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About the job

Controls Manufacturing Engineer

Location: King of Prussia, PA

Employment Type: Full-Time, Direct Hire | Exempt

Work Arrangement: 100% Onsite, Monday–Friday

Base Salary: $90,000–$120,000 annually, depending on experience and qualifications

Overview

KORE1, a nationwide provider of staffing and recruiting solutions, is seeking an experienced Controls Manufacturing Engineer for a full-time, direct-hire opportunity with an industrial manufacturing company in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.

This is a hands-on engineering role focused primarily on industrial controls, automation, and equipment modernization, with additional responsibilities supporting manufacturing engineering and process improvement. The position plays a key role in improving production operations through the design, troubleshooting, programming, integration, and optimization of manufacturing equipment used in precision metal tube forming, cutting, and finishing.

The ideal candidate brings strong experience with PLCs, HMIs, variable frequency drives (VFDs), servo systems, industrial electrical controls, and automated manufacturing equipment. This individual must be capable of independently identifying problems, designing solutions, specifying components, and leading controls and automation projects from initial concept through implementation.

A significant portion of the work involves troubleshooting and modernizing existing manufacturing equipment, including replacing obsolete drives, PLCs, and control components, as well as introducing automation into previously manual or legacy processes.

While manufacturing engineering experience is highly valued, controls and automation expertise is the primary priority. The successful candidate will serve as a controls subject-matter expert while collaborating closely with Engineering, Maintenance, Production, Quality, and Safety teams.

Key Responsibilities

Troubleshoot, program, maintain, and improve PLC-based machine controls, HMI systems, VFDs, servo drives, motors, sensors, encoders, and industrial motion-control systems.

Independently lead controls and automation projects from initial requirements and system design through component selection, installation, programming, commissioning, and implementation.

Diagnose electrical and controls failures on existing manufacturing equipment, identify obsolete or failed components, and engineer replacement or modernization solutions.

Develop and modify PLC/HMI programs, configure drive parameters, and restore or improve machine functionality when legacy programming or documentation is incomplete.

Read, create, and update electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, control-panel drawings, I/O documentation, and machine-control specifications.

Design and integrate new automation solutions into existing manufacturing processes to improve equipment reliability, throughput, quality, safety, and operator efficiency.

Partner with Maintenance and Production personnel during equipment assembly, installation, troubleshooting, machine startup, and commissioning.

Support manufacturing engineering improvements involving mechanical components, tooling, fixtures, machine assemblies, and production equipment.

Lead or support root cause analysis, corrective actions, and continuous improvement initiatives focused on reducing downtime, scrap, process variation, and equipment-related losses.

Collaborate with Quality, Safety, Engineering, Manufacturing, outside equipment vendors, and controls integrators to implement equipment upgrades and capital improvement projects.

Required Qualifications

2–5+ years of relevant controls engineering, automation engineering, or industrial manufacturing engineering experience, with demonstrated ability to independently manage controls-related projects.

Strong hands-on experience with industrial PLC programming, troubleshooting, and control-system integration.

Experience programming, configuring, and troubleshooting HMI systems, VFDs, servo drives, motors, sensors, encoders, and automated manufacturing equipment.

Ability to independently specify controls hardware, drives, PLCs, and related electrical components for new installations and equipment upgrades.

Experience troubleshooting and modernizing existing or legacy manufacturing equipment, including replacing obsolete controls components.

Ability to read, interpret, create, and modify electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, I/O drawings, and control-panel documentation.

Experience performing controls testing, I/O checkout, equipment startup, commissioning, and troubleshooting.

Working knowledge of industrial communication networks such as EtherNet/IP, DeviceNet, Profinet, or similar protocols.

Ability to troubleshoot electrical, controls, mechanical, pneumatic, and hydraulic systems in an industrial manufacturing environment.

Experience using electrical diagnostic equipment, including digital multimeters and other electrical test instruments.

Strong understanding of industrial machine safety, including safety relays, E-stops, interlocks, and applicable lockout/tagout procedures.

Demonstrated ability to work independently, take ownership of technical challenges, and collaborate effectively with manufacturing and maintenance teams.

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Electrical Engineering Technology, Mechatronics, Automation/Controls Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related discipline. An equivalent combination of technical training and substantial hands-on industrial controls experience may be considered.

Ability to work 100% onsite in King of Prussia, PA, Monday through Fr