Controls / MES Engineer

Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States Industry: Automotive Manufacturing Role Type: Controls / Automation / MES Engineering

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Controls / MES Engineer to support a ground-up manufacturing automation implementation for a major automotive manufacturer in Warren, Michigan.

This is primarily a new-build development and implementation role, not a sustaining or maintenance position. The engineer will be responsible for designing, programming, integrating, and commissioning controls and manufacturing systems, with a strong focus on Rockwell Studio 5000, Ignition, and PLC-to-MES integration.

The ideal candidate has personally taken automation systems from initial design through commissioning and production launch and can demonstrate hands-on experience developing PLC, HMI/SCADA, and MES functionality rather than only modifying or troubleshooting existing systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and develop Allen-Bradley ControlLogix/GuardLogix PLC programs from the ground up using RSLogix 5000 / Studio 5000.

• Develop PLC architecture including ladder logic, tag structures, UDTs, AOIs, sequencing, diagnostics, alarms, and equipment interfaces.

• Design and build Ignition HMI/SCADA applications, including screens, tags, scripting, alarms, communications, and system configuration.

• Develop and implement communication between PLCs and MES systems.

• Create PLC/MES transaction and handshake logic for manufacturing operations.

• Support work-order verification, part and serial-number traceability, recipe/model management, production reporting, and pass/fail transactions.

• Integrate barcode scanners, RFID systems, and other production tracking equipment.

• Configure and integrate Zebra industrial label printers, including generation and implementation of ZPL code.

• Develop automated label-printing processes tied to production events, work orders, and cycle completion.

• Perform controls system startup, debugging, commissioning, FAT/SAT, and production launch activities.

• Troubleshoot PLC, HMI, MES, networking, and equipment communication issues as needed.

• Collaborate with manufacturing engineering, IT/MES teams, equipment integrators, and plant personnel throughout implementation.

• Develop and maintain controls documentation, system architecture, backups, and commissioning records.

Required Qualifications

• Strong hands-on experience with Allen-Bradley ControlLogix/GuardLogix and Studio 5000 / RSLogix 5000.

• Demonstrated experience writing new PLC programs for equipment, stations, or production lines from scratch.

• Hands-on experience with Inductive Automation Ignition.

• Experience developing Ignition screens, tags, scripting, and/or application architecture.

• Experience integrating PLCs with MES or manufacturing information systems.

• Understanding of manufacturing transactions such as work-order validation, traceability, recipes, production reporting, and serial-number tracking.

• Experience commissioning automated manufacturing equipment.

• Strong troubleshooting skills across controls hardware, PLC software, industrial networks, and production systems.

• Experience in automotive or other high-volume discrete manufacturing environments.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience generating ZPL code and integrating Zebra industrial printers.

• Experience with barcode and RFID-based production traceability.

• Ignition Vision and/or Perspective development experience.

• Industrial networking experience including Ethernet/IP, OPC UA, SQL, or related communication technologies.

• Experience taking a controls project through the complete lifecycle: design → development → integration → startup → commissioning → production launch.

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Mechatronics, Automation, Industrial Engineering, or a related discipline.

Ideal Candidate

The strongest candidate will have experience building controls systems from the ground up, including PLC programming, Ignition development, and PLC-to-MES integration.

This position is best suited for an engineer who has built and commissioned new manufacturing systems rather than someone whose background is primarily production support or maintenance.