Controls Engineer II

Modine Manufacturing Company - Trenton is seeking a Controls Engineer II responsible for the design, development, implementation, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement of electrical control systems and PLC-controlled manufacturing equipment. This position supports plant operations by developing cost-effective manufacturing solutions, improving equipment reliability, increasing automation capabilities, and ensuring safe, efficient production processes.

The Controls Engineer II will lead and support capital projects, equipment installations, process improvements, troubleshooting activities, and automation initiatives while working closely with Production, Maintenance, Quality, Safety, and Manufacturing Engineering teams.

Manufacturing & Controls Engineering

• Develop cost-effective manufacturing methods through analysis of existing processes, equipment, and installations.
• Troubleshoot, maintain, and improve all aspects of PLC-controlled equipment and automated manufacturing systems.
• Design, modify, and optimize machine control programs, automation systems, and electrical controls to improve performance, quality, and productivity.
• Evaluate manufacturing problems and develop practical technical solutions to eliminate recurring issues and reduce downtime.
  Support implementation of Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives throughout the facility.

Project Management & Equipment Installation

• Lead and support capital projects from concept through implementation.
• Investigate alternative solutions for manufacturing challenges and develop project justification, cost analysis, and return-on-investment calculations.
• Recommend equipment, controls, and automation solutions to support manufacturing requirements.
• Manage installation, startup, debugging, validation, and commissioning of new and modified equipment.
• Coordinate equipment transfers and new equipment installations, including process qualification and production release activities.
• Work with internal stakeholders and external contractors during all phases of project execution.

Production Support

• Provide technical support to production operations across all shifts for complex equipment and process issues.
• Assist Maintenance and Operations teams in diagnosing and resolving electrical, controls, automation, and machine-related failures.
• Develop corrective actions for recurring equipment issues and support root cause investigations.
• Create and maintain documentation, standards, schematics, and operating procedures for manufacturing equipment and control systems.

Safety, Quality & Compliance

• Participate in safety reviews, risk assessments, machine guarding evaluations, and ergonomic assessments for new and existing equipment.
• Ensure equipment and control systems comply with applicable Modine, customer, and regulatory requirements.
• Support process validation, qualification activities, and production readiness reviews prior to equipment release.
• Assist with quality investigations and implementation of automated error-proofing solutions where applicable.

Vendor & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate with Manufacturing Engineering, Production, Maintenance, Quality, Product Engineering, and Corporate Engineering teams.
• Interface with equipment suppliers, controls integrators, contractors, and service providers.
• Develop specifications, requisitions, and documentation required for outside vendors and internal fabrication resources.
• Provide training to operators, technicians, and maintenance personnel on new equipment and control systems.

Continuous Improvement

• Continually evaluate emerging automation technologies, control systems, and manufacturing equipment.
• Identify and implement opportunities for cost savings, reliability improvements, and productivity enhancements.
• Lead initiatives focused on reducing downtime, increasing overall equipment effectiveness, improving quality, and enhancing process capability.
• Support the facility's Lean Manufacturing, 80/20, and Operational Excellence initiatives.

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, Automation Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related engineeringdiscipline.
• Minimum of two (2) years of manufacturing engineering, automation, controls engineering, or related industrial experience.
• Experience troubleshooting PLC-controlled manufacturing equipment in a production environment.
• Working knowledge of industrial electrical systems, machine controls, sensors, drives, HMIs, and industrial networking.
• Experience with PLC programming and troubleshooting; Allen-Bradley experience is preferred.
• Ability to read and interpret electrical schematics, control drawings, and technical documentation.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and project-management skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and engineering software tools.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

• Experience programming Allen-Bradley PLCs, HMIs, and variable-frequency drives.
• Knowledge of robotics, automated assembly systems, vision systems, and industrial communication networks.
• Experience with AutoCAD Electrical, Solid Edge, or similar CAD platforms.
• Familiarity with Lean Manufacturing, Toyota Production System, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Experience supporting capital equipment procurement, installation, and commissioning.
• Manufacturing experience within automotive, commercial vehicle, or industrial production environments.
• Strong programming and automation-development experience.

• Ability to work in a manufacturing environment with exposure to noise, moving machinery, heat, and varying temperatures.
• Ability to walk production areas for extended periods and troubleshoot equipment on the shop floor.
• Occasional lifting of up to 35 pounds.
• Occasional off-shift and weekend support may be required during equipment installations, launches, or production issues.