Controls Engineer

First Quality was founded in 1989 and, in nearly three decades, has grown to be a global privately held company with over 4,000 employees. Its corporate offices are located in Great Neck, New York, with manufacturing facilities and offices in Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Georgia, and Canada. First Quality is a diversified family of companies manufacturing consumer products ranging from Absorbent Hygiene (adult incontinence, feminine care, and baby care), Tissue (bath and towel), and Industrial (print and packaging materials), serving institutional and retail markets throughout the world. First Quality focuses on private label and branded product lines.

Our core business philosophy is built on a proud culture driven by safety and quality, respect, humility, integrity, customer focus, and teamwork. With leading edge manufacturing technologies and processes and visionary leadership, First Quality is positioned to continue significant growth in the coming years. We are seeking an experienced Controls Engineer for our First Quality Baby Products facility located in Macon, GA.

This position will specify, design, and implement complex controls systems and software programming on production equipment and associated machinery. Provides training and assists Controls Technicians in solving complex problems. Will provide direct supervision to Controls Technicians.

Primary responsibilities include:

• Observes OSHA and company safety rules and uses the proper safety equipment. Identifies potentially dangerous electrical hazards and takes immediate corrective action. Demonstrates advanced National Electrical Code understanding by teaching others.
• Leads/supports internal Controls Technicians, Project and Process Engineers, Maintenance & Production personnel, OEMs, vendors, and contractors to design, install, interface, start up new equipment and process controls including electrical component selection and approval, electrical design approval, software assessments & modifications, machine acceptance testing and problem identification and resolution.
• Will supervise, assign work, provide performance monitoring and reviews, and provide daily priority setting for Controls Technicians.
• Responsible for specifying DCS’s, PLC’s, HMI’s, servo systems, motors, drives, sensors, vision sensors and data collection and analysis software, based on our companies’ controls standards criteria. Evaluates electrical equipment from multiple sources and recommends best value for use.
• Assesses, identifies, schematically designs, and makes complex program modifications in DCS’s, PLC logic, HMI programs and servo controller logic to improve individual equipment and overall system performance. Will appropriately delegate tasks and oversee others completing this work. Provides quality checks to ensure correct software development.
• Performs high level troubleshooting, in-depth critical thinking, and utilizes all internal & external resources to solve any electrical, mechanical or process problem. Leads & assists others in troubleshooting machinery, equipment, components and programs including PLC’s, HMI’s, Servo systems and Robotics.
• Coordinates machine data collection and archiving as well as assists in the analysis of this data. This requires interfacing production and lab equipment to the plant network as well as maintaining and improving the data historian system.
• Assists Production, Maintenance, and Engineers to meet daily priorities, coverage, and special projects. Ability to lead small capital projects.
• Leads Controls support during machine installations and upgrades. This includes interfacing auxiliary equipment, identifying and correcting errors in programming and wiring and ensuring vendors and contractors are meeting our needs and expectations.
• Expected to keep abreast of all of the new controls technologies, industry trends, health and safety regulations and standards that affect current operations.
• Proactively identifies opportunities to increase production operation performance, then initiates and oversees projects through completion.
• Provides technical and operating training to production, warehouse, and other personnel as needed. Shares knowledge and techniques with team members and coordinates the training of new personnel.
• Assists in project planning and forecasting as part of budgeting process.
• Provide training of Controls Engineers and Technicians with new control equipment or schedule outside training to enhance troubleshooting skills.
• Organize equipment documentation from OEMs, FQ produced documents and troubleshooting guides.
• Develop Safety Procedures for installed machines – Lock-Out /Tag-Out for operations and maintenance personnel.

Education and Experience Requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Electronics/Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field.
• Minimum of 4 years industrial controls experience. Advanced knowledge of electrical theory and principles of operation.
• Personal Computer skills including specific controls programming software and basic e-mail, word processing, spreadsheet applications, and project management software.
• Can create and modify schematic drawings using AutoCAD software
• Excellent communication skills.
• Works closely with machine manufacturers and vendors to design and build the best equipment for the application.
• Communicates with the process engineers, product design group and maintenance staff to understand what is required to make the machines operate as efficiently as possible while making the best product possible.
• Communicates with the production staff to identify problems and possible causes on the machinery.
• Works closely with the Information Technology department to integrate machine communication networks into the plant network and to maintain and enhance the data historian system.
• Communicates new equipment information to the Controls Technicians.
• Excellent analytical skills.
• Identifies machine problems and their potential causes by drawing on past experiences and utilizing critical thinking.
• Devises and performs tests to identify the root cause of problems.
• Analyzes data from equipment/program testing, event logs, operator/co-worker feedback, and historian data to identify trends and anomalies that indicate sources of inefficiency.
• Identifies possible causes of future downtime and determines appropriate actions to take to prevent them.
• Uses strong mathematical skills with numeric analysis software.
• Advanced knowledge of all PLC based hardware and software.
• Must be knowledgeable on all current control’s hardware and software.
• Has excellent PLC programming skills.
• Has excellent servo and HMI programming skills.
• Can interface between multiple controllers over various networking platforms.
• Knowledge of product specifications, quality specifications, goals, efficiency, scrap and production.
• Leadership abilities.
• Directs OEM’s, vendors, and technicians to accomplish goals in a timely manner
• Objectively evaluates the performance of Controls Technicians.
• Wide degree of creativity is expected.
• Can identify numerous alternative solutions and choose between them
• Initiates new standards and practices that will improve the effectiveness of the machine controls and controls group.
• Makes quick and accurate electrical repairs and program changes during emergencies and under stressful situations.
• Works well with all departments.

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 Opportunity employer. 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.