What are the responsibilities and job description for the Automation Engineer (61550) position at READING BAKERY SYSTEMS?
Industrial Automation & Controls Engineer
Location: Greater Reading Area, PA
Travel: Approximately 25-30% (Domestic and International)
Employment Type: Full-Time
Reading Bakery Systems (RBS) is seeking an Automation & Controls Engineer to design, program, and commission industrial PLC-based control systems for custom food processing machinery. This is a hands-on controls role with ownership from design through startup and direct customer interaction.
Who We Are
Reading Bakery Systems (RBS) is a global leader in the design and manufacture of industrial baking and food processing equipment. We partner with customers worldwide to engineer custom, high-performance systems used to produce a wide range of baked and snack products.
Our teams work in a collaborative, engineering-driven environment where practical problem solving, technical expertise, and customer focus matter. Engineers at RBS are involved from concept through commissioning, with clear ownership and the opportunity to see their designs operate in real production environments.
Key Responsibilities
- Design, program, and troubleshoot PLC and HMI control systems for industrial baking, mixing, and sheeting machinery
- Commission and start up equipment at customer facilities locally and globally.
- Simulate, test, and debug control systems in-house prior to shipment(FATs)
- Provide on-site and remote technical support for automation and controls systems
- Collaborate with engineering, manufacturing, service, sales, vendors, and customers
- Develop electrical documentation, control specifications, and bills of material (BOMs)
- Select and size control components including VFDs, servo drives, motors, sensors, safety devices, and power supplies
- Support machine upgrades, improvements, and system optimization
- Manage assigned projects, timelines, and deliverables
Required Skills & Experience
- 4 years of experience in industrial automation or controls engineering
- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related field is absolutely preferred
- Hands-on experience with Rockwell / Allen-Bradley, Siemens PLC experience preferred
- Experience with PLC programming, HMI development, and system commissioning
- Working knowledge of VFDs, servo systems, motion control, and industrial networks
- Comfortable working independently and in customer-facing environments
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
Travel & Work Environment
- Approximately 30% domestic and international travel to customer sites
- Work in manufacturing/food production facilities, we make ovens, it gets hot.
- Personal protective equipment that is required in manufacturing environments