Senior Controls Engineer

Senior Controls Engineer

Location: West Chester, PA (Hybrid)

Employment type: Full-time

Lead the controls engineering design scope for pharmaceutical and food & beverage facility projects. Own the technical quality and coordination of control-panel, industrial-network and electrical installation packages. Combine hands-on design with technical reviews, resolution of client and vendor interfaces, and mentoring of engineers through construction and commissioning support.

What you will deliver

Develop coordinated panel and field-installation packages, including equipment and panel layouts, schematics, wiring and termination details, cable lists, and I/O schedules.

Design and document industrial-network topology and physical connections; coordinate instrument, panel and equipment interfaces with the installation package.

Survey existing installations, document field conditions, and incorporate verified information into design and as-built documents.

Coordinate with process, mechanical and electrical engineers, equipment vendors, panel fabricators and installation contractors; prepare specifications and bid-package information.

Own the controls design basis and package completeness; review drawings, specifications and schedules for technical consistency and constructability, and mentor engineers through reviews.

Provide PLC/HMI programming and project lifecycle support, including troubleshooting, testing, installation and commissioning, with design changes reflected in the final documents.

Apply relevant project codes and standards, including NEC and UL 508A where applicable.

Required qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Mechanical or Chemical Engineering.

8+ years of control-systems experience in manufacturing or consulting-design environments, including commissioning experience.

Proficiency with AutoCAD for control-panel design and electrical construction packages.

Experience with control-panel and industrial-network design, component and instrument selection, and coordination of drawings and schedules for fabrication and installation.

Hands-on experience with Rockwell Automation Studio 5000 / RSLogix 5000 and FactoryTalk View ME/SE for PLC, HMI and SCADA project work.

Ability to survey existing systems, coordinate clients and vendors, and prepare design and bid packages. Coordinate single-line diagrams, panel schedules and power-plan interfaces with the electrical engineering team.

Experience owning and reviewing coordinated controls packages, resolving design interfaces, and guiding other engineers.

Preferred experience

Experience leading commissioning activities.

Hybrid work and project travel

This is an office-based hybrid role with remote work and project-site assignments. Office attendance is coordinated with the project team. Travel is anticipated to be 20–40%, depending on project requirements. Initial site visits typically last 1–3 days; commissioning assignments may last 1–4 weeks.

The salary for this position is between $80,000-$130,000, contingent upon the candidate’s experience and demonstrated technical proficiency.

About LAPORTE

Founded in 1999, LAPORTE is a consulting engineering firm serving pharmaceutical, food & beverage, and industrial manufacturing clients across North America and Europe.

We offer a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, compensatory paid time off (PTO), a flexible work environment, and opportunities for professional growth and collaboration.

Apply with your résumé. Relevant project examples can help us understand your contribution; please omit confidential client information.

#LI-Hybrid

Send us your application today. We look forward to meeting you!

The LAPORTE team