Controls Supervisor

Founded over 35 years ago, First Quality is a family-owned company that has grown from a small business in McElhattan, Pennsylvania into a group of companies, employing over 5,000 team members, while maintaining our family values and entrepreneurial spirit. With corporate offices in New York and Pennsylvania and 8 manufacturing campuses across the U.S. and Canada, the companies within the First Quality group produce high-quality personal care and household products for large retailers and healthcare organizations. Our personal care and household product portfolio includes baby diapers, wipes, feminine pads, paper towels, bath tissue, adult incontinence products, laundry detergents, fabric finishers, and dishwash solutions. In addition, we manufacture certain raw materials and components used in the manufacturing of these products, including flexible print and packaging solutions.

Guided by our values of humility, unity, and integrity, we leverage advanced technology and innovation to drive growth and create new opportunities. At First Quality, you’ll find a collaborative environment focused on continuous learning, professional development, and our mission to Make Things Better®.

We are seeking a Controls Supervisor for First Quality Tissue located in Lock Haven, PA.

Job Function:

This role oversees day-to-day instrumentation, PLC/SCADA/DCS/QCS/VFD work, and the reliability of automated systems that keep production running safely and efficiently. You will supervise technicians, prioritize work, enforce standards, and act as the technical lead for controls issues on the floor.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Supervise controls technicians, electricians, instrumentation staff, contractors (scheduling, training, performance, safety).
• Schedule controls maintenance activities, ensuring compliance with weekly and outage schedules along with safety and governmental regulations.
• Manage backlog and follow Work Follow Management processes through a CMMS
• Own reliability of PLCs, HMIs, SCADA, DCS, QCS, VFDs, sensors, and related networks.
• Plan and execute preventive and predictive maintenance on control systems.
• Lead troubleshooting of production downtime related to controls, instrumentation, and automation.
• Review and approve control logic changes, interlocks, and safety-related modifications.
• Coordinate with production, maintenance, engineering, and vendors on upgrades and projects.
• Maintain documentation: drawings, I/O lists, programs, change logs, and spare-parts strategy.
• Enforce lockout/tagout, electrical safety, and site procedures.
• Support capital projects: scope, commissioning, punch lists, and handover to operations.
• Track KPIs (uptime, mean time to repair, backlog, training compliance) and report to leadership.
• Participate in root-cause analysis after unplanned events.

Experience/Education:

Required Qualifications:

• Associate degree in electrical, electronics, industrial automation, or related field; bachelor’s preferred. Equivalent experience accepted.
• 5+ years in industrial controls / automation; 2+ years in a lead or supervisory role preferred.
• Hands-on experience with CMMS (INFOR, MP3, SAP, Oracle, JD Edwards, etc.)
• Hands-on experience with at least one major platform (Rockwell/Allen-Bradley, Siemens, Schneider, Emerson, Honeywell, or similar).
• Working knowledge of PLC programming, HMI/SCADA, industrial networks (Ethernet/IP, Modbus, Profibus, etc.), and instrumentation.
• Knowledge of PLC Siemens PCS7 and Step 7, QCS - Honeywell Davinci, networking and fieldbus, and instrument calibrations is a plus.
• Familiarity with NFPA 70E, OSHA electrical safety, and plant safety systems.
• Ability to read P&IDs, electrical schematics, and loop diagrams.
• Strong communication and people-leadership skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in paper manufacturing.
• Knowledge of VFDs, motion control, robotics, or building automation (if applicable).
• Exposure to cybersecurity practices for OT networks.
• Project management or commissioning experience.
• Relevant certifications (ISA, NICET, manufacturer training, etc.).

What We Offer You

We believe that by continuously improving the quality of our benefits, we can help to raise the quality of life for our team members and their families. At First Quality you will receive:

• Competitive base salary and bonus opportunities
• Paid time off (three-week minimum)
• Medical, dental and vision starting day one
• 401(k) with employer match
• Paid parental leave
• Child and family care assistance (dependent care FSA with employer match up to $2500)
• Bundle of joy benefit (year's worth of free diapers to all team members with a new baby)
• Tuition assistance
• Wellness program with savings of up to $4,000 per year on insurance premiums
• ...and more!

First Quality is committed to protecting information under the care of First Quality Enterprises commensurate with leading industry standards and applicable regulations. As such, First Quality provides at least annual training regarding data privacy and security to employees who, as a result of their role specifications, may come in to contact with sensitive data.

First Quality is an Equal Opportunityemployer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identification, or protected Veteran status.