Senior Controls Support Engineer
Job Summary
We are seeking a highly experienced Senior Controls Support Engineer to join our headquarters team. This role is designed for a seasoned automation professional—ideally a former Field Service Engineer or Systems Integrator—who is looking to transition away from heavy travel into a stable, high-impact technical support role.
In this position, you will serve as the primary technical anchor for our installed base of machinery. You will take ownership of high-level troubleshooting, legacy system obsolescence, and remote support, acting as a critical bridge between our R&D design team and field operations. You will rely on your ability to reverse-engineer solutions, troubleshoot complex electrical/software issues, and mentor junior staff.
This is a Full-Time position, on-site at our Huntingdon Valley, PA location.
Travel time: Less than 15%
Duties and Responsibilities
Technical Support & Troubleshooting
Serve as the Tier 3 technical escalation point for critical machine-down situations, utilizing remote access tools (Ewon, Netbiter) to diagnose root causes without deploying to the site.
Analyze and debug live PLC code (RSLogix 500/5000) and HMI applications (FactoryTalk View) to distinguish between software logic errors, electrical faults, or mechanical failures.
Guide on-site technicians and junior engineers through complex diagnostic procedures via video/phone, including multimeter checks, servo drive parameter updates, and VFD configuration.
Legacy Systems & Obsolescence Management
Lead engineering efforts for legacy equipment, including identifying modern replacements for obsolete components (amplifiers, drives, HMIs) and validating new solutions.
Update electrical schematics and Bill of Materials (BOMs) to reflect retrofit changes and ensure accurate documentation for future service.
Manage the archival and organization of software backups and disaster recovery images for a diverse range of custom production machinery.
Requirements and Qualifications
Education & Experience
Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, or related field; OR equivalent hands-on professional experience.
7–10+ years of experience in industrial automation, specifically as a Field Service Engineer, Controls Engineer, or Systems Integrator.
Proven experience troubleshooting custom machinery in a production environment.
Technical Skills
Allen Bradley/Rockwell Automation Expert: High-level proficiency in RSLogix 500, Studio 5000, and FactoryTalk View ME/SE. Must be able to read and troubleshoot existing complex ladder logic.
AutoCAD Electrical Proficiency: Demonstrated expertise in creating, editing, and updating detailed electrical schematics of equipment and panels. Must be capable of modifying existing drawings for retrofits and ensuring documentation accurately reflects the "as-built" state of the equipment.
Industrial Networking: Strong working knowledge of IP addressing, subnetting, and configuring industrial remote access gateways (VPNs, Ewons, etc.).
Electrical Diagnostics: Ability to read and interpret complex electrical schematics and troubleshoot 480V 3-phase and 24VDC control circuits.
Hardware Knowledge: Familiarity with Servo Drives (Kinetix/PowerFlex), VFDs, instrumentation (Load Cells, Encoders), and legacy PC-to-PLC communications.
Key Competencies
Crisis Management: Ability to remain calm and analytical under pressure while dealing with urgent customer demands.
The "Generalist" Mindset: Comfortable working on machines you did not design and navigating systems with partial or missing documentation.
Communication: Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
Benefits:
Join a Team That Really Cares - Everyone is friendly, collaborative and driven. We are a family business and we care about each other so because of this, you will always be pushed to become the best you can be.
Real Work-Life Balance - 22 days' vacation and 40 hours sick time (pro-rated based on hire date) plus 8 federal holidays.
Salary - $120,000 - $135,000 per year based on experience.
- Department
- Engineering
- Locations
- Huntingdon Valley, PA
About Operio Group
Launched in 2022 from the seeds of LFA Machines and Vivion Inc, Operio was conceived from the simple idea that our customers don't need a machine or an ingredient, they need to make a product.
With the addition of CCS Index Stokes, Elizabeth Tooling and Elizabeth Tablet Presses, and Scheu & Kniss we are combining over 100 years of experience and expertise in machinery and ingredients to provide our customers with the excellent support and quality they need to fulfill their goals.
We do this thanks to our team, that keeps our core values at the center of every process, every interaction, and every goal.
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