Senior Controls Engineer

Job DescriptionJob Description

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GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:

Orenco is seeking a highly motivated and forward-thinking Senior Controls Engineer to lead the automation of engineering design and manufacturing. This role is essential in driving standardization across control panel designs while ensuring that Orenco's engineering, manufacturing, and customer support teams operate seamlessly through structured processes, tools, and documentation.

As a technical expert with a product management mindset, you will bridge engineering innovation and business strategy by optimizing component selection, panel assembly, and market-driven product improvements. You will oversee the integration of CPQ (Configure Price Quote) development, EEC (EPLAN Engineering Configuration), EPLAN (software), and shop floor operations, ensuring that Engineering Design Guidelines, Quality Control manuals, SOPs (Standard Operating Procedure), and customer support knowledge bases remain standardized, up to date, in compliance with industry standards, and scalable for future growth.

This is more than just an engineering role-it's an opportunity to lead industry innovation, standardize best practices, and shape the future of control panel technology at Orenco.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS and KRA (Key Result Areas):

> Safety/Culture

• Continuously maintains Orenco management's safety, cultural, and professional standards.
• Promotes, encourages, and reinforces a positive safety culture, safe practices, and a safe work environment to all employees

> EEC / EPLAN Standardization and Engineering Automation

• Lead and project manage the deployment and integration of EPLAN Engineering Configurator (EEC) to automate engineering design and manufacturing workflows.
• Ensure EEC, EPLAN, CPQ, Quoter, and shop floor operations are fully integrated for seamless design-to-manufacturing execution.
• Develop and implement Engineering Design Guidelines to standardize custom controls while embedding continuous improvement into Orenco's standard panel lines.
• Collaborate with engineering, manufacturing, and quality control teams to align SOPs, quality manuals, and best practices with standardized design methodologies.
• Oversee revision control and approval processes, ensuring accurate, up-to-date documentation that supports efficiency at every stage of the product lifecycle.
• Develop, program, and troubleshoot PLC (Programmable Logic controller) and HMI (Human Machine Interface) systems from various manufacturers (Allen-Bradley, Siemens, Schneider, etc.)

> Product and Market Strategy

• Market Intelligence - Stay ahead of industry trends, competitor offerings, and customer needs to shape Orenco's control panel product strategy.
• Component Optimization - Work with procurement and supply chain to identify, negotiate, and select high-quality, cost-sensitive components, balancing price, availability, and performance.
• Cost vs. Value Analysis - Work with cost accounting to evaluate aggregate control panel costs, factoring in labor savings from automation, ensuring that higher-cost components are justified by improved efficiency and scalability.
• Vendor and Supplier Relations - Partner with procurement to negotiate pricing, secure supply chains, and establish long-term partnerships with key component manufacturers.
• Rapid Prototyping and Customer Solutions - Lead rapid prototyping efforts for control panels utilizing new component configurations, ensuring feasibility before full production. Collaborate with the engineering team to evaluate new customer and OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturing) needs, providing value-engineered solutions that optimize design, cost, and manufacturability. Support customers in scaling their panel volume, ensuring that Orenco's control solutions help drive efficiency, reliability, and business growth for their operations. (Note: This is distinct from R&D (Research and Development) projects focused on new Orenco-developed software or hardware.)
• New Product Introduction - Work closely with engineering and production teams to successfully integrate new component configurations into Orenco's existing control panel product lines.

> Engineering Standardization and Process Improvement

• Develop and maintain a components library, streamlining engineering design and manufacturing workflows.
• Collaborate with Quality Control to establish best practices, failure analysis protocols, a feedback loop, and preventive measures to reduce defects and production errors.
• Enhance engineering efficiency (EEC) by reducing customization bottlenecks and driving standardization in control panel design.

> Technical Design and Continuous Improvement

• Design and develop scalable control panel solutions using the EPLAN suite and integration with corporate enterprise solutions, ensuring reliability, manufacturability, and compliance with industry standards.
• Ensure all designs align with UL508A (Underwriters Laboratory), UL698A, NEC ( Electrical Code), NFPA ( Fire Protection Association), and other regulatory requirements, balancing safety, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness.
• Establish and manage structured revisioning and approval processes, ensuring design updates are documented, communicated, and implemented across engineering, manufacturing, and customer support teams.
• Specify and select electrical components, sensors, drives, and instrumentation for control systems.

> Customer and Sales Support

• Act as the technical expert and trusted advisor for sales, distributors, and OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturing), providing deep insights into control panel capabilities and configurations.
• Support sales and business development teams in positioning Orenco's control solutions competitively in the market.
• Develop and maintain a customer support knowledge base, ensuring field engineers and end users have access to clear troubleshooting guides and product documentation.
• Conduct technical training sessions for internal teams and key external partners to enhance product knowledge and adoption.

> Cross-Functional Leadership and Coordination

• Collaborate with sales, engineering, and manufacturing staff to ensure product offerings align with market demand and internal capabilities.
• Partner with the Orenco Water Sales team to ensure that pump selection remains their responsibility, while Controls focuses on electrical panel standardization and integration.
• Ensure that CPQ, Quoter, EEC, and EPLAN tools remain fully synchronized, supporting Orenco's long-term engineering automation strategy.

> Regular, consistent, and predictable attendance is required.

> Performs other duties as assigned.

EDUCATION:

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, controls engineering, automation engineering, mechatronics, or related field required.
• Additional coursework or experience in product management, business, or marketing is a plus.

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/EXPERIENCE:

• Minimum ten years of experience in control panel design, industrial automation, and product management.
• Expert proficiency in EPLAN, including schematic design, component libraries, and automation tools.
• Demonstrated experience deploying and managing EEC for engineering standardization.
• Strong understanding of motors, VFDs (Variable Frequency Drive), instrumentation, and industrial control circuits.
• Experience with SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) , remote telemetry, DCS (Distributed Controls Systems), IIOT (Industrial Internet of Things), and industrial communication protocols.
• Ability to troubleshoot and optimize electrical and control system panel designs for manufacturability and performance.
• Experience with cyber security strategies and standards for connected products in industrial environments.
• Familiarity with IP protection, search and filing is a plus.
• Experience in go-to-market strategies, or product portfolio management with focus on SKU (stock keeping unit) complexity management helpful.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills, with a talent for mentoring and influencing teams.
• Ability to balance multiple projects, meet deadlines, and thrive in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Outlook, etc.) and related business software.
• Adjusts to priority changes with little notice and to remains calm during confrontational or high-pressure situations.
• Ability to use sound judgement and follow through in problem solving and decision making processes.
• Must be willing and able to travel. Travel needs are determined by the department supervisory staff based on business need, required skill base, and assigned job tasks and responsibilities. Must be able to comply with current travel regulations and guidelines of airlines and destination locations.
• Must be able to meet and maintain Orenco's approved driver criteria; a valid driver's license, satisfactory driving record, current insurance on personal vehicle, and meet company insurability requirements.

TOOLS and EQUIPMENT:

Cell Phone

Computer

General office equipment

Hand Tools (screwdrivers and drills)

Multi line phone with intercom

Multimeter

Shop Equipment (drill press, punch, break)

Vehicle

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Primarily indoor office environment and may include limited time in production areas. Travel requirements may include operation of a motor vehicle, airplane travel, and overnight stays in temporary lodging. May require the ability to visit project sites that are situated on a variety of developed and undeveloped terrain/locations. Includes exposure to outside weather conditions and occasional exposure to dust, other outside elements, and wastewater that may require the proper use of personal protective equipment including but not limited to gloves. Work to be done during manufacturing business hours, however this position may on occasion work outside business hours to support department and business needs. Occasional long hours may be required.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Regular job duties include seeing, speaking, hearing, reading, writing, legible handwriting, keyboarding, prolonged periods of sitting including extended time viewing a computer screen. Intermittent physical activity includes but is not limited to touching, holding, grasping, pushing, pulling, reaching above shoulders and below knees, low back bending, twisting, turning, kneeling, crawling, stooping, squatting. standing, walking, and climbing stairs and ladders. Unassisted light lifting and/or carrying of under 20 lbs. is required. May also include occasional unassisted lifting and/or carrying of up to 50 lbs., lifting and/or carrying over 50 lbs. must be assisted. Operation of a motor vehicle and/or airplane travel may be required. Travel needs are determined by the department supervisory staff based on business need, required skill base, and assigned job tasks and responsibilities. Travel may require the ability to visit project sites that are situated on a variety of developed and undeveloped terrain/locations.