What are the responsibilities and job description for the Controls Technician position at First Quality?
Founded over 35 years ago, First Quality is a family-owned company that has grown from a small business in McElhattan, Pennsylvania into a group of companies, employing over 5,000 team members, while maintaining our family values and entrepreneurial spirit. With corporate offices in New York and Pennsylvania and 8 manufacturing campuses across the U.S. and Canada, the companies within the First Quality group produce high-quality personal care and household products for large retailers and healthcare organizations. Our personal care and household product portfolio includes baby diapers, wipes, feminine pads, paper towels, bath tissue, adult incontinence products, laundry detergents, fabric finishers, and dishwash solutions. In addition, we manufacture certain raw materials and components used in the manufacturing of these products, including flexible print and packaging solutions.
Guided by our values of humility, unity, and integrity, we leverage advanced technology and innovation to drive growth and create new opportunities. At First Quality, you’ll find a collaborative environment focused on continuous learning, professional development, and our mission to Make Things Better®.
We are seeking a Controls Technician for our First Quality Retail Services facility located in Lewistown, PA. This position will be responsible for troubleshooting and maintaining controls components and systems for production and associated utility equipment to insure highest reliability, proper line performance, and safe operation.
Shift: B Shift (Night Shift)
Salary Non- Exempt
Req #: 10880
Job Posting End Date: 03/18/2026
Primary responsibilities include:
- Observes all OSHA and company safety rules and uses the proper safety equipment at all times. Notifies Supervisor of potential electrical hazards and takes immediate corrective action. Demonstrates basic National Electrical Code understanding.
- Troubleshoots, repairs, replaces and calibrates electrical sensors including: photoelectric, inductive, capacitive, magnetic, pressure, temperature, weight and position sensors.
- Troubleshoots, repairs, replaces and commissions all electrical control devices including: AC drives, DC drives, Servo Controllers, contactors, motors, breakers, solenoids power supplies and indicator lights.
- Troubleshoots, repairs, replaces and commissions all PLC/HMI based hardware including: processors, discrete and analog I/O cards, power supplies, network adapters, Distributed I/O, dedicated operator interfaces such as Panelview, PC based interfaces and message displays such as FactoryTalkView.
- Diagnoses problems using laptop computers interfaced to PLC’s, HMI’s and servo systems utilizing electrical schematics, meters, oscilloscopes, and any additional resources available.
- Makes small program changes in PLC’s logic, HMI’s programs and servo controller logic to aid in the diagnosis and repair of machine problems.
- Makes wiring/programming changes on all production equipment as required.
- Performs electrical preventative maintenance at scheduled intervals as assigned.
- Assists Production, Maintenance, Process and Project Engineers to meet daily priorities, coverage, and special projects.
- Assists with projects and equipment installations as necessary.
- Shares knowledge and techniques with team members and assists with training of new personnel.
- Attends all training seminars provided by the company when applicable.
- Maintains a clean and orderly work area.
- Performs other duties as necessary when directed to do so.
The ideal candidate should possess the following:
- High School Diploma with Associates Degree in electronics or equivalent.
- Preferred 1-3 years of industrial experience.
- Personal Computer skills including specific controls programming software and basic e-mail, word processing, and spreadsheet applications.
- Has fundamental knowledge of electrical theory and principles of operation.
- Solid knowledge of three phase, single phase and DC power.
- Familiar with NEC and standard wiring practices.
- Utilizes meters and oscilloscopes to identify electrical problems.
- Reads electrical schematics.
- Has advanced knowledge of all controller based hardware and software.
- Reads and make small changes to PLC ladder logic.
- Reads and troubleshoot motion control/servo programs.
- Reads HMI software to identify its effects on the equipment.
- Follows data and signals from one controller to another over various networks.
- Standard knowledge of product specifications, quality requirements, production goals, efficiency and waste.
- Knows products specifications and the processes that affect them.
- Understands the impact of downtime and waste on production efficiency.
- Good communication skills.
- Works closely with the production team to identify and resolve problems.
- Communicates with the parts department to ensure adequate spares.
- Identifies problems and isolates them to specific components through tests and observations.
- Performs electrical troubleshooting utilizing a logical and time effective approach.
- Makes quick and accurate electrical repairs and program changes.
- Must have in-depth knowledge of the production equipment and processes to identify a faulty device or program.
- Repairs must be thorough to prevent any further downtime.
- Works well in a team environment.
What We Offer You
We believe that by continuously improving the quality of our benefits, we can help to raise the quality of life for our team members and their families. At First Quality you will receive:
- Competitive base salary and bonus opportunities
- Paid time off (three-week minimum)
- Medical, dental and vision starting day one
- 401(k) with employer match
- Paid parental leave
- Child and family care assistance (dependent care FSA with employer match up to $2500)
- Bundle of joy benefit (year's worth of free diapers to all team members with a new baby)
- Tuition assistance
- Wellness program with savings of up to $4,000 per year on insurance premiums
- ...and more!
First Quality is committed to protecting information under the care of First Quality Enterprises commensurate with leading industry standards and applicable regulations. As such, First Quality provides at least annual training regarding data privacy and security to employees who, as a result of their role specifications, may come in to contact with sensitive data.
First Quality is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identification, or protected Veteran status.
Salary : $4,000