
- Travel short-term to customer sites when needed (including overnight stays)
Qualifications
- Proven experience wiring and programming control systems for industrial automation
- Hands-on experience with PLC-based control (Keyence, Allen-Bradley)
- Experience setting up and programming HMIs
- Ability to design control schematics and debug control programs and electrical components
- Strong organizational skills and a demonstrated history of progressive responsibility
- Clean driving history
Additional skills
- Mechanical assembly experience, including interpreting assembly drawings and assisting with machine builds
- Familiarity with motor control systems
- Experience with machine vision and inspection systems
- Knowledge of conveyor and servo-positioning systems
- Effective collaboration with manufacturing and assembly teams
- Clear communication and documentation skills for engineering support Competitive hourly rate or salary commensurate with experience.
What We Offer:
- Competitive hourly rate or salary commensurate with experience.
- Comprehensive benefits package (health, dental, vision, retirement).
- Paid time off and holiday schedule.
- A collaborative culture focused on quality, innovation, and customer satisfaction.
- Training on our specific equipment, processes, and quality systems.
How to Apply: Please submit your resume and a brief cover note describing:
- Your work history experience or resume.
- How you collaborate with a cross-functional team to achieve high-quality results.
- you may also apply in person
Chicago Metalcraft Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees
Chicago Metalcraft Inc. designs and manufactures high-quality stainless steel fabrications, conveyors, and custom machinery for the food production industry. Our team is committed to craftsmanship, collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.