Automation & Data Integration Engineer

Why Kendall Howard?

We’re a growing manufacturer serving the IT infrastructure field, with a no-nonsense attitude: stay humble, work hard, and take on challenges head-first. Around here, you won’t just “do your job” — you’ll be part of a team that builds, solves, and delivers products we’re proud to put our name on. The benefits and pay are solid, but the real perk is being part of something that matters alongside people who care just as much as you do.

Our Benefits

We know benefits matter, and we’ve got you covered. Full-time employees enjoy:

• Medical, Dental & Vision coverage
• Supplemental insurance options
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Paid holidays
• Online apparel store

The Role: Where the Shop Floor Meets the Cloud

This is not a "desk-only" software job. We are looking for a hands-on Automation Engineer based in the Twin Cities area who can walk onto our production floor, wire into a PLC, and then step back to the laptop to ensure that data is flowing correctly to our cloud dashboard.

You will be the bridge between our physical EV systems and our data reporting tools. If you enjoy the "grit" of manufacturing and the "logic" of systems architecture, you’ll fit right in.

What You’ll Be Doing (On-Site)

1. Physical PLC & Controls (The "Hands-On" Part)

On-Floor Commissioning: Lead the debugging and validation of systems during prototype builds. You will be physically present at the machines.

Logic Design: Develop and program PLC software (Allen-Bradley, Siemens, or Beckhoff) specifically for our integrated EV systems.

Hardware Integration: Partner directly with our Electrical Engineering team to ensure code aligns with physical wiring, I/O layouts, and control architectures.

2. Local & Cloud Data Integration

Edge Connectivity: Implement protocols (MQTT, OPC-UA) to move data from the machine on our floor to our cloud environment.

Dashboard Management: Maintain the cloud-based application that tracks real-time machine performance and historical data.

Database Structure: Manage how machine data is stored to ensure our local teams and customers get fast, actionable reports.

3. Support & Reliability

Field Support: Provide diagnostics for systems deployed in the field using your custom-built data architecture.

Continuous Improvement: Use real-world data from our shop floor to standardize programming and improve the next generation of products.

Are You the Right Fit?

We are looking for a local candidate who possesses:

Physical Proximity: Ability to commute to our Chisago City, MN facility daily. This role is 100% on-site and does not offer remote work.

The "Hybrid" Skill Set: * PLC Side: Proven experience with industrial platforms and HMI design.

Dev Side: Proficiency in Python, JavaScript/Node.js, or SQL for data handling.

Industrial Networking: A deep understanding of how to get data through a physical firewall and into a cloud endpoint (Ethernet/IP, Modbus, MQTT).

Manufacturing Grit: You are comfortable moving between a laptop and a control panel. You don’t mind a bit of shop floor noise and are ready to get your hands dirty.

Legal: Must be authorized to work in the U.S. without sponsorship.

How to Apply

In your cover letter or application, please confirm that you are able to work on-site in Chisago City, MN daily.

Kendall Howard provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, or disability. We are dedicated to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants with disabilities.