PLC Controls Specialist

Lead PLC Controls Specialist - 3+ month Automation Integration Project

A confidential engineering and automation services organization is seeking a Lead PLC Controls Specialist to support a high-mix manufacturing automation integration project.

In this role, you will lead PLC controls development and integration for automated material handling, including ASRS-to-conveyor handshakes, station sequencing, robotics interfaces, interlocks, PLC emulation, and commissioning support. You will collaborate with ASRS, robotics, software, electrical, and commissioning engineers to validate reliable equipment communication and sequence operation.

This is an excellent opportunity for a controls professional who enjoys solving complex integration problems and has hands-on experience with material-handling or robotic automation systems.

What You'll Do

• Develop and troubleshoot PLC-based equipment sequences.
• Implement ASRS, conveyor, and station handshake logic.
• Define CC-Link IE Field bit and word mappings.
• Develop VALID / READY / BUSY and related equipment-state logic.
• Support ASRS discharge-to-infeed sequencing.
• Implement station interlocks, permissives, and simulated safety responses.
• Support PLC emulation, virtual commissioning, bench testing, and integration testing.
• Interface PLC logic with robots, readers, vision systems, HMIs, and supervisory software.
• Troubleshoot I/O, industrial networks, timing, sequence, and equipment-integration issues.
• Create clear controls documentation and test records.
• Coordinate with ASRS, robotics, software, and commissioning teams.
• Work within strict customer confidentiality and secure-development requirements.

What You'll Bring

• Professional experience developing and commissioning industrial PLC controls.
• Experience with ASRS, conveyors, stockers, AGVs, robotics, or other automated material-handling systems.
• Hands-on experience with equipment handshakes such as VALID, READY, and BUSY.
• Experience troubleshooting PLC logic, I/O, industrial networks, and automated sequences.
• Ability to work effectively with multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Strong technical documentation and problem-solving skills.
• Availability to support an approximately 12-week project assignment.

Preferred Experience

• Rockwell Studio 5000, ControlLogix, or CompactLogix
• Logix Emulate or virtual commissioning
• Mitsubishi GX Works3 or iQ-R
• CC-Link IE Field
• EtherNet/IP
• GuardLogix and safety-zone programming
• FANUC robot I/O and DCS integration
• Keyence or Cognex readers and vision systems
• PanelView or PC-based HMI
• Semiconductor, electronics, or other high-mix manufacturing automation
• SEMI S2, NFPA 79, UL 508A, ANSI/RIA R15.06, or OSHA machinery-safety experience
• Secure, air-gapped, ITAR, CUI, or customer-confidential development environments

Location and Assignment

• Location: Remote or customer/project site, based on project requirements
• Assignment length: Approximately 12 weeks
• Start date: As soon as available; specific start date to be confirmed
• Work arrangement: Project-based engineering assignment with potential onsite integration and commissioning activities

Why Join This Project?

• Lead controls integration for a technically complex automation system.
• Work at the intersection of PLCs, ASRS, robotics, conveyors, and software.
• Contribute to a confidential advanced-manufacturing integration effort.
• Collaborate with experienced controls, robotics, and software engineers.
• Apply hands-on controls expertise to a defined, high-impact project.

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