What are the responsibilities and job description for the Controls Technician position at Horseshoe Beverage Company - Ready-to-Drink Coffee, Cold Brew, and Functional Beverages?
About Us:
Trilliant Food & Nutrition is a leading manufacturer of premium coffees and powdered beverages, proudly headquartered in Little Chute, Wisconsin. With a legacy rooted in quality, innovation, and service, Trilliant delivers branded and private label solutions across retail, foodservice, and e-commerce channels.
Horseshoe Beverage Company, based in Neenah, WI, is a leading ready-to-drink beverage manufacturer dedicated to delivering an exceptional beverage experience. By combining industry-leading talent and cutting-edge equipment, we drive innovation and consistently deliver the highest quality products to our customers-first and fast.
Our brand portfolio includes Victor Allen's, Dutch Bros beverages and Nurri, our better-for-you protein beverage line. We are passionate about beverages - and about building a team that's just as energized. We invite you to explore opportunities at Trilliant or Horseshoe, to see if your talents and career aspirations may fit with our openings.
Our Core Values:
Position Overview:
The Controls Technician is a hands-on, shift-based role responsible for keeping the plant running and maximizing daily output. Tied to a production shift and part of the Site Maintenance team, this position uses PLC and HMI skills to diagnose faults, clear downtime, and provide real-time support to operators and maintenance. When the plant is running well, the Technician shifts focus to preventive maintenance, reliability improvement, and continuous improvement work within the controls side of the business. For issues beyond approved troubleshooting authority, the Technician partners daily with the Controls Engineer and/or Controls Manager for coaching, escalation, and PLC/HMI change approval.
Hours are 5:45pm - 6:00am on a 2-2-3 schedule.
Responsibilities:
Respond to day-to-day production line issues, using PLC and HMI skills to diagnose faults, clear downtime, and keep equipment running throughout the shift
Provide hands-on technical leadership to operators and maintenance personnel to maximize daily output, throughput, and line efficiency
Diagnose, troubleshoot, repair, and maintain industrial control systems, including PLCs, HMIs, VFDs, motor control circuits, sensors, relays, and instrumentation
Read and interpret electrical schematics, ladder logic, wiring diagrams, panel layouts, and technical manuals to identify faults and complete repairs
Make minor, pre-approved PLC and HMI program adjustments to correct issues and improve performance; escalate logic changes beyond approved scope to the Controls Engineer
Perform preventive and predictive maintenance on control panels, electrical devices, safety circuits, and automation equipment to reduce downtime
Install, wire, test, and commission new or modified control systems, equipment upgrades, and automation projects
Calibrate and verify sensors, transmitters, encoders, photo eyes, proximity switches, pressure switches, temperature devices, and other field instruments
Configure and troubleshoot variable frequency drives, servo systems, motor starters, and related motion-control components
Respond to equipment breakdowns and production support calls in a timely manner to restore safe, reliable operation
Document work performed, parts used, system changes, and troubleshooting findings in the maintenance management system
Partner with maintenance, operations, engineering, quality, and safety teams to support root-cause analysis and continuous improvement
Follow all company safety policies, safe electrical work practices, lockout/tagout procedures, and applicable regulatory standards
Maintain clean, organized work areas, tools, spare parts, drawings, and control-system documentation
Other duties as assigned
Qualifications:
Required
Associate degree, technical diploma, apprenticeship, or certification in electrical technology, industrial automation, mechatronics, instrumentation, or a related field required
Ability to read, troubleshoot, and make basic edits to PLC code (Allen-Bradley Studio 5000 / RSLogix required)
Ability to read and understand electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, logic diagrams, and technical documentation
Working knowledge of industrial electrical safety practices, lockout/tagout, and safe troubleshooting methods
Strong mechanical and electrical problem-solving skills; able to work independently and as part of a team
Basic computer skills, including entering work orders, updating documentation, and using vendor or maintenance software
Good communication skills and the ability to support operators, technicians, supervisors, engineers, and vendors
Schedule flexibility is required to support equipment startups, planned shutdowns, preventive maintenance windows, project work, training, and emergency breakdowns
Safety-focused approach to all electrical and controls work
Strong sense of urgency when responding to downtime events
High attention to detail when documenting changes, labeling wiring, and maintaining control-system drawings
Ability to identify recurring issues and recommend long-term corrective actions
Willingness to learn new technologies, support plant improvements, and grow toward greater automation ownership over time
Preferred
Experience with Allen-Bradley, Siemens, or similar PLC platforms
Experience with industrial networking, Ethernet/IP, control panels, safety relays, and machine guarding systems
Knowledge of NEC, NFPA 70E, OSHA requirements, and other applicable electrical and safety standards
Experience supporting manufacturing, packaging, process, robotics, conveyor, or automated production equipment
Ability to perform root-cause analysis and recommend control-system improvements that increase uptime, reliability, safety, and efficiency
Hours, Location and Pay:
We offer a competitive base pay rate and benefits package for full-time employees. This role works 5:45pm - 6:00am on a 2-2-3 schedule at our Little Chute, WI manufacturing facility. Additional hours as needed to support business needs.
Physical and Mental Demands:
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, hear, use hands to type data, use a personal computer and telephone. This employee may occasionally have to operate business machines and lift and/move up to 50 pounds.
Specific vision abilities required in this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Mental demands include multi-tasking, decision making, problem solving, comparing, copying, computing, compiling, analyzing, coordinating, and synthesizing data.
Potential for exposure to chemicals, heights, loud noises, mechanical equipment, wet environments, and other potential hazards exists.
Safety Statement:
At Trilliant and Horseshoe, safety is every employee's first responsibility. We expect all employees to adhere to all safety practices, have the moral courage to stop other individuals from performing unsafe acts, and immediately report unsafe conditions.
Disclosures:
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. All personnel may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.
Responsible for following food safety/regulatory policies and procedures, executing responsibilities as identified in standard operating procedures, and reporting food safety/regulatory concerns to the Production or Quality Manager.
Trilliant Food & Nutrition and Horseshoe Beverage Company are Drug Free Workplaces. All applicants are subject to a drug screen and background check as a condition of employment.
Trilliant Food and Nutrition and Horseshoe Beverage participate in the E-Verify process.
EEO/AA including Vets and Disabled
If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact us by email at HR@trilliantfood.com and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.
Trilliant Food and Nutrition and Horseshoe Beverage are Equal Opportunity Employers.
The principles of the OECD and UN have been taken into consideration and used as guidance in our human rights practices and procedures.