Controls Engineer

Job Title: Controls Engineer 

Location: Mishawaka, IN

Department: Engineering

Job Type: Salary

About United Petfood:

United Petfood is a private label producer of high-quality dry & wet pet food, biscuits and snacks. We are a Belgian family business with 25 high-tech pet kitchens in Europe and the US. 

Joining us, means joining an international, passionate and driven team with one common goal: a healthy planet filled with healthy pets! But it doesn’t stop there: we truly care about building encouraging, supportive, long-lasting partnerships, both inside as well as outside of our fast-growing family company. By only working with the very best ingredients and most innovative technology available, we ensure a spot in which you can grow, bloom and make thousands of pets happy worldwide!

Position Summary: Our Mishawaka team at United Petfood is made up of professionals who understand the difference our products make in the lives of pets. We are currently seeking a Controls Engineer to join our team. This position is based in our Mishawaka office. Reporting to the Maintenance and Engineering Manager, the Controls Engineer is primarily responsible for the programming, documentation, training and knowledge of plant-wide instrumentation, controls and other strategic systems as well as the computer integration of the manufacturing process and equipment. They will be responsible for projects and facility support as assigned or identified. Additionally, the Controls Engineer will work closely with all manufacturing employees and management.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Support Strategic Software Initiatives and plant and corporate rollouts relative to plant projects.
• Design and engineer controls and instrumentation.
• Design and engineer electrical systems in support of the process and utility system.
• Design and engineer the selection, procurement and installation of instruments and controls system.
• Assist plant or technical services personnel in troubleshooting operational problems from a controls engineering perspective.
• Assist in training of plant personnel on new and upgraded systems.
• Customize software solutions based on requirements.
• Perform all programming of the control system as required.
• Interface with vendors, construction administrators, and project team.
• Perform and document technical design reviews with other disciplines on the project team to produce the highest level of quality.
• Participate in contract administration.
• Manage and perform projects in a fast-paced environment.
• Time manage and prioritize tasks to achieve results within cost and schedule constraints.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Workplace Safety:

• Completes safety system documentation and verifies compliance to program standards. 
• Reports deviations to Supervisor. 
• Participates in mandatory safety trainings and adheres to all safety policies
• Required to report all safety issues, near misses, and injuries

Quality & Food Safety:

• Completes quality & food safety system documentation and verifies compliance to program standards. Reports deviations to Supervisor.
• Participates in mandatory food safety and quality training program requirements
• Preserves the integrity of the BRC system through adherence to the policies and procedures outlined. Takes actions necessary to resolve food safety and quality system deficiencies
• Required to report food safety and quality system failures and take actions necessary to preserve the BRC system.

Technical Requirements:

Technical Knowledge Levels:

Level I – Demonstrates a general competence level of knowledge and skill 

Level II – Demonstrates complete competence in knowledge and skill

Level III – Demonstrates expert-level knowledge and skills 

• Controllogix processors
• Rslogix 5000 software
• AOI blocks programming
• Object-oriented programming
• Factory Talk SE
• VBA scripting
• Wonderware GUI
• Wonderware Servers
• Wonderware Historian
• Dream Reports programming

 Electrical 

• Electrical control
• Instrumentation 
• Allen Bradley VFD's preferably 525 series
• Ethernet/IP background
• Load cells & Scale head 
• Stratix managed switches
• AutoCad
• Electrical Circuiting
• Communication/Documentation
• Design panel & wiring layouts/diagrams
• Process Controls
• Project budgeting
• Manage projects & construction of instrumentation and control systems
• I/O loop testing & wire tracing
• SQL platform
• Mechanical Problem Solving/Troubleshooting
• Electrical Problem Solving/Troubleshooting
• Electrical Power systems
• Verbal & Written Communication
• Time Management
• SOP development
• Training Staff
• Process Improvements

Position Requirements:

• High School Diploma required. Bachelor’s or Technical degree in an Engineering-related field preferred.
• Ability to troubleshoot operational problems.
• Keep abreast of changes within the industry to help develop the controls, equipment and processing technology that will maximize production efficiencies and product quality.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Ability to develop relationships with Production operators and management.
• Professional representative of the Controls Engineering team.
• Strong attention to details and follow-through on tasks and assignments.
• Experience with budgeting.
• Ability to understand PC based control systems with Microsoft and Allen Bradley.
• Ability to read equipment control and electrical schematics.
• Ability to program PLC’s and GUI systems.
• Strong computer skills in Word, Excel, electronic mail and windows based programs.
• Knowledge of process control systems (i.e. utility controls; steam, water and air.)
• Ability to configure industrial machine controls, including AC/DC drives.
• Ability to walk up numerous flights of stairs, ladders and/or work in confined spaces in extreme conditions.
• Ability to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.

Equal Opportunity Employer: United Petfood Producers USA Inc. is an equal opportunity workplace. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.