About this role
Join a Top Engineering Firm Thats 100% Employee-Owned
Wunderlich-Malec Engineering (WM) is one of the largest and most well-established engineering firms in the U.S., with over 40 years of industry leadership. As a 100% employee-owned ESOP company, were proud to be ranked among the Top 5 Systems Integrators and an ENR Top 500 Firm.
Were looking for a Controls Engineer to join our Irvine, CA office. In this leadership role, youll design and implement innovative automation solutions across industries like Life Sciences, Food & Beverage, and Manufacturing.
What Youll Do
As a Controls Engineer, youll lead projects from concept to commissioning, working directly with clients and internal teams. Your responsibilities will include:
🔧 Automation & Controls Engineering
- Design and implement SCADA systems using HMI, SCADA, and DCS platforms (Ignition and PlantPAx experience is a plus)
- Develop SCADA system architecture, select components, and create detailed network and relations
- Implement visualization systems (HMI/SCADA)
- Build databases for historical data archiving and display
- Design and implement MES system (Sepasoft experience is a plus)
- Utilize programming languages like VBA, .NET, SQL, and Python for advanced HMI/SCADA development
- Interfacing with ERP and third-party systems with REST API
🌐 Industrial Networking
- Design and implement fiber, wired, and wireless networks using industrial protocols (Ethernet/IP, Profinet, IT/OT)
📈 Project Leadership & Management
- Lead engineering teams and mentor junior staff
- Manage project execution plans, tasks, and report to PM
- Act as technical lead occasionally
What You Bring
🎓 Education & Experience
- Bachelors degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Chemical Engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent experience
- 5+ years of experience in controls engineering, including:
- Rockwell Automation platforms (FactoryTalk, PlantPAX)
- Inductive Automation Ignition
- SQL Server query programming
- S88 Batch/Recipes, OEE, MES, ERP systems
- Python scripting proficiency
🤝 Leadership & Collaboration
- Proven ability to lead teams and mentor engineers
- Strong communication and client-facing skills
- Professional references from a manager, peer, and subordinate
✈️ Travel
- Up to 35% out-of-state travel; regular visits to client sites in the US.
Work Environment & Physical Requirements
- Hybrid mix of standard office environment and work-from-home leadership (at least 3 days of office work, discretionary 2 days of remote work, and on-site job walks as needed per week), 25-35% level of travel to client sites in the US; diverse industrial environments; flexible for out-of-region candidates but Southern California Region (specifically Orange County, Inland Empire, and San Diego) preferred.
Physical Demands of Position
- Seeing, color perception, hearing, clear speech, dexterity in hands, driving, lifting, ability to mount/dismount equipment, pushing and pulling.
Why Join WM?
We offer a comprehensive benefits package for full-time employee-owners, including:
Ready to lead cutting-edge automation projects and grow with a company that invests in you?
*Job Descriptions are not exhaustive lists of all skills, responsibilities, or efforts associated with a job. They reflect principal job elements essential for performing the job and evaluating performance.
Wunderlich-Malec is proud to offer a comprehensive employee-owner benefit package. Full-time employees may be eligible for the following benefits: Medical Dental Vision Basic and Supplemental Life and AD&D Long Term Disability Voluntary Short Term Disability Healthcare & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts Health Savings Account Paid Time Off (PTO) Paid Holidays Tuition Reimbursement Referral Bonus Program 401(k)/Profit Sharing 100% ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) Employee Assistance Program Will Preparation Resources Worldwide Travel Assistance.
The expected salary range is $85,000 to $135,000 base per year depending on qualifications plus a discretionary bonus and employee stock program.
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