Senior Automation & Control Engineer

Your Job

We are seeking an experienced and results-driven Electrical & Controls Engineering Manager to lead the electrical, automation, and controls function within our operations. The ideal candidate will possess deep technical expertise in PLC & SCADA systems, industrial instrumentation, power distribution, drive systems, robotics, and advanced manufacturing automation, combined with proven leadership capabilities.

This role is responsible for driving the reliability, performance, and continuous improvement of complex automated production systems while leading and developing a high-performing engineering team. Experience in sputtering technology, vacuum coating systems, or other advanced process technologies will be considered a strong advantage.

What You Will Do

• Lead and manage the Automation, Controls, Instrumentation, and Robotics team to ensure safe, reliable, and efficient plant operations.
• Develop and execute automation and control strategies aligned with business objectives, productivity targets, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Oversee the design, upgrade, maintenance, and optimization of PLC systems (Siemens S7-300/400/1200/1500, TIA Portal, or equivalent) and SCADA platforms (WinCC, Wonderware, etc.).
• Provide technical direction and governance for instrumentation, control systems, robotics, industrial networks, drives, and power distribution systems.
• Drive reliability and performance improvements through root-cause analysis, predictive maintenance, and data-driven decision-making.
• Lead preventive and predictive maintenance programs for automation, instrumentation, and robotic systems to maximize equipment availability and reduce downtime.
• Manage automation-related capital projects, system upgrades, retrofits, and the integration of new technologies from concept through commissioning.
• Ensure compliance with company standards, electrical codes, machine safety requirements, and cybersecurity best practices for industrial control systems.
• Collaborate with Operations, Engineering, Maintenance, Quality, and EHS teams to identify and implement process improvements and operational excellence initiatives.
• Provide strategic support and oversight for advanced manufacturing technologies, including robotics, motion control, vacuum systems, sputtering, plasma coating, and deposition equipment where applicable.
• Develop and maintain standards for electrical schematics, control architecture, instrumentation documentation, loop drawings, and P&IDs.
• Manage vendor relationships, service contracts, and external technical resources to support plant reliability and project execution.
• Lead budget planning, resource allocation, and cost optimization initiatives for automation and maintenance activities.
• Coach, mentor, and develop engineers and technicians, fostering technical competency, knowledge sharing, and succession planning.

Who You Are (Basic Qualifications)

• Bachelor'sDegreeinElectricalEngineering,AutomationEngineering,MechatronicsEngineering,orarelatedfield.
• Strong experienceinindustrialautomation,controls,andmanufacturingsystems,includingleadershipresponsibilities.
• Provenexperiencemanagingautomation,electrical,instrumentation,androboticsactivitiesinamanufacturingenvironment.
• StrongknowledgeofPLCs,SCADA/HMIsystems,industrialnetworks,andcontrolsystemarchitecture.
• Experienceleadingtroubleshooting,reliabilityimprovement,andautomationupgradeprojects.
• Abilitytointerpretelectricalschematics,controldrawings,andP&IDs.
• Strongleadership,communication,problem-solving,andprojectmanagementskills.

What Will Put You Ahead

• Experienceinglassmanufacturingorothercontinuousprocessindustries.
• Experiencewithvacuumcoating,sputteringsystems,orCoaterLineoperations.
• Knowledgeofmotioncontrolsystems,drives,servos,andadvancedindustrialinstrumentation.
• Experiencesupportinghigh-speedautomatedproductionlinesandleadingautomationimprovementinitiatives.
• Trackrecordofmanagingcapitalprojects,technologyupgrades,anddigitaltransformationinitiatives.

At Koch companies, we are entrepreneurs. This means we openly challenge the status quo, find new ways to create value and get rewarded for our individual contributions. Any compensation range provided for a role is an estimate determined by available market data. The actual amount may be higher or lower than the range provided considering each candidate's knowledge, skills, abilities, and geographic location. If you have questions, please speak to your recruiter about the flexibility and detail of our compensation philosophy.

Who We Are

As a Koch company, Guardian Glass is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of float, value-added and fabricated glass products and solutions. We produce high-performance glass for architectural, residential, interior, transportation and technical glass applications. You’ll find our glass in homes offices and cars and in some of the world’s most iconic projects.

At Koch, employees are empowered to do what they do best to make life better. Learn how our business philosophy helps employees unleash their potential while creating value for themselves and the company.

Additionally, everyone has individual work and personal needs. We seek to enable the best work environment that helps you and the business work together to produce superior results.