What are the responsibilities and job description for the Controls Engineer position at ORKA AUTOMATION?
Orka Automation | Grand Rapids, MI
Custom Automation • Inspection • Assembly
First—Who This Role Is Not ForThis role is not for someone who:
- Wants a narrow, repetitive programming job
- Needs step-by-step direction to be productive
- Avoids accountability when projects get hard
- Thinks documentation and commissioning are “someone else’s job”
- Is looking for a big-company, siloed environment
If any of the above resonates, this role will be frustrating for you—and that’s okay.
Who This Role Is ForThis role is for a Controls Engineer who:
- Enjoys ownership from concept through commissioning
- Thinks in systems, not just code
- Is curious, self-driven, and comfortable with ambiguity
- Takes pride in machines that actually work on the plant floor
- Wants to be part of a growing automation company where their decisions matter
At Orka Automation, controls engineers are not “support”—they are core builders.
What You’ll Own (Outcomes, Not Just Tasks)Technical Ownership- PLC programming and troubleshooting
- Allen-Bradley (Logix / Studio 5000)
- Keyence PLC platforms
- Robot programming and integration
- Fanuc
- Yaskawa / Motoman
- HMI development and operator usability
- IO architecture, field devices, safety integration
- Debugging machines on the floor—not just in simulation
- System architects and repeatable standards
- Supporting machine concepts during quoting
- Working directly with mechanical and applications engineers
- Commissioning systems at Orka and at customer sites
- Diagnosing real-world problems under real-world constraints
- Documenting logic, systems, and standards clearly
Experience in plastics or foam manufacturing environments is highly valued, including:
- Injection molding automation
- Secondary assembly
- Inspection systems
- Material handling for molded or foam products
- Understanding cycle time sensitivity, scrap risk, and uptime pressure
Not required—but if you’ve lived it, you’ll have a major advantage.
How We Work at Orka- Small team, high trust
- Engineers talk directly to customers
- Decisions are made close to the work
- You will see your machines built, wired, debugged, and run
- Quality and integrity matter more than speed alone
If you like seeing your work disappear into a massive corporate structure, this is not the place.
Required Experience (Be Honest With Yourself)- Proven PLC experience (Allen-Bradley required)
- Robot programming experience (Fanuc or Yaskawa required)
- Comfort working independently and in a team
- Willingness to travel for commissioning as needed
- Ability to think mechanically, electrically, and logically together
To be considered, your resume must include written answers to the following questions. Applications without answers will not be reviewed.
- What is the most complex machine or automation system you have personally programmed?
- What made it complex?
- What was your role from start to finish?
- Describe a time a machine didn’t work during startup or commissioning.
- What went wrong?
- What did you do to resolve it?
- Which PLC platforms and robots have you worked with hands-on?
- Be specific about your level of responsibility (lead vs support).
- What do you enjoy most about controls engineering—and what do you enjoy least?
- Why does this role at a smaller, growing automation company appeal to you?
- (If it doesn’t, this likely isn’t the right fit.)
- Machines start up faster over time
- Fewer surprises during commissioning
- Cleaner, more readable logic
- Operators understand the machine
- Customers trust Orka because our systems work
- Competitive salary based on experience
- Opportunity to grow with the company
- High visibility and increasing responsibility as Orka scales
Orka Automation is building something intentionally—not fast and sloppy, but capable and trusted.
If you want to be proud of the machines you build and the problems you solve, we should talk.
Orka Automation specializes in providing innovative solutions for enhancing manufacturing processes, making them faster, more accurate, safer, and cost-effective through advanced factory automation. Originating from its quality inspection business via Component Engineering, Orka was founded to address customers’ needs for automated solutions. By combining expertise in quality inspection with automation technology, Orka delivers more efficient and effective manufacturing processes. The company’s approach focuses on solving manufacturing and quality challenges, driven by strong customer relationships and ongoing innovation.